CROSS MY HEART:A BILLIONAIRE'S BARGAIN

Mr Cross gazed at Emma Carter, the phone continued to ring and the external camera flashed more frequently.

"The truth?" Mr Cross uttered with a smirk. "The truth is, we're both dead if we don't work together."

"And if we do work together?"

There was something electric and menacing between them as his eyes met hers. "Then we go to war."

The phone rang once more, with greater urgency. The journalists outside demanded statements regarding the most recent crisis involving the CEO. And one email at a time, Vanessa Thompson was planning their demise somewhere in the digital.

Who was going to make it through the night?

..................

.......

...............

"Mr. Cross, I've organized your meeting notes for the quarterly review." With her heels clicking on the marble floor, Emma Carter's words echoed throughout the clean office.

"Punctual as always, Miss Carter." Emma Carter's gaze remained fixed on her computer screen. "Tell me, do you practice these little interruptions in front of your mirror each morning?" He asked with a cold demeanor.

"Sir, just on Tuesdays. You have been a hassle. I improvise for the remainder of the week.

He was surprised at that. He looked up at her with steel-gray eyes. "Interesting. You've just been with this company two weeks, and already you've got a sharpened tongue? That's quite a challenge."

"Mr. Cross, I like to think of it as workplace efficiency. It keeps discussions going.

"Does it now?" With a spooky focus, he studied her while leaning back in his leather chair. "And where exactly do you think these conversations are moving towards?"

Emma carefully laid the folder down on his desk. "Toward a more productive working relationship, I'd hope."

"Hope?" His lips formed a dark smile. "In my experience, Miss Carter, hope is a poor substitute for competence."

"Then it's fortunate I have both, sir."

"Bold statement." At last, he took the folder. "We'll see if you can stand by your words after today's meeting.

"May I ask why?" Emma Carter arched her brows in thought.

"You might inquire. Does not imply that I will respond. His eyes returned to his computer. "Just be prepared for a long night."

"How long are we talking about?"

"Worried about your social life, Miss Carter?"

"Worried about my overtime pay, Mr. Cross."

He genuinely made a harsh, startled sound as he chuckled at that. "Trust me, if you survive tonight, overtime will be the least of your concerns."

"Is that a threat or a promise?"

"That depends entirely on your performance." Once more, his gaze met hers. "Don't disappoint me."

Mr Cross was the ruthless CEO of the properly planned schedule for the quarterly review meeting. Emma observed the corporate speech while taking notes from her corner.

When Mr Cross said, "Q3 projections exceed expectations," "The Morrison account alone-"

"What about Vanessa's report?" Jenkins, a board member, cut in. "She raised several red flags before her... departure."

The way Cross's fingers whitened around his pen was not lost on Emma.

His words were exact: "Vanessa Thompson was dealing with personal issues that clouded her judgment."

"Personal issues?" Emma whispered to herself. "Is that what we're calling whistleblowing now?"

Mr Cross's head jerked in her direction. "Something to contribute, Miss Carter?"

"Sir, just taking note of the phrase. Regarding the minutes.

"After this meeting, see me. We'll talk about your note-taking abilities."

After several hours, the office was empty but for their two desks. The room was filled with long shadows as the city lights ran through the floor to the ceiling and windows.

"Pull up the Morrison files," Mr Cross said abruptly as he emerged behind her chair.

"All of them?"

"Start with September." Her ear was tickled by his breath. "The month everything went to hell."

Emma tried to ignore his closeness as she typed rapidly. "Sir, these numbers... they don't match the quarterly report."

"Don't they?" She sensed that he was agitated, although his speech was neutral. "How fascinating."

"There's more." She pulled out another document. "Vanessa's original analysis shows a pattern of-"

He slammed his hand against the desk. "Those files are restricted."

Emma turned around in her seat to look at him. "Then maybe they shouldn't be on the shared drive."

"Accessing restricted files is grounds for termination."

"Mr. Cross so is cooking the books. Which do you want us to talk about first?

His hands gripped her armrests as he bent down. "You have no idea what you're getting into."

"Then enlighten me." She was not going to give up. "Why did Vanessa leave?"

"That's none of your concern."

"It became my concern the moment you asked me to stay late and work on these files."

