Chapter 4-The Billionaire Everyone Fears
1751 Words
The rain finally stopped sometime after midnight.
By the time Adrian’s car pulled into the underground garage of a towering glass building downtown, the city streets were slick and reflective under the glow of streetlights.
Elara stared out the window as they drove down the spiral ramp.
Her mind was still replaying the scene on the bridge.
The gunfire.
The bodies.
The calm way Adrian had pulled the trigger.
She had spent years investigating crime stories, corruption scandals, and missing persons cases. Violence wasn’t unfamiliar to her.
But watching it happen up close was different.
Watching Adrian do it without hesitation was something else entirely.
The car rolled to a smooth stop.
Adrian turned off the engine.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
Then Elara broke the silence.
“You didn’t even blink.”
Adrian glanced at her.
“At what?”
“Back there.”
He shrugged slightly.
“They were trying to kill us.”
“That doesn’t make it normal.”
“No,” he agreed.
“It doesn’t.”
Elara studied him carefully.
His expression was calm again.
Too calm.
“You’ve done that before,” she said.
Adrian opened his door.
“Many times.”
He stepped out and walked around the car.
Elara hesitated before following him.
The underground garage was silent except for the faint hum of fluorescent lights overhead.
Rows of expensive cars lined the walls.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“My building.”
She looked up toward the ceiling as if she could see the tower above them.
“The Adrian Voss building?”
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
“Do people call it that?”
“Yes.”
“Interesting.”
He walked toward a private elevator at the far end of the garage.
Elara followed.
“Most people would call that arrogance,” she said.
Adrian pressed a button beside the elevator.
The doors opened immediately.
“I prefer efficiency.”
They stepped inside.
The elevator began rising smoothly.
Elara crossed her arms.
“So this is where the devil lives.”
Adrian looked amused.
“You’ve called me that twice tonight.”
“People in the city say worse.”
“Yes,” he said quietly.
“They do.”
The elevator stopped with a soft chime.
The doors slid open.
Elara stepped out—and stopped.
The penthouse was enormous.
Floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped around the entire space, revealing a breathtaking view of the city skyline glittering under the night sky.
Minimalist furniture filled the room.
Dark wood.
Glass.
Steel.
Everything looked expensive but strangely impersonal.
Like a luxury hotel suite nobody actually lived in.
Elara walked slowly toward the windows.
“You live here alone?”
“Yes.”
“No family?”
“No.”
“Friends?”
Adrian removed his coat and draped it over a chair.
“Very few.”
She turned toward him.
“That’s depressing.”
He shrugged.
“It’s practical.”
Elara leaned against the glass wall and stared down at the city below.
“You know,” she said, “most billionaires throw parties or buy islands.”
“I’ve done both.”
“I was joking.”
“I wasn’t.”
She studied him again.
It was impossible to tell when he was serious.
“Why bring me here?” she asked.
“Because it’s the safest place in the city.”
Elara raised an eyebrow.
“You sound confident.”
“I am.”
“And Crowe can’t reach you here?”
Adrian walked toward a sleek bar near the window and poured two glasses of water.
“Oh, he can reach me.”
Elara frowned.
“Then how is this safe?”
He handed her one of the glasses.
“Because he knows I’m expecting him.”
She took the glass slowly.
“You’re not worried?”
“No.”
“That’s either very brave or very stupid.”
Adrian smiled faintly.
“Those two qualities often look similar.”
Elara took a sip of water.
Her throat felt dry.
The adrenaline from the bridge was finally beginning to fade.
“What did that man mean?” she asked quietly.
Adrian leaned against the counter.
“Which part?”
“He said I was the key.”
“Yes.”
“The key to what?”
Adrian’s expression darkened slightly.
“That’s the question.”
Elara set the glass down.
“Do you have any theories?”
“A few.”
“Well?”
He studied her carefully before answering.
“Tell me about your father.”
Elara blinked.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“What does he have to do with this?”
“Answer the question.”
She hesitated.
“My father was a professor.”
“What kind?”
“History.”
Adrian nodded slightly.
“University?”
“Yes.”
“Which one?”
“Rivers State University.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed slightly as he processed the information.
“What happened to him?”
Elara looked away toward the city lights.
“He died.”
“How?”
“Car accident.”
“When?”
“Seven years ago.”
Adrian was silent for a moment.
“Did he ever work for the government?”
