Chapter 5 The price of power

Alexis sat at her desk, her hands shaking as she stared at the phone in front of her. The call from Sarah had shattered everything she thought she understood about the situation. The charity's files-gone. Every strategy, every plan, every piece of hope her mother had built from the ground up... stolen.

She couldn't wrap her mind around it. Who would do such a thing? And why? The timing couldn't have been worse. Just as she was trying to secure a deal with Dominic Colson, everything she'd worked for seemed to crumble.

Her mind raced. Could Colson be behind this? He had warned her, after all, that if she walked away, there'd be no coming back. But was this his way of forcing her hand? Was this the "price" he had spoken of?

"Alexis." Sarah's voice broke through her thoughts, and she looked up to see her assistant standing in the doorway, her face drawn tight with concern. "We need to talk. It's getting worse."

Alexis motioned for her to come in, her throat tight. "Tell me everything."

Sarah stepped forward, handing her a stack of papers. "We've got reports of mysterious transactions-huge amounts of money moving through various offshore accounts tied to Colson Enterprises. The timing matches up with the break-in. And there's more. We've traced one of the accounts to a company linked to Dominic's father."

Alexis's heart skipped a beat. "His father?"

"Yeah. I've been digging into Colson's past," Sarah said, her voice low. "His father was a major player in the underground world of finance. A lot of dirty deals. And from what I'm seeing, Colson might have inherited more than just his business acumen."

Alexis leaned back in her chair, trying to digest the information. This wasn't just about money. It was about power, control-and something darker, something she wasn't ready to confront. But Sarah's words were sinking in, like the pull of a current she couldn't escape.

"Dominic's father was a criminal?" Alexis whispered, almost unable to believe it.

"Not just any criminal. He's been linked to laundering money, illegal arms deals... you name it. And now, it looks like Colson's carrying on his legacy."

Alexis ran a hand through her hair, a sharp headache forming. She had to admit it-the way Colson had played her from the beginning, the way he'd manipulated her into taking that meeting, the cold way he'd dismissed her mother's charity... It all made sense now.

And yet, there was something else. Despite everything, despite his ruthlessness, there was a pull she couldn't ignore. A part of her-the same part that had once believed she could change the world with just her ideals-wanted to believe there was more to him than the businessman in front of her. But the truth was staring her in the face.

Dominic Colson wasn't a man who played by the rules. He made the rules.

Later that evening, Alexis found herself standing outside Colson Enterprises. The glass building reflected the city lights, its sharp lines and towering height intimidating. Every part of her wanted to walk away, to quit before things escalated further. But the memory of the stolen files, the look in Sarah's eyes, and the callousness in Colson's voice drove her forward.

She stepped into the elevator, her fingers still trembling from the shock of the day. When the doors opened to the top floor, she found herself face-to-face with Dominic once again. This time, there was no polite greeting, no cool smile.

Dominic was standing at the window, staring out at the city, his back to her.

"You've been digging," he said, his voice low, almost casual. But Alexis could hear the edge of something in it, like a warning.

"I had to know the truth," she replied, her voice steady but laced with suspicion. "About you. About your past."

Dominic didn't turn around, but Alexis could see his jaw tense, his posture stiffen.

"I'm not interested in your investigation, Miss Bennett," he said, his words clipped. "What matters now is whether or not you're willing to pay the price. The price of power."

Her pulse quickened. "You think you're the only one who can play this game, don't you?"

"I don't play games, Alexis." His voice was firm now, filled with that same cold authority. "This is business. And in business, loyalty is everything. You either follow through, or you get left behind."

Alexis felt a spark of anger flare inside her. "Loyalty to what? To you? To your empire?"

Dominic turned, his eyes narrowing. "To the bigger picture. To success. You're in this now, Alexis. There's no going back."

Her heart pounded in her chest, the weight of his words sinking in. The truth hit her hard, like a punch to the stomach. She was already too deep. She had no choice but to keep going, to play by his rules. But even as she fought to maintain her composure, she felt the darkness creeping in.

"You said loyalty comes at a price," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "What's the price?"

Dominic's lips curved into a smile that sent a chill down her spine. "Everything."

Twist:

Just as Alexis was about to speak again, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out quickly, and her eyes scanned the message from an unknown number:

"He's not who he says he is. Colson isn't just playing the game-he is the game. You're walking into a trap. Don't trust anyone, not even him."

Her fingers shook as she read the message, and for the first time, doubt crept in. Had she been wrong? Had she been so desperate to believe in something that she missed the warning signs?

She looked back at Dominic, standing there in the middle of his empire, his expression unreadable. Was this truly a game of power, or was she already lost?