Chapter 4 Shadows in the past

The tension in the conference room was suffocating as Alexis sat staring at the contract in front of her. Her fingers traced the edges of the paper, feeling the weight of it-the weight of everything that had led her here. Every word felt like a threat, a trap she couldn't escape.

Dominic Colson was waiting for her answer, his cold gaze never leaving her. He was patient, almost too patient. It was a game to him, a test to see if she was strong enough to handle the world he lived in.

The faint buzz of her phone in her pocket broke the silence, but Alexis didn't move. The buzzing grew louder in her mind, but she refused to look away from Dominic. Not now. Not when she was so close to a choice that could define her future.

But her heart was in turmoil. The contract was a poisoned chalice. The terms were designed to strip away everything she had fought for-her mother's charity, her integrity, her belief in doing the right thing.

And yet, the temptation was there. The chance to secure her mother's dream, to push past the obstacles they had faced for so long. Was this the price she had to pay?

She finally lifted her gaze, meeting Dominic's eyes with a steady resolve. But there was a flicker of something in his expression-something that made her wonder if he was playing a different game altogether.

"You want me to sign it," she said, her voice steady but sharp. "But I'm not your pawn."

Dominic smirked, his eyes gleaming with something she couldn't quite read. "No, Miss Bennett. You're much more than a pawn. But in this game, you need to understand the stakes."

She didn't respond. Instead, she stood and walked over to the window, needing space. The city stretched out before her-tall buildings, busy streets, people moving like ants in a world she wasn't sure she belonged in. This was his world, a world that had no place for her ideals.

The reality was hitting her like a wave, crashing over her and pulling her under. She couldn't help but remember the years she had spent fighting for her mother's vision. The countless sleepless nights, the heartache, the times she had been told her dreams were too big, too impossible.

But that was in the past. She had been naïve, thinking she could change the world without compromising.

Now, staring at the contract, Alexis felt the weight of her past mistakes rising up within her. She had made decisions that had led her here-decisions that, in hindsight, felt like missteps. She had always believed that her integrity would be enough, but the truth was, it had never been enough. It had only held her back.

If I had just been more like them, she thought bitterly. If I had just played the game.

Her mind flashed back to a moment-years ago-when she had first tried to make a name for herself in the nonprofit world. She had been younger then, eager, hopeful, thinking she could save the world with a few donations and a passionate speech. But she had failed. Miserably.

The charity she had worked for had collapsed under the weight of mismanagement. She had trusted the wrong people, put her faith in the wrong promises. The loss had been personal, and it had cost her more than just her reputation-it had cost her a piece of her belief in herself.

Now, standing in front of the most powerful man in the city, Alexis could feel the ghosts of that failure creeping in.

"You're thinking too hard," Dominic's voice cut through her thoughts. "This is simple, Miss Bennett. You want something. I can give it to you. But you have to accept the price.

Her jaw tightened. The price. It always came down to that, didn't it? She had given up so much already, and the thought of losing even more-losing herself-was almost too much to bear.

M

Before she could respond, her phone buzzed again. She glanced at it, her heart skipping a beat. It was a message from Sarah:

"I know this isn't easy, but don't forget why you're doing this. Don't forget who you are."

Alexis stared at the message, the words grounding her for a moment. Who I am.

Was she still the woman who believed in doing what was right, even when it seemed impossible? Or had she already lost herself in the shadows of the past, in the promises of men like Dominic Colson?

She exhaled slowly, slipping her phone back into her pocket. "I'm not your puppet," she said, turning back to Dominic. "And I'm not going to sign this deal."

His face remained unreadable, but for the first time, she saw a flicker of something deeper-something more complicated-beneath his cold exterior.

"Then walk away," he said, his voice soft, almost inviting. "But if you do, there's no coming back. I'll be your last chance, Miss Bennett."

Twist:

Just as Alexis turned to leave, the door to the conference room slammed open. Sarah, her face pale and eyes wide, stepped inside, holding up a phone.

"I just got a call," she said, her voice trembling. "It's about your mother's charity... There's been a break-in. Someone stole all the files. Everything."

The words hit Alexis like a physical blow. She spun back to Dominic, her heart racing. "What does this have to do with you?" she demanded.

Dominic's lips curled into a cold smile. "I told you. You're in this now. There's no turning back."

Alexis's breath caught in her throat. Was this the cost? Had Colson orchestrated it all? Was her entire future-and her mother's dream-just another game to him?

And if it was, how far would he go to win?