The next evening, the air was thick with fog as Emma stepped out of the car. She clutched her jacket tighter around her body. Alexander had insisted they come together, but at the last minute, he received a call from the board and told her to wait while he handled it.
She couldn't wait.
She had watched the video of Clara over and over again. Her words echoed in Emma's mind.
"He knew it was a trap. But he had to go."
Emma stood at the edge of the harbor now, her boots clicking softly against the wooden planks. The wind carried a salty chill, and the water below moved slowly, almost like it was hiding secrets.
This was where it had happened.
Where Alexander's father died.
Where Clara saw it all.
She moved carefully, scanning the area. Most of the buildings around the docks were shut down old warehouses, abandoned boats, rusted chains. But one small shed had a faint light glowing from inside.
Emma's heart pounded.
She stepped closer, her footsteps light.
Through the window, she saw a man.
He was going through a stack of old papers. He looked rough scruffy beard, stained coat, jittery movements. But then, she caught a glimpse of something in his hand.
A black Foundation badge.
Her breath caught.
He was one of them.
She backed away quickly, but her foot hit a metal pipe, sending a sharp clatter into the night.
The man turned.
Who's there? he barked, rushing out of the shed with a flashlight.
Emma ran.
She didn't scream she just ran. Her legs pounded the ground, her breath sharp in her throat. She darted behind crates, ducked low, and tried to stay out of the light.
But he was fast.
He grabbed her arm, yanking her back.
Why are you here? Who sent you? he growled.
Emma struggled, fear clawing at her chest. "Let go of me!"
Just then, headlights flashed across the dock. A car door slammed.
Alexander's voice cut through the air. "Let her go. Now."
The man froze.
Emma twisted out of his grip and stumbled toward Alexander, who stepped in front of her protectively.
I don't know who you think you are, the man muttered, but you're messing with something bigger than you understand.
Alexander's eyes were cold. I understand more than you think. And I'm done playing nice.
The man hesitated, then spat on the ground and disappeared into the shadows.
Emma clung to Alexander's arm.
I told you to wait, he whispered, voice tense but full of worry. You could've been hurt.
"I had to see it," she said, voice shaking. "I needed to feel what happened. I needed to know."
He looked down at her, then slowly nodded. You're brave. But we have to move carefully now. He'll report this.
Emma's hands trembled. What happens next?
Alexander turned to the water, the waves now crashing harder against the dock.
"Now we expose them."
That night, back at the mansion, Alexander and Emma sat in his study. She sipped hot tea, trying to calm her nerves.
"I know that man," Alexander said quietly. His name's Mason. He used to work for my father. My mother never trusted him."
Emma nodded slowly. "He had a Foundation badge. Why would he be hiding in an abandoned shed?"
Alexander stood and pulled out a thick folder. "That's what we're going to find out. The USB you found, it had more than just the video. It had files. Hidden accounts, offshore payments. If we connect the dots"
"They'll come after us," Emma finished, her voice low.
He didn't answer. He didn't need to.
She placed her hand over his. "Then let's be smart. Let's go to someone we trust. Someone outside the Foundation."
Alexander looked at her hand, then into her eyes. "I only trust one person right now."
Emma smiled softly. "Then let's not waste time."
Over the next few days, they worked in secret. Every morning started with early coffee, eyes barely open, hands reaching for paper and laptops. Every night ended with whispered conversations, long stares, and soft touches that said more than words ever could.
They were no longer strangers.
They were a team.
One evening, while Emma sorted through financial files, she noticed something strange.
A name kept appearing "Raymond Huxley".
She frowned. "Alexander… who is Raymond Huxley?"
Alexander's eyes narrowed. He's the head of the Foundation's finance board. But he retired last year.
Emma turned the laptop to him. He's still receiving payments. Large ones. Twice a month. From a shadow account.
Alexander's expression darkened. "That's not possible. He's supposed to be out of the picture."
"Or maybe," Emma said slowly, "he's pulling the strings from the shadows."
A silence settled between them.
Then Alexander said, I need to see him.
Emma grabbed his arm. "Not alone. Please."
He hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. Together."
Two days later, they found themselves outside a luxurious estate on the edge of the city. Security cameras watched from every corner, and a tall iron gate separated them from the front door.
Alexander pressed the intercom.
A voice crackled through.
"Who is it?"
"Alexander Blackwood. Tell Raymond we need to talk."
The gate buzzed open.
Emma's stomach turned as they walked up the long driveway. The house was cold, sharp, and unwelcoming like its owner.
Raymond Huxley met them at the door. Tall, grey haired, and calm in a chilling way.
"Well, well," he said, smiling. "The young Blackwood and his little friend."
Emma stiffened, but Alexander stepped forward.
"We know what you've been doing."
Raymond raised an eyebrow. "Do you?"
Alexander pulled out a printed sheet of payments. "You've been stealing from the Foundation. And you were there the night my father died."
Raymond's smile faded. For a brief moment, something dangerous flashed in his eyes.
"I'd be careful, Alex," he said slowly. "You're digging too deep. There are rules in this game. You break them, you lose more than your name."
I'm not afraid of you, Alexander replied.
Raymond leaned in, voice cold. "Then you're a fool."
Emma stepped forward. "Your threats won't work anymore. We have evidence. Real evidence. If anything happens to us, it goes public."
Raymond looked at her like she was a child speaking too loudly at a dinner table.
Then he said, "It's cute that you think this is about justice. But this is about power. Money. Control. Your father lost sight of that and it killed him. Don't let your pretty little feelings blind you, Miss Bennett."
Emma didn't flinch. "And don't let your arrogance blind you, Mr. Huxley. Times are changing."
Raymond laughed bitterly. "Then I suggest you both leave before time runs out."
Alexander took Emma's hand, and together they walked out.
He didn't say a word until they got to the car.
Then he whispered, "He's scared."
Emma nodded. "Good."
That night, Emma sat by the window in her room. Rain tapped softly on the glass. Her phone buzzed.
A message from Alexander.
"Come downstairs. There's something I need to say."
She wrapped a shawl around her and made her way down to the main hall. Alexander stood by the grand piano, looking unsure for the first time in days.
I don't know what tomorrow will bring, he said. But I do know this I never expected to feel anything in this crazy mess. I never expected you."
Emma stepped closer.
"You were supposed to be part of a deal. A name on a contract. But you've become so much more."
She smiled, tears in her eyes. "Then let me stay. Whatever comes let me stand by you."
He pulled her into a soft hug, his voice in her ear.
"Always."
And for the first time in a long while, Emma felt like she was exactly where she was meant to be.