Elara frowned.
“No.”
“Military?”
“No.”
“Intelligence?”
She turned back toward him.
“What kind of question is that?”
“A relevant one.”
“My father was a historian,” she said firmly.
Adrian walked slowly toward the windows.
Rain clouds drifted across the night sky above the city.
“Crowe doesn’t target random people,” he said.
“Maybe he’s targeting you.”
“Possibly.”
Elara crossed her arms.
“You think this is about me.”
“Yes.”
“But that man specifically said the girl was the key.”
Adrian nodded.
“Which means Crowe believes you’re important.”
“I’m a journalist.”
“You’re more than that.”
“How do you know?”
Adrian looked at her.
“Because I’ve been watching you.”
The words made her stomach tighten.
“For how long?”
“Two years.”
Elara stared at him in disbelief.
“That’s disturbing.”
“Probably.”
“Why?”
“Because you were getting close to something.”
“Marina.”
“Yes.”
She shook her head slowly.
“So you’ve been monitoring me this whole time?”
“Yes.”
“And you never thought to tell me?”
“No.”
“That’s unbelievably creepy.”
Adrian didn’t deny it.
“You were safer not knowing.”
Elara laughed bitterly.
“Safe? I was just chased by a small army on a bridge!”
“Yes,” Adrian said calmly.
“And you’re still alive.”
She glared at him.
“That’s a low bar.”
Adrian walked toward a large desk in the corner of the room.
He opened a drawer and pulled out a thin folder.
Then he placed it on the table between them.
“What’s that?” Elara asked.
“Information.”
“About Marina?”
“Yes.”
Her heart began racing again.
“Why are you giving it to me now?”
“Because the situation has changed.”
“How?”
Adrian met her eyes.
“Crowe has officially entered the game.”
“And that’s bad?”
Adrian gave a quiet laugh.
“It’s catastrophic.”
Elara slowly opened the folder.
Inside were photographs.
Documents.
Maps.
Her hands trembled slightly as she flipped through them.
One of the photos showed Marina standing beside Adrian again.
But this time they weren’t smiling.
They looked like soldiers preparing for battle.
“What was she doing?” Elara whispered.
Adrian’s voice was quiet when he answered.
“Trying to destroy the most powerful criminal network in the world.”
Elara looked up sharply.
“The Black Choir.”
“Yes.”
“And you run it.”
Adrian shook his head slowly.
“I built it.”
The distinction made her stomach drop.
“You built it?”
“Yes.”
“Then why destroy it?”
Adrian walked toward the window again.
For a long moment he stared down at the sleeping city below.
Finally he spoke.
“Because I realized too late what it had become.”
Elara closed the folder slowly.
“So Marina was trying to fix your mistake.”
“Yes.”
“And she disappeared during that mission.”
“Yes.”
Elara studied his expression.
“Do you think she’s alive?”
Adrian didn’t answer immediately.
Instead he looked back at her with an unreadable gaze.
“Miss Vale,” he said quietly,
“The world your sister stepped into is not forgiving.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“No,” he admitted.
“It isn’t.”
Before Elara could press him further—
A soft beep echoed from somewhere in the room.
Adrian’s head turned instantly.
“What was that?” she asked.
He walked quickly toward a small security monitor near the wall.
The screen displayed a live camera feed from outside the building.
Elara moved closer.
“What is it?”
Adrian’s expression hardened.
The camera showed several black vehicles pulling up outside the tower entrance.
Men began stepping out.
Armed men.
Elara felt the blood drain from her face.
“You said this place was safe.”
“It is.”
“Then why are those men here?”
Adrian’s voice turned cold.
“Because Crowe just found us.”
He turned back toward her.
“Stay here.”
“Not a chance.”
“Elara—”
“I’m not hiding while people try to kill us again.”
Adrian sighed.
“You’re extremely difficult.”
“I’ve heard that before.”
Another alert beeped from the security system.
Adrian glanced at the screen again.
More men were entering the building.
His jaw tightened slightly.
“Well,” he said quietly.
“It appears tonight is going to be busy.”
Elara folded her arms.
“Good.”
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
“You’re looking forward to it?”
“No,” she said.
“But if Crowe wants a war…”
Her eyes met his.
“Then maybe he just started one with the wrong people.”
Adrian studied her for a moment.
Then a faint smile appeared.
For the first time that night—
He looked impressed.
- Writer
