Unravelling The Billionaire's Mask

I stood in the midst of all the people dancing to the music that could be heard all the way to the end of the island. A glass of champagne was clutched in one hand and still full, I hadn't had a sip.

My eyes were fixed on the object that was the reason I was on this island. David Alexander Thomas, the man rumoured to have an illegal business with blood on his hands. His name was always in my head when I received this business. He stood at the centre of the conversation, surrounded by several women with fake smiles.

This man was not just a target. He was a threat, someone who operated under the shadow of the law, with rumours of a business full of blood and dark secrets. I decided to approach him.

I gulped down my drink and placed my empty glass on a nearby table, then began to step quietly towards him. As we got closer, he turned his head, as if he noticed me before I even spoke. His smile was small, but there was a sharp look in his eyes.

"Mr.David," I said in a casual tone, as if we were old acquaintances. "May I steal a little of your time?"

He smiled, as if he had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. "Sure, Miss Harper."

My heart was beating faster than ever when he said my name. However, I tried to maintain my composure, trying to be professional as ever.

"I guess you expected me to come," I replied with a faint smile, trying to play on his level.

He chuckled a little. But the way she laughed was more like mocking. "Oh, I more than expected, Miss Harper. In fact, I've been waiting for you all along. This feast, food and drink is for you. That's enough, isn't it?" His gaze was sharp, as if trying to read my every move.

"Did you waited for me?" I asked, confused.

"Yes, I was waiting for you." he said casually. A small smile graced his face. "Because you came here for no reason, right? I know who you are, Miss Harper." He took a step, his hand beckoning me to follow him. "Come follow me."

I looked at his outstretched hand, then back at his face, trying to read what was hidden behind his casual demeanour. Then, I decided to follow him.

He led me to a large room. Inside, books were neatly arranged on bookshelves. In the centre of the room, there was a soft sofa that looked comfortable, with a small table in front of it. While on the left side of the room, a dark brown wooden workbench stood.

"Please, have a seat," Hhe gestured to the sofa, commanding me to sit, while he walked to his desk, took a bottle of wine, and two glasses. With calm movements, he poured wine into the glasses and handed one to me.

I steadied my breath, "Well then, let's begin. You know me, and I know who you are. So, I have a question for you."

But before I could continue, David raised his hand, stopping me. "Oh, wait. Miss Harper, don't rush," he chuckled, more like a tease. "Don't you have anything other than questions, Miss Harper?"

I squinted my eyes, trying to figure out the meaning behind his words. "I'm a journalist, Mr. David. Asking questions is part of my job," I said, trying to remain calm. "So, shall we begin?"

His gaze seemed to indicate that he enjoyed every word that came from my mouth. He gave a small smile on his lips that was hard for me to decipher. "Sure," he replied nonchalantly.

I took out a small recorder. David's eyes immediately fixed on it, and his smile grew wider, like a man who already knew the game I was playing.

"Alright, my question is simple, Mr. David. Could you tell me, what do you do from morning to night?"

David glanced at the small recorder in my hand, then looked back at me. "You are interesting, Miss Harper."

I shrugged lightly, keeping my casual tone. "I know."

He chuckled softly, although it sounded more like mocking. " Well, okay." He seemed to think for a moment, "I usually wake up in the morning, have breakfast, then head to the office. I spend most of the day in meetings and ensuring the business runs smoothly."

He paused for a moment, observing my reaction before continuing. "In the afternoon, I'm at the office, having lunch with business partners. And in the evening..." He leaned forward, his voice becoming lower. "Evenings are usually spent on more... personal things."

"For example?"

He smiled, her gaze seeming to draw me in deeper. "Engaging in adult activities," he whispered. His voice almost made me feel drawn into the atmosphere.

I was a little surprised by his answer, though I tried not to show it. David looked at me with a thin smile, clearly enjoying creating tension and intrigue.

"Okay," I said, shifting the conversation to something less uncomfortable. "Then, did you do all that on August 13th?" My question clearly made his expression change to one of displeasure.

His smile faded and his eyes fixed on me sharply. Then, David began tapping his finger on his glass, making a sound that almost resembled a ticking clock. Time seemed to slow as I waited for him to answer.

"August 13th?" he repeated casually, as if trying to recall something trivial. "What makes that date so important to you, Miss Harper?"

I stared at him, not blinking, not wanting to give him a chance to read my hesitation. "A date that tied you to a rumor I still can't believe."

He smiled wider, but his eyes remained cold, like a chess player who had already anticipated his opponent's move. "Rumors are always intriguing, aren't they?" He placed his glass on the table, then walked over to the large window overlooking the sea.