"I asked you to compile a report, not play detective."

"What's the difference?"

"The difference," he hissed "is that one keeps you employed, and the other..."

"The other what?" He had to straighten up or risk their faces being inches apart as Emma stood up. "Gets me fired? Or brings me too near the reality?"

"The truth?" He gave a sour laugh. "You wouldn't recognize the truth if it slapped you in the face."

"Try me."

"Is that a challenge, Miss Carter?"

"Would you answer it if it was?"

Now their faces were too close. Emma could smell the pricey cologne that clung to his immaculately made suit and saw the silver sparkles in his gray eyes.

"You want answers?" He lowered his voice to a perilous whisper. "Start with why Vanessa's access code still works on restricted files when she supposedly resigned three months ago."

Emma's gaze expanded. "You knew?"

"I know everything that happens in my company."

"Do you?" She grabbed her tablet. "Then explain this."

She displayed a sequence of emails, containing numerous exchanges between Vanessa and different board members, all of which were dated after her purported resignation.

Mr Cross's face went white. "Where did you get these?"

An hour ago, they began to arrive. To every employee in the business."

"Not possible. Her account was shut off.

"Not deactivated enough." Emma read through her other emails. "And there's something else."

There was a ruckus outside the office before she could show him. At the same time, their phones began to buzz and the windows were illuminated by camera flashes.

"Mr. Cross!" A burst from his secretary. "The press is located downstairs. It's what they're saying"

"Spit it out," yelled Mr Cross.

"They have pictures. Of Miss Carter and you. starting tonight."

When Emma opened her phone's news alert, her stomach fell. There it was-a blurry but undeniable photograph of their recent altercation, her lips parted in what could only be described as...

"Fix this." The silence in Cross's voice was lethal. "Now."

"Sir, there's more." Emma opened the most recent email with trembling hands. "Look at the sender."

Mr Cross's body was rigid as he leaned in. "Vanessa's account."

"And the attachment?"

Together, they gazed at the screen, which displayed a thorough report on years of financial wrongdoing, naming both of them as key conspirators.

Whispering, "She's framing us both," Emma said.

Mr Cross desk's private line began to ring, the board chairman's direct number flashing frantically.

"Miss Carter." Mr Cross could hardly control his voice. "I must know immediately. Do you support or oppose me?

"That depends." She slowly looked into his eyes. "Are you going to tell me the truth about Vanessa?"

"The press is having a field day with this, Mr. Cross." Emma rushed through the door of his office, holding a tablet in her shaking hands. "Three more outlets picked up the story in the last hour."

"I don't pay you to state the obvious, Miss Carter." The steel of Mr Cross's voice pierced the atmosphere. "Give me solutions, not problems."

"We must make a declaration. Before the story begins, get ahead of it.

"Not."

"Then what's your brilliant plan?" Emma raised her voice abruptly. "Hide in your office while Vanessa systematically destroys everything?"

His eyes flashed and his head sprang up. "You're treading dangerous ground."

"No, you are the one who fails to see how serious this situation is. Additionally, my reputation is being tarnished.

"Your reputation?" Dangerously, he stood slowly. "You've spent two weeks here. I've been building this business for fifteen years.

"And Vanessa's about to tear it down in fifteen minutes unless we act."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't I?" Emma shoved her tablet in his face. "An emergency meeting has already been scheduled by three board members. The stock has experienced a twelve percent decline. as well as your former fiancée.

"Who told you that?" There was a lethal silence in his words.

"Everyone in the office is conversing. The scorned woman is seeking retribution. Tell me, Mr. Cross: am I unique, or did you force all of your assistants to look into her?

He slammed the desk with his hand. "You have no idea what you're dealing with."

"Then teach me! Since Rome is burning and all I see right now is a coward hiding behind his desk!"

Miss Carter, be careful. Very cautious.

Or what? Will you fire me? Proceed. At least then I'll be able to prevent this story from-"

"From what?" With a predatory grace, he walked around the desk. "How did you have access to restricted files before Vanessa revealed it? How did you investigate things that didn't interest you?

"I followed your instructions and dug! Don't act as though this wasn't your original idea.

He took hold of her arm and drew her in. "You're looking for the truth? Alright. Vanessa was more than simply a bookkeeper. She sold trade secrets. Killed individuals.

