The Billionaire's Silence

chapter 5

The rusty radiator in my studio apartment hissed like a dying animal but it did nothing to take the chill out of the air I sat on the edge of my mattress my wet jeans soaking into the thin sheets, my fingers flying across my laptop keyboard

Twenty minutes I had exactly twenty minutes to write a five-hundred-word piece on municipal parking meters or Mr Davis would lock me out of the newsroom for good

The screen blinked loading the blank template I didn't think I just typed I poured every ounce of my panic into a soulless/clean report about city council budgets and zoning permits, my eyes darting between the clock in the corner of my screen and the blinking cursor

With ninety seconds left on the clockI hit send

I slumped backward onto my pillows letting out a long ragged breath My phone buzzed on my stomach immediately

Davis: It’s thin Carter But the printers are running See you Monday Don’t be late

I threw the phone to the side of the mattress my eyes tracking the water stains on my ceiling I had saved my job for forty-eight hours But the pink notice crumpled in my trash can reminded me that I still didn't have a place to live past Saturday

I rolled overgrabbing my phone again and opened the single photo I had taken in Damien Blackwood’s office The blurry image of Marcus’s diary entry glowed in the dark room

The executive seal didn't belong to me back then

Then who did it belong to?I whispered to the empty room

I opened a secure browser window and typed the only search query that mattered: Blackwood Dynamics incorporation records ten years ago

The public corporate registry load screen spun A massive PDF downloaded listing the historical board of directors from a decade ago I zoomed in on the signatures at the bottom of the founding charter

There were only three names listed under the primary executive voting block: Damien Blackwood Marcus Blackwood and Victor Kane But right above their names was the official corporate structure diagram Ten years ago the majority share holder and holder of the original executive seal wasn't a person at all It was a holding company called Aegis Capital

Aegis CapitalI murmuredmy eyes narrowing I moved to search the ownership of Aegis but my browser suddenly froze

A bright blue error screen flashed across my laptop

System Error: Unauthorized Access Detected IP Address Logged

I slammed the laptop shut my heart