He stood there, looking outside. His silhouette was faint against the glass, merging with the darkness outside. A moment later, he turned slightly and pointed at me. "Come here," he said, sounding more like an order.

At first, I hesitated. Unable to discern Mr. David's intentions. But eventually, I stood and walked toward him, trying to find answers with each step. When I stood beside him, he raised his hand, pointing outside the window.

"Look," he said softly. I followed the direction of his hand. From where we stood, the view that evening seemed endless, the waves out in the sea rolling without stop. Outside, the music was still blaring, accompanied by guests still enjoying the party.

"All of this," he said, slipping his hands into his pants pockets, "is a world I created myself."

I turned to face him, waiting for him to continue. His eyes remained on the view outside, but his smile stayed on, thin yet meaningful. Finally, he turned toward me, his face so close that I could see the reflection of my own eyes in his. I could even hear the soft sound of his breath.

I could feel the air around us grow heavier, as if we were the only two people in the world.

"Miss Harper," he said, his voice low, almost a whisper. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

I was shocked by the question. But I tried to hide my reaction and remained calm. "Is that important?"

His smile spread across his lips, as if he had gotten the answer he wanted. "Miss Harper, I have a secret."

The music was still blaring that afternoon. Some were partying, eating, and surfing with gusto. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Me, still standing in front of the glass, waited for Mr. David to pull a blue folder from the shelf.

After he got the book. He placed it on the brown table of his desk. The folder was thick and worn. He opened it from the back, and stopped at a sheet containing a photograph. Underneath it was a date written in black ink that was still clear. 13 August.

The date that was in my question moments ago. The date I was desperate to get an answer to from Mr. David. When I saw his eyes, he stared at the date for a long time. His eyes seemed to be full of feelings that were difficult to interpret.

"This is what you asked me," he said as he pushed the folder slightly towards me. "Look at this photo carefully," he said while reading the look on my face. As if in the hope that I would understand the meaning of the photo. "The answer to your question about the 13th, is in this photo."

I frowned, trying to read the hidden message that might be behind the picture. "You were at a party?"

He smiled a little. As if satisfied with my answer.

"You were at a party on the 13th of August?" I repeated. This time in a firmer tone.

He had yet to answer my question, while his smile remained the same.

"But in the video...,"

"Are you sure it was me?' he cut me off before I could finish. His tone remained calm, but there was a sudden firmness to it, like he wanted to make sure I stopped and rethought everything.

"Yes, I'm sure," I said firmly. "I'm not sure about this photo. This photo and the writing can be manipulated."

He raised his eyebrows, looking a little surprised at my audacity, but that little smile still lingered at the corners of his lips. "Manipulation, huh?" He said softly, his tone more of a statement than a question.

"Interesting."

He pulled back the photo, looking at it for a moment, before looking at me again.

"If you believe the video so much, why are you interviewing me?" he asked in a casual tone, though there was a palpable tension in the air. "Just write an article according to what's in the video. Easy."

He smiled wider this time, but it was an enigmatic smile. His eyes were still focused on me, watching my reaction with an intensity that made the atmosphere even heavier.

"So, what were you doing there and with whom?" I said, more like interrogating him.

He handed me the book again. Then he pointed to a photo of someone embracing Mr David. "He's my best friend. His name is Daniel Davidson." When he said Daniel's name, his eyes lit up, as if there was regret hidden there. "We took this photo on his birthday on the 13th of August." He caught his breath, as if preparing to say something heavier. "And he... died the day after."

He looked at me with conviction. As if giving a riddle through her eyes that what he was saying was completely true. However, I thought hard. All of this was too complicated. The secrets and riddles she gave me made me even further away from hope and reality to find the answer.

"This island..." He continued his story as he stepped towards the window. Staring at the island from end to end, as if holding out hope. "This island was built by the two of us. DD Club, my management and Daniel."

In the last sentence, he looked at me. Then he smiled. The look in his eyes seemed proud as he shared it with me. I could feel the atmosphere of sincerity from his eyes. He didn't even look like the villain that the media had rumoured him to be. There were no signs of manipulation or lies in his demeanour. Although I didn't believe a hundred percent of what he said, I could feel his soul trembling, as if revealing his true side.

I stepped closer to him. Every step I took felt heavy, but there was a kind of urge that kept me going. He didn't move, remaining standing by the window, staring at the island that seemed so far away from us, like a world apart. I could feel the tension in the air, yet there was also an unusual peace.

"You've worked hard, Mr. David." I said, trying to keep him talking.

