Chapter 6 A dangerous truth

Cassidy clutched the USB drive between her fingers as she walked out of Alexander Cross's office, her mind racing. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. She had come here to corner him, to force his hand, to get him to admit his crimes. Instead, he had handed her something she hadn't expected-evidence.

But of what?

Her instincts screamed at her not to trust him. He was a billionaire CEO with power and influence. Men like him didn't hand over secrets freely unless they were playing a deeper game. And yet... his words echoed in her mind.

"You're chasing the wrong villain."

Cassidy stepped into the elevator, gripping the small drive as if it contained the answer to everything. The doors slid shut, trapping her in the confined space, but it was nothing compared to the trap she felt closing in around her.

She needed to see what was on this drive.

By the time she reached her car, her fingers were already moving, plugging the USB into her laptop. Rain drummed against the windshield as she waited, breath shallow, pulse racing. The screen flickered before a folder popped up.

A single video file.

Her stomach tightened. Whatever was on this drive, Alexander Cross had given it to her willingly. Was it an attempt to manipulate her? To mislead her?

Only one way to find out.

Cassidy clicked play.

The Video

At first, the screen was filled with static, but then the image sharpened, revealing a dark, empty warehouse. A timestamp in the corner read two months ago. The footage was grainy, the lighting dim, but Cassidy could make out figures moving in the shadows.

A group of men. Armed. Dangerous.

Her fingers tightened over the keyboard as the camera panned slightly, and she caught a glimpse of a face she recognized. Not Alexander.

Richard Vaughn.

Cassidy's breath hitched. Vaughn, Alexander's biggest rival, stood in the middle of the warehouse, speaking to a man she didn't recognize. They shook hands, exchanged something-money? A document? It was hard to tell. But then, the camera shifted again, and she saw something that made her blood run cold.

Women.

A line of them, standing to the side, eyes downcast, guarded by men with weapons.

Cassidy's pulse skyrocketed. This wasn't a business deal. It was something much worse. Human trafficking.

Her breath came fast and uneven as the video continued, showing Vaughn overseeing everything. He was in charge. He was running it.

Not Alexander.

Vaughn turned, speaking to someone out of frame, and Cassidy's heart slammed against her ribs as she saw the next figure step into the shot.

Alexander Cross.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard as she watched, her stomach twisting violently.

But something was wrong.

Alexander wasn't standing beside Vaughn. He wasn't shaking hands or exchanging money. He was fighting.

The screen flickered again, and Cassidy saw the moment Vaughn turned on him. A sudden scuffle. A gun raised. Alexander's men moving in.

A raid.

Alexander Cross hadn't been a part of the operation. He had been shutting it down.

The realization sent a cold shock through her body.

Everything she thought she knew-everything she had accused him of-it was wrong.

Cassidy swallowed hard, pausing the video as her reflection stared back at her in the screen.

"You're chasing the wrong villain."

Alexander Cross wasn't behind the human trafficking ring. He had been trying to stop it.

And she had walked into his office ready to tear him apart for it.

A Dangerous Shift

Cassidy closed her laptop, gripping the edges tightly. Her entire body felt off-balance, her instincts thrown into chaos.

Vaughn. He was the real monster. The one pulling the strings.

And she had played right into his hands.

A sick feeling settled in her gut as she leaned back against her seat. If Vaughn knew she was investigating Cross, he wouldn't let her get any closer to the truth. She had put a target on her back without realizing it.

A sudden knock on her window made her jump.

Her heart lurched as she looked up to see a dark figure standing outside her car. The rain blurred his features for a second, but then she saw the sharp angles of his face, the piercing blue eyes.

Alexander.

She rolled the window down, her fingers still trembling. "How the hell did you-"

"You shouldn't have watched that here." His voice was low, urgent.

Cassidy's throat dried. "You were following me?"

"I had you followed," he corrected, glancing around as if expecting someone to be watching. "Vaughn has eyes everywhere. He already knows you came to me."

Cassidy's pulse spiked. "So what, you thought you'd show up and-"

"Make sure you don't get yourself killed?" he cut in smoothly. "Yes."

She hated how calm he sounded. How unshaken. Meanwhile, her entire world had just flipped upside down.

"I don't need your protection, Mr. Cross," she said sharply.

Something dark flickered in his eyes. "You do now."

Cassidy clenched her jaw. "You let me walk into your office accusing you of human trafficking. Why didn't you tell me the truth?"

A smirk ghosted over his lips. "Would you have believed me?"

She hesitated.

Damn him. He was right.

She exhaled, trying to steady herself. "Why did you give me that video?"

His expression hardened. "Because you're good at what you do. And I need you to expose Vaughn."

Cassidy blinked. "You want me to investigate him?"

A muscle ticked in Alexander's jaw. "I want you to burn him to the ground."

Something about the way he said it sent a shiver through her. This wasn't just business for him. It was personal.

Cassidy's mind raced. Vaughn was powerful, connected, dangerous. If she went after him, she would be making an enemy out of a man who wouldn't hesitate to eliminate threats.

But wasn't that why she had started this in the first place?

To uncover the truth, no matter how dangerous it was?

Cassidy's gaze locked onto Alexander's. "If I do this, I do it my way. No interference. No games."

He tilted his head slightly, watching her. "Agreed."

She wasn't sure if she trusted him. But one thing was certain-Vaughn was the real enemy. And Cassidy was about to go after him with everything she had.

Even if it meant stepping further into Alexander Cross's world.

Even if it meant losing herself in the process.