The drive back to my modest apartment felt endless. My mind replayed Isabella’s whisper and my own stunned reply over and over. I had turned down a billionaire — a beautiful, powerful woman — because of the man I wanted to be for Zoe. But her parting words and those suited men left me with a deep sense of dread. What files? What danger?
The next morning, Zoe was full of questions about the event. I kept it light, focusing on her excitement about robotics. At work, I threw myself into engine repairs, but my hands shook slightly. My heart wouldn’t stop racing every time my phone buzzed.
Then came the text from an unknown number: “We need to talk about last night. My place again tonight. Come alone. — I”
Against my better judgment, I went. The mansion was quieter this time, fewer staff visible. Isabella met me at the door wearing a silk robe, looking exhausted yet still commanding.
“You came,” she said, relief and surprise mixing in her voice. “After what you said last night… I didn’t think you would.”
“I’m here for answers, not anything else,” I replied firmly, though her presence stirred something I hadn’t felt in years.
She led me to a secure office this time. “Those men last night work for my head of security. I’ve been receiving death threats. Someone inside my company is trying to destroy me — leaking proprietary AI technology to foreign competitors. I invited you here initially because my team flagged you as… clean. No connections to that world. I needed someone I could trust to help review some off-the-books documents.”
My stomach dropped. “You used me as a potential pawn?”
“Not just that,” she admitted, stepping closer. “Your reply last night… it stunned me because no one says no to me. It made me realize how isolated I’ve become. And how much I want something real.”
The tension crackled between us. She whispered again, softer this time, “I still sleep in very little, Ryan. But right now, I need you to stay because I trust you — not because of desire.”
I swallowed hard, a chill running down my spine mixed with unexpected warmth. “I’ll help look at the files. For Zoe’s future at your company, if nothing else. But nothing more.”
We spent hours poring over encrypted documents. I spotted irregularities my mechanic’s eye for detail caught easily — manipulated timestamps, hidden transfers. Isabella was impressed, leaning over my shoulder, her breath warm on my neck.
“You’re remarkable,” she murmured. “Strong hands. Stronger principles.”
As midnight approached, her security chief burst in. “Ma’am, they’re moving. The rival team just activated a plan to frame you for corporate espionage. And they know about him now.”
Panic surged through me. Isabella’s face hardened. “Ryan, you have to go. But take this USB. It has copies. If anything happens to me, get it to the FBI contact listed.”
I grabbed her arm as I stood. “I’m not leaving you alone in this.”
Her eyes softened. For a moment, the billionaire facade cracked. “No one has ever chosen to stay for me — not like this.”
But as we moved toward the garage, alarms blared throughout the mansion. Security footage showed intruders cutting through the perimeter. One of the suited men from last night turned out to be a double agent.
“Run, Ryan!” Isabella shouted, pushing me toward a hidden exit.
We sprinted through a back corridor. Her hand found mine in the darkness, gripping tightly. My heart pounded wildly. Just as we reached an underground tunnel leading to a safe room, a voice echoed behind us.
“Ms. Voss. Mr. Carter. Stop right there. The board wants a word… and they don’t like loose ends.”
We turned to see Isabella’s COO, a slick man named Marcus, holding a gun. His smile was pure venom. “Your little single dad hero won’t save you tonight.”
My blood ran cold as Marcus raised the weapon. Isabella stepped protectively in front of me, but I pulled her back.
Then, in the distance, multiple car engines roared to life outside — far more than her security team.
👉READ PART 3 HERE: https://us.niwszone.com/16076/
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