He turned to me. Looking at me with a gaze that I couldn't decipher. "Thank you," he said then.

Then he turned his gaze back to the sea in front of him, and his guests who were still enjoying the party by the sea. After a while, the look on his face changed to one of panic. He turned around, taking out a pair of binoculars from inside his desk drawer.

I was surprised by his sudden reaction. "What's going on, Mr. David?" I asked, my voice strained, feeling the sudden tension flowing between us.

He didn't answer, just fixed his eyes on the binoculars, staring out at the party that was still going on. His gaze sharpened, as if he was seeing something invisible to me.

With one quick step, he headed for the door and opened it. As soon as the door opened, several bodyguards were already standing there, their demeanour alert, as if waiting for instructions.

He whispered something to them, his words sounded faint, and I couldn't hear them clearly. However, there was something in the way she spoke-something firm, like an order that could not be refused. The bodyguards nodded, and instantly the atmosphere turned more tense.

"Hanna, come with me!"

He turned to me, gesturing with his hand for me to come closer to him. His face was now more serious. I could feel there was a sharp atmosphere that I couldn't interpret.

Wordlessly, I stepped closer to her. Reaching her, she grasped my hand, and pulled me out of the room in a hurry.

We ran towards the back entrance of the villa, then through the forest that covered part of the island. Each step felt faster, more urgent, as if there was something threatening, chasing us behind.

I almost fell over every time I followed his fast pace. But his grip seemed to reassure me that I would be fine. Several bodyguards also followed us along the island to Mr David's destination.

We reached a corner of the island. Far away from the crowds. The sound of music wasn't even audible anymore. Only the sound of the waves crashing against the shore could be heard, creating an echo that added to the panic among us.

A speed boat was leaning on the shore. The boat's engine seemed to be running, as if it was ready to go.

He pulled me to the side of the speed boat. "Get on, Hanna!" he said, his voice low but full of urgency.

"And what about you?" I said questioningly.

"Listen to me," he said, leaning in slightly when I was already on the speedboat. "Don't mind me. Make sure you make it safely to the harbour." His words sounded more like a command. "I know you have questions for this," He said with a sharp intake of breath. "Save your question until we meet again."

One of the bodyguards immediately took control of the steering wheel. The sound of the boat's engine began to speed away from David and the island. I looked back one last time. My mind was full of lingering questions.

Arriving home, the curiosity about the incident had not disappeared. I opened my computer. I typed David Alexander Thomson's name into the search engine. All the rumours were still clearly written on every news headline. I switched my search, typing in the words 'Daniel DD Club'.

I found one article about him. However, it was more about his life history. Nothing special other than that. David's name wasn't mentioned in the article either, as if Daniel and David were never related. In fact, it says in the last sentence, that DD club is for Daniel Davidson. Not for David and Daniel Club.

Crazy! I was really confused.

Suddenly, someone rang my doorbell. When I stepped down, and looked at the CCTV screen, a courier was standing at the door. When I opened the door, he handed me a large brown envelope. The envelope was neatly sealed.

I began to open it slowly, trying to stay relaxed and not damage the inside. When I opened it, the envelope contained a picture of me with David on the island that afternoon.

On the back of the photo, it says, 'Stay away, Hanna. This isn't a game you want to play.'

Two days after the incident on his private island,there was no new information about Mr David. All the information was still focused on the rumors about his illegal business.

I had briefly considered going back to the island to ask Mr. David about everything, but when I remembered an envelope that had been sent to my house, I thought twice. The message echoed clearly in my mind, turning my curiosity into deep doubt.

With a heart full of confusion and anxiety, I looked ahead, trying to process what I should do next.

After waiting all day outside Mr. David's office, I decided to complete my investigation. As I walked down the dark, seemingly deserted street, suddenly a car stopped right next to me. The door opened, and in the blink of an eye, they forced me into the car.

The car sped off quickly, leaving the empty street behind, and all I could do was remain silent inside. Without any chance to ask questions or protest. I looked at the two figures sitting beside me. They turned out to be Mr. David's bodyguards, escorting me to the speedboat.

One of the bodyguards briefly glanced at me, his eyes sharp and full of warning. I knew, he knew I wanted to ask questions, to voice all the questions that were swirling in my mind, but he just turned his gaze back to the road.

After what felt like hours, the car slowed down. We passed through a large gate that was tightly shut. The surrounding area seemed even quieter.

The car stopped in front of a large and sturdy-looking house. Tall walls appeared to surround it, blocking out the noise of the street outside.