Emma's gaze expanded. "What?"

"Project Phoenix was more than just a financial endeavor. It was experimental weaponry technology. The plans were sold to the highest bidder by Vanessa.

"Why didn't you report her?"

"Because she has evidence that I was aware." I allowed that to occur because I-" Abruptly, he let her go. "Because I was blind."

The tension was broken by the buzzing of his phone.

"Speaking of the devil..." He took a quick look at the screen.

"Put it on speaker," Emma insisted.

He hesitated for a second, then obeyed.

"Damian darling." Vanessa's voice was poison dripping with honey. "How's your new pet project?"

"What do you want?"

"Oh, right to the point? No time for small talk?" A chuckle. "All right. What's mine is what I want. The business. The seat on the board. Everything you said you would do before you changed your mind."

"You're delusional."

"Am I? When the board sees evidence of your involvement in Phoenix, let them know. I know you're there, Miss Carter. What is it like to be his most recent pawn?"

The line died.

Emma said, "She's bluffing," without hesitation.

"Vanessa never bluffs." Cross combed his hair with his hand. "Verify the secure server. "Now."

Emma ran her fingers across her tablet. "Sir... there's a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"Everything is gone. Everything has been erased, including the backups and all the files.

"That isn't feasible. "Those servers are."

"Mr. Cross?" Over the intercom, his secretary's voice cracked. "Your brother Alexander is here."

"Not now."

"He claims it has to do with Vanessa. as well as Project Phoenix.

Emma and Damian looked at each other across the tense room.

"Send him in."

With a deadly purpose in place of his customary easy smile, Alexander Cross marched in. "We have a situation."

"You think?" Damian lost his temper.

"Worse than you know." Emma was given a flash drive by Alexander. Vanessa took more than simply the files. She changed them. Developed a paper trail that led directly to the two of you."

"Us two?" Emma's voice broke. "I wasn't even here when-"

"Half the documents have your signature," Alexander interrupted. "Backdated, but very convincing."

Mittering, "She's trying to force our hand," Damian said.

"No," Emma abruptly responded. "She's trying to force us together."

The two men looked at her.

"Think about it," she added. "Mr. Cross, she could have just set you up. She chained me to this instead. "Why?"

"Because now we can't turn on each other," Damian understood. "We either sink together..."

"Or swim together." Emma looked up at him. "So what's it going to be?"

Before he could respond, all of the office phones began to buzz at once. Alerts for emergencies. Alerts for news. Email alerts.

Alexander said, "She's released everything," when he gazed at his screen.

"No." Damian reached for his iPad. "This is something worse."

"CROSS ENTERPRISES CEO LINKED TO INTERNATIONAL ARMS DEALING - Former Fiancée Named as Key Witness" was the headline that Emma glanced at over his shoulder.

"Mr. Cross?" Emma's tone faltered. "What do we do?"

With something lethal burning in his eyes, he turned to face her. "Do you trust me?"

"What?"

"Miss Carter, a straightforward inquiry. Do You Have Faith in Me?

She took a deep breath. "No."

A little smile appeared on his face. "All right. Because what I'm about to propose will either save us or both of us."

"Or?" she said in a whisper.

"Or it's going to destroy everything you think you know about right and wrong." His voice lowered to a perilous whisper as he took a step closer. "Tell me, Miss Carter, how far are you willing to go to bring down a woman like Vanessa?"

"That depends."

"On?"

"On whether you're finally going to tell me the truth about Project Phoenix."

He looked into her eyes for a long time. "The truth could get you killed."

"And lies already have me marked as your accomplice." She raised her chin. "So start talking."

"Not here." A button on his desk was pressed. "Clear my schedule for the next twenty-four hours."

"Sir?" The voice of his secretary crackled back.

"What about Sarah? Miss Carter and I are managing the PR crisis, in case anyone is curious.

"Where are we going?" As he reached for his coat, Emma inquired.

"Somewhere Vanessa can't reach us." He extended his hand. "Last chance to walk away."

Emma gazed at his extended hand, aware that her next action would alter the course of events.

"Miss Carter?" His voice grew a little softer. "Are you in, or are you out?"

