Hey, Heartless Billionaire, Am in Charge!

A Game of Deception

The night after their uneasy truce was as sleepless as the many that had come before it, but this one carried a new weight—a dangerous, almost thrilling sense of inevitability. Sophia sat on the edge of her bed, the city lights streaming in through the expansive windows of her penthouse, casting long shadows across the room. She had faced many adversaries in the corporate world, but none who knew her as intimately as Liam Blackwood.

And none who had the power to shatter her as he did.

Sophia’s phone buzzed on the nightstand, pulling her from her thoughts. She reached for it, half-expecting a message from Liam. Instead, it was a notification from Eric Thompson, her private investigator. Her pulse quickened. She had asked him to dig deeper into Vanguard Holdings, to find any cracks in their armor that she and Liam could exploit.

The message was brief, but its implications were vast: Got something. Vanguard’s CEO isn’t who he appears to be. Meeting at 9 AM?

Sophia’s mind raced. If there was something off about Vanguard’s leadership, it could be the leverage she needed to tip the scales in their favor. But even as she considered this, another thought crept in—Liam had undoubtedly done his own digging. What if he already knew and was withholding it, waiting for the right moment to use it against her?

Her fingers tightened around the phone. Trusting Liam was like walking a tightrope over a pit of vipers—one wrong move, and everything she had worked for would be devoured. But she had no choice. For now, at least.

The next morning, Sophia was already seated in a secluded booth at the upscale café where she had arranged to meet Eric. The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, but she barely noticed it, her focus entirely on the man who slid into the seat across from her.

Eric was a wiry man in his mid-thirties, with sharp eyes that missed nothing. He wasted no time on pleasantries, laying a manila envelope on the table between them. “You were right to be suspicious,” he said, his voice low. “Vanguard’s CEO, Richard Lawson, is a ghost. There are no records of him before five years ago when he suddenly appeared in the business world with unlimited resources.”

Sophia frowned. “And what does that mean? Who is he really?”

“That’s the million-dollar question,” Eric replied, tapping the envelope. “But I’ve uncovered something interesting. Lawson’s financial backing comes from a series of offshore accounts linked to someone you might know—Charles Whitmore.”

The name hit Sophia like a cold slap. Charles Whitmore was an old family friend, a man who had been close to her father and had mentored her when she first stepped into the corporate world. The idea that he could be involved in something as nefarious as a hostile takeover of Dawson Industries made her blood run cold.

“Are you sure?” she asked, her voice a whisper.

“As sure as I can be,” Eric said. “I haven’t been able to trace everything yet, but there’s definitely a connection. Whitmore has been financing Lawson’s moves for years, possibly grooming him to take over companies like Dawson Industries.”

Sophia’s mind spun with the implications. If Charles was behind Vanguard Holdings, this was more than just a corporate attack—it was a personal betrayal. He had been like a second father to her after her own father’s death. The thought of him scheming to take everything from her left her feeling nauseous.

“I need more,” she said, her voice hardening. “Dig deeper. I want to know everything there is to know about Whitmore’s involvement.”

Eric nodded. “I’m on it. But Sophia… be careful. If Whitmore is as deep into this as it seems, confronting him could be dangerous. He’s not the man you thought he was.”

Sophia forced herself to smile, though it felt more like a grimace. “I appreciate the concern, Eric. But I’m not the woman I used to be, either.”

As she left the café, the pieces of the puzzle began to form a picture in her mind, one that was more complex and sinister than she had anticipated. Charles Whitmore, the man she had trusted, was the architect behind the plan to destroy her family’s legacy. And Liam? Where did he fit into this? Had he known all along, or was he as in the dark as she had been?

These questions haunted her as she prepared for her next meeting—this time with Liam. If there was any chance of salvaging her company and getting revenge on the man who had betrayed her family, she would need to play her cards right. And she couldn’t afford any mistakes.

---

The conference room at Blackwood Enterprises was as cold and imposing as its owner. Glass walls surrounded the space, offering a panoramic view of the city—a reminder of the power Liam wielded. Sophia stood by the window, her reflection staring back at her, a stark contrast to the man who entered the room behind her.

Liam moved with the confidence of someone who had never known defeat. His presence was commanding, his tailored suit impeccable. But there was something different in his eyes today—a flicker of something she couldn’t quite place.

“Sophia,” he greeted her, his voice smooth as always. “You’re here early.”

“I wanted to discuss something before the others arrive,” she replied, turning to face him. “I’ve uncovered some information about Vanguard Holdings, and I thought you should know.”

Liam’s eyes narrowed slightly, a sign that he was listening carefully. “Go on.”

“Richard Lawson isn’t who he says he is,” Sophia began, choosing her words carefully. “His entire identity is a fabrication. His financial backing comes from someone close to both of us—Charles Whitmore.”

Liam’s expression didn’t change, but she could see the gears turning in his mind. “Whitmore? That’s… unexpected.”

“Is it?” Sophia pressed, watching him closely. “You and Charles were close, weren’t you? I’m sure you’ve kept in touch over the years.”

Liam’s gaze hardened. “If you’re implying that I knew about this, you’re wrong. Charles and I had business dealings in the past, but I haven’t spoken to him in years.”

Sophia raised an eyebrow. “You expect me to believe that?”

“I don’t care what you believe,” Liam shot back, his voice low and dangerous. “But if Whitmore is behind this, then we’re both in more trouble than we thought.”

Sophia held his gaze, searching for any sign of deception. But Liam’s expression was unreadable, as always. He was a master at controlling his emotions, at hiding what he was truly thinking. It was one of the things that had both attracted and repelled her when they were married.

“I don’t trust you, Liam,” she said finally. “But I need you if we’re going to take down Vanguard and Whitmore. So here’s my offer—we work together, but I call the shots. No more secrets, no more games.”

Liam studied her for a long moment, then nodded. “Agreed. But remember, Sophia, if we fail, we both lose everything.”

“And if we succeed?” she asked, a challenge in her voice.

Liam’s lips curled into a half-smile, one that sent a shiver down her spine. “Then we both get what we want.”

Sophia didn’t respond, but her mind was already racing ahead, calculating the next moves in this deadly game of chess. She had laid her trap, but whether Liam would step into it willingly or turn the tables on her was anyone’s guess.

As they sat down to discuss their next steps, Sophia couldn’t shake the feeling that she was playing with fire. And yet, there was something intoxicating about the danger, something that made her heart race in a way she hadn’t felt in years.

This alliance with Liam was temporary, a means to an end. But as they plotted and strategized, she couldn’t help but wonder—what would happen when the dust settled? Would they emerge as allies, as enemies, or something far more complicated?

And could she survive it?

The answers were as elusive as Liam’s true intentions, and as the day wore on, Sophia realized that the only thing she could trust was herself. Everything else, even Liam, was a variable—one she would have to manipulate with the utmost care if she wanted to come out on top.

But even as she steeled herself for the battles ahead, a small voice in the back of her mind whispered a warning. She might be playing Liam, but he was playing her too. And in this game of deception, only one of them could win.

As the meeting drew to a close, Liam stood up, offering his hand. “To our partnership,” he said, his voice smooth as silk.

Sophia hesitated for a fraction of a second before taking his hand, her grip firm. “To our partnership,” she echoed, her eyes locked on his.

But as their hands clasped, she couldn’t help but wonder—was this a handshake of trust, or the sealing of a pact with the devil?

Only time would tell. And Sophia was determined to ensure that, this time, she would not be the one to get burned.