One of the bodyguards opened the car door and gestured for me to get out. I stared at him, unsure of what would happen next. Without saying a word, I got out of the car and followed them toward the entrance of the luxurious house.

As we stepped inside, the door slowly closed behind us. The room inside was neatly arranged with expensive and luxurious items. Large screens were mounted on the walls, displaying various data and graphs that seemed very important, adding to the atmosphere of professionalism and calculation.

I didn't know what to say. Every second I felt more out of place in this place, but I couldn't suppress the growing curiosity.

"Welcome, Miss Harper."

Mr. David's voice made me turn toward him. He was standing on the stairs, wearing the same smile he always had.

"Welcome," he repeated, as if waiting for me to respond.

"What is this place, Mr. David?" I asked. My question seemed to make Mr. David's expression change visibly, as if this wasn't the answer he was hoping for.

He took a step down the stairs. But instead of approaching me, he turned toward a small table at the side of the room, where a bottle of red wine stood with two empty glasses that gleamed under the crystal light.

"Calm down, Miss Harper," he said, picking up one of the glasses and slowly swirling it, letting the light reflect the rich dark red color inside. Then he walked toward me, handing me one of the glasses.

"You're in a safe place," he said casually.

I didn't take the glass. My gaze was fixed on the glass he offered. His strong fingers held the glass lightly, as if there was no weight to his actions.

"Am I supposed to trust that?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, though my heart was beginning to feel uneasy. "The last time, in the middle of a party, I was treated like a thief and suddenly exiled from the island with no explanation. And you're telling me this place is safe?" I laughed dismissively. "How am I supposed to believe that?"

He didn't answer immediately, instead raising an eyebrow slightly. "I'm sure you have many questions, Miss Harper," he finally said, his voice low and calm.

I kept looking at him, unmoving, not taking the glass he offered. "You knew that from the start."

The atmosphere between us felt so intense, as if the room had suddenly become smaller. I could feel my own breath, steady but heavier than usual. "Actually... what game are you playing, Mr. David?" I finally asked.

His smile faded slightly, but he didn't seem bothered. "Game?" He raised his eyebrow again. "You never stop impressing me, Miss Harper," he said in a tone that was slightly teasing, yet still cold.

He drank the glass of wine he had initially offered me, finishing it. Then, he placed the glass roughly on the table, producing a sharp clink that was loud enough to make me flinch slightly.

Then, as he returned to me, his gaze became cold and sharp, like someone trying to restrain something difficult to express.

"You need answers," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Ask your question, but know this, the truth will not set you free."

I stared at him, confused but also intrigued. His words were like a riddle, stirring curiosity while creating fear.

"You're scaring me," I said, trying to sound as calm as possible, even though my heart was starting to race.

He stepped closer, his pace slow but heavy with pressure. His fingers slowly reached my hair, gently brushing it. "I don't mean to scare you, Miss Harper," he said with a small, unfriendly smile. "But you have to understand," he continued, his fingers still playing with my hair, "if your questions are still about those rumors, they're old questions, and I won't answer them."

I bit my lip, trying to hold onto my calm despite my rapidly beating heart. "Everything you told me on the island is so confusing, Mr. David."

His gaze radiated a curious, almost deliberate look, as if he was enjoying my confusion.

"What's confusing you, Miss Harper?" he continued, his voice casual, almost like a challenge.

He leaned forward slightly, getting closer to me, until I could feel his presence intensifying.

"You have to understand one thing. This world operates by rules that don't always make sense. And when you start to see what's hidden beneath that layer, you'll never be able to go back."

"Stop speaking in riddles," I said, my tone rising as frustration began to take over. "Give me the truth, whatever it is."

He tilted his head slightly, looking at me like someone sizing up their opponent. "The truth has a price,"

I furrowed my brow. Before I could respond, he pulled me in by my neck and kissed my lips gently. His hand wrapped around my waist, closing the space between us.

I wanted to resist, wanted to speak, but my body froze under the sudden intimacy.

When he finally pulled away, he looked at me, his eyes full of a mix of emotions that were hard to explain. "Now," he said in a quieter voice, almost a whisper, "you've paid part of the price." He didn't smile, but I could feel his fingers brushing my cheek. "One question for one price." He looked at me intently, as if daring me to understand. "Ask your question."

"You said, one question, one price," I said, a little nervous. "What if I have a thousand questions?"

We were so close, with only the tiniest space between us. I could also feel every breath he exhaled, making my heart beat faster than usual. I wanted an answer, but he wanted something else. It seemed fair, yet hard to decide.

"That means you'll have to pay in full."