Alexander silently shut the door behind them, leaving them to face their unavoidable decision.

Phase two of Vanessa Thompson's plan came together flawlessly, and she grinned somewhere in the metropolis.

Because none of them-not even Alexander, Emma, or Damian-knew that Project Phoenix had nothing to do with weapons.

Retaliation had always been at the center.

A Proposition

"The press is having a field day with this, Mr. Cross." Emma rushed through the door of his office, holding a tablet in her shaking hands. "Three more outlets picked up the story in the last hour."

"I don't pay you to state the obvious, Miss Carter." The steel of Mr Cross's voice pierced the atmosphere. "Give me solutions, not problems."

"We must make a declaration. Before the story begins, get ahead of it.

"Not."

"Then what's your brilliant plan?" Emma raised her voice abruptly. "Hide in your office while Vanessa systematically destroys everything?"

His eyes flashed and his head sprang up. "You're treading dangerous ground."

"No, you are the one who fails to see how serious this situation is. Additionally, my reputation is being tarnished.

"Your reputation?" Dangerously, he stood slowly. "You've spent two weeks here. I've been building this business for fifteen years.

"And Vanessa's about to tear it down in fifteen minutes unless we act."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't I?" Emma shoved her tablet in his face. "An emergency meeting has already been scheduled by three board members. The stock has experienced a twelve percent decline. as well as your former fiancée.

"Who told you that?" There was a lethal silence in his words.

"Everyone in the office is conversing. The scorned woman is seeking retribution. Tell me, Mr. Cross: am I unique, or did you force all of your assistants to look into her?

He slammed the desk with his hand. "You have no idea what you're dealing with."

"Then teach me! Since Rome is burning and all I see right now is a coward hiding behind his desk!"

Miss Carter, be careful. Very cautious.

Or what? Will you fire me? Proceed. At least then I'll be able to prevent this story from-"

"From what?" With a predatory grace, he walked around the desk. "How did you have access to restricted files before Vanessa revealed it? How did you investigate things that didn't interest you?

"I followed your instructions and dug! Don't act as though this wasn't your original idea.

He took hold of her arm and drew her in. "You're looking for the truth? Alright. Vanessa was more than simply a bookkeeper. She sold trade secrets. Killed individuals.

Emma's gaze expanded. "What?"

"Project Phoenix was more than just a financial endeavor. It was experimental weaponry technology. The plans were sold to the highest bidder by Vanessa.

"Why didn't you report her?"

"Because she has evidence that I was aware." I allowed that to occur because I-" Abruptly, he let her go. "Because I was blind."

The tension was broken by the buzzing of his phone.

"Speaking of the devil..." He took a quick look at the screen.

"Put it on speaker," Emma insisted.

He hesitated for a second, then obeyed.

"Damian darling." Vanessa's voice was poison dripping with honey. "How's your new pet project?"

"What do you want?"

"Oh, right to the point? No time for small talk?" A chuckle. "All right. What's mine is what I want. The business. The seat on the board. Everything you said you would do before you changed your mind."

"You're delusional."

"Am I? When the board sees evidence of your involvement in Phoenix, let them know. I know you're there, Miss Carter. What is it like to be his most recent pawn?"

The line died.

Emma said, "She's bluffing," without hesitation.

"Vanessa never bluffs." Cross combed his hair with his hand. "Verify the secure server. "Now."

Emma ran her fingers across her tablet. "Sir... there's a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"Everything is gone. Everything has been erased, including the backups and all the files.

"That isn't feasible. "Those servers are."

"Mr. Cross?" Over the intercom, his secretary's voice cracked. "Your brother Alexander is here."

"Not now."

"He claims it has to do with Vanessa. as well as Project Phoenix.

Emma and Damian looked at each other across the tense room.

"Send him in."

With a deadly purpose in place of his customary easy smile, Alexander Cross marched in. "We have a situation."

"You think?" Damian lost his temper.

"Worse than you know." Emma was given a flash drive by Alexander. Vanessa took more than simply the files. She changed them. Developed a paper trail that led directly to the two of you."

"Us two?" Emma's voice broke. "I wasn't even here when-"

"Half the documents have your signature," Alexander interrupted. "Backdated, but very convincing."

Mittering, "She's trying to force our hand," Damian said.

