Chapter 5: The Web of Deceit
The confrontation in the luxury suite deepened as Marcus revealed the full contents of the encrypted drive. It wasn't just corporate espionage; it was an active extortion plot targeting the entire Blackwood family conglomerate, Blackwood Global Energy.
"She wasn't working alone, Mr. Blackwood," Marcus warned, pointing at a series of encrypted incoming emails on his tablet interface. "There’s an external handler. Someone inside your own board of directors was feeding her access codes and clearance protocols."
Alexander’s eyes narrowed. "Who?"
Before Marcus could answer, Olivia let out a bitter, cold laugh. "Do you really think I walked into your life by accident, Alexander? Your company is a shark tank. Someone paid me a very large retainer to make sure you were too distracted by wedding bliss to notice the quiet takeover happening right under your nose."
In the adjoining playroom, little Maya sat on a plush rug, her brown teddy bear resting in her lap as Alexander’s sister, Eleanor, comforted her. Eleanor was a sharp-minded corporate attorney who had never fully trusted Olivia from the moment they met at the Hamptons summer gala.
"Alexander," Eleanor said, entering the closet room with a grave expression. "I just checked the trust fund registries for Maya’s educational grant. Someone tried to alter the beneficiary access signatures three days ago using your digital key."
Alexander spun around, looking at Olivia with newfound horror. "You went after my niece’s trust?"
"I took what was made available to me!" Olivia spat back, her champagne wedding dress looking absurd against the brutal harshness of her confession. "You have billions! You wouldn't even have missed it!"
"That money was set aside by my late brother before he died in the military!" Alexander roared, slamming his hand onto the mahogany dresser so hard the framed US flag on the top shelf rattled. "You crossed a line you can never come back from!"
Marcus tapped Alexander on the shoulder. "Federal agents are ten minutes away, sir. But if we hand her over now, her handler on your board will know we’re onto them. They’ll wipe their servers and vanish."
May you like
Alexander took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling in slow, controlled cycles of rage. He straightened his charcoal suit jacket.
"Then we don't hand her over yet," Alexander said coldly. "We use her."