"No," Emma abruptly responded. "She's trying to force us together."

The two men looked at her.

"Think about it," she added. "Mr. Cross, she could have just set you up. She chained me to this instead. "Why?"

"Because now we can't turn on each other," Damian understood. "We either sink together..."

"Or swim together." Emma looked up at him. "So what's it going to be?"

Before he could respond, all of the office phones began to buzz at once. Alerts for emergencies. Alerts for news. Email alerts.

Alexander said, "She's released everything," when he gazed at his screen.

"No." Damian reached for his iPad. "This is something worse."

"CROSS ENTERPRISES CEO LINKED TO INTERNATIONAL ARMS DEALING - Former Fiancée Named as Key Witness" was the headline that Emma glanced at over his shoulder.

"Mr. Cross?" Emma's tone faltered. "What do we do?"

With something lethal burning in his eyes, he turned to face her. "Do you trust me?"

"What?"

"Miss Carter, a straightforward inquiry. Do You Have Faith in Me?

She took a deep breath. "No."

A little smile appeared on his face. "All right. Because what I'm about to propose will either save us or both of us."

"Or?" she said in a whisper.

"Or it's going to destroy everything you think you know about right and wrong." His voice lowered to a perilous whisper as he took a step closer. "Tell me, Miss Carter, how far are you willing to go to bring down a woman like Vanessa?"

"That depends."

"On?"

"On whether you're finally going to tell me the truth about Project Phoenix."

He looked into her eyes for a long time. "The truth could get you killed."

"And lies already have me marked as your accomplice." She raised her chin. "So start talking."

"Not here." A button on his desk was pressed. "Clear my schedule for the next twenty-four hours."

"Sir?" The voice of his secretary crackled back.

"What about Sarah? Miss Carter and I are managing the PR crisis, in case anyone is curious.

"Where are we going?" As he reached for his coat, Emma inquired.

"Somewhere Vanessa can't reach us." He extended his hand. "Last chance to walk away."

Emma gazed at his extended hand, aware that her next action would alter the course of events.

"Miss Carter?" His voice grew a little softer. "Are you in, or are you out?"

Alexander silently shut the door behind them, leaving them to face their unavoidable decision.

Phase two of Vanessa Thompson's plan came together flawlessly, and she grinned somewhere in the metropolis.

Because none of them-not even Alexander, Emma, or Damian-knew that Project Phoenix had nothing to do with weapons.

Retaliation had always been at the center.

"Marry me."

Emma almost spilled her coffee. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You heard me." With his back to her and his reflection as hard as stone in the glass, Mr Cross stood at his office window. "It's the only way to control the narrative."

"Have you completely lost your mind?"

"On the contrary." His face was calculating as he turned. "I'm thinking more clearly than ever."

"Mr. Cross..."

"Damian," he pointed out. "If we're discussing marriage, you might as well use my first name."

"This isn't funny."

"Do I look like I'm laughing?" He pulled out a big booklet and headed to his desk. "The vocabulary is straightforward. One year of marriage. Appears in public. Shared dwelling quarters. You receive five million dollars in exchange, along with total immunity from Vanessa's charges.

"You expect me to just agree to this insanity?"

"I expect you to be rational." His tone became stern. "Tomorrow is the board meeting. If we don't offer them something more important to concentrate on, Vanessa's proof will destroy us both.

"And a fake marriage is your solution?"

"A strategic alliance." He bent over. "One that benefits us both."

"How exactly does this benefit me?"

His grin became rapacious. "Ask Michael, your brother. His creditors would undoubtedly be delighted to hear from him.

Emma's heart froze. "What about Michael?"

"His debts from gambling. He owes some... shady guys the money. Did you believe I wouldn't find out?

"You're blackmailing me?"

"I prefer to think of it as mutual benefit." His eyes did not meet his smile. "To maintain the company's reputation, I need a wife. To save your sibling, you must have money. "Simple business."

"There's nothing simple about this."

"No?" He invaded her personal space by circling the desk. "Let me then make things simpler. If you don't sign the contract, everything you value will fall apart. Your decision."

"And if I say no?"

"Then you lose everything." His voice grew dangerously softer. "Consider Michael. Imagine what they will do to him if he is unable to pay.

Emma grasped for the document, her hands shaking. "This is insane."

"Insanity is the cost of control, Miss Carter." He extended his pen to her. "Sometimes we have to embrace chaos to create order."

"One year?"

"Three hundred and sixty-five days of pretending to be madly in love." He curled his lips. "Think you can manage that?"

"Can you?"

"I've been managing appearances my whole life." The signature line was tapped by him. "Your turn."

Emma's thoughts were racing as she gazed at the page. "I want conditions."

"You're not exactly in a position to negotiate."

"Then I walk." Her back straightened. "Good luck explaining to the board why your fake fiancée backed out."

His eyes sparked with something like appreciation. "Name them."

"Michael pays his payments right away. Every one of them.

"Done."

"I keep my job, my apartment, my independence."

"There is no negotiating on the unit. To sell this, we must live together.

"All right. However, I would like a private room in your penthouse.

"Anything else?"

"Yes." She slowly looked into his eyes. "You tell me the truth about Project Phoenix."

The room's temperature appeared to plummet.

"That's not part of this deal."

"It is now." She delayed signing the contract. "No truth, no signature."

He looked at her for a long time. "You're playing a dangerous game."

"So are you." She refused to back down. "What's it going to be?"

Vanessa's name flashed on the screen when his phone chimed.

"Tick-tock, Mr. Cross." Emma had a steely voice. "What's more valuable? Your business or your secrets?"

With his mouth clenched, he turned off the phone. Weapons were never the only focus of Project Phoenix. It has to do with control.

"What kind of control?"

"The kind that can bring governments to their knees." His voice trailed off as he stepped closer. Vanessa did more than simply pilfer blueprints. The secret to digital warfare was taken by her.

"And you let her?"

"I trusted her." He laughed bitterly. "Biggest mistake of my life."

"Until now?" Emma pointed to the agreement.

"No." Her eyes met his own. "This might be my first right decision in years."

Hesitantly, she picked up the pen. "If I find out you're lying..."

"You won't survive long enough to do anything about it." He had a keen smile. "Miss Carter, that is not a threat. It serves as a warning.

She put her signature on it.

That afternoon's news conference was a frenzy. Emma was blinded by camera flashes as Damian put a possessive arm around her waist.

He told the reporters, "Love finds us in unexpected places," in a kind and well-practiced voice. "Emma has been my rock through recent difficulties."

"Mr. Cross!" A reporter yelled. "What about the rumors regarding Vanessa Thompson?"

"Ancient history." Cross's hold on Emma's waist became more firm. "The future is what matters now."

Emma's phone rang with a text from an unidentified number that evening when she was packing her condo.

"My little girl, congratulations on your engagement. Unfortunately, you will not survive to witness the honeymoon. Inquire about Singapore with your new partner. Inquire about the true fate of the last individual to approach Project Phoenix too closely. Even better, inquire about the burial spot he has already purchased under your name. - V"

Emma's numb fingers let go of her phone. She jumped as she heard Damian's voice behind her.

"Ready to go home, darling?"

He was standing at the doorway as she turned, his face unreadable. "Did he tell you about the kill switch?" her phone buzzed one more. That one set inside the wedding bands? You'll find out soon enough, so don't worry. Emma, tick tock. As soon as you signed those documents, the countdown began. PS: "Hello, Singapore."

"Everything okay?" Cross moved in closer.

Emma forced a smile. "Perfect."

However, a second message appeared on her screen as he escorted her to his waiting vehicle: "Emma, Project Phoenix wasn't about weaponry. The alteration of DNA was at issue. And you know what? Just now, you offered to be the next test subject. The contract of marriage? It has nanobots all over it. You now have them in your blood. Inquire with Damian about the fates of the previous three "fiancées" who signed it. Sweet dreams, future Mrs. Cross.

She glanced in the rearview mirror at Damian's image in the driver's seat. She thought for a second that his pupils were glowing an odd blue.

It was the same shade of blue as the line she had just signed.

Identical to the blue of the project files titled "Phoenix: Phase Four."

The countdown has started.

A computer screen in Singapore came to life, showing two DNA sequences combining to form something completely different:

Emma Carter is the subject. Topic B: Mr Cross Present Situation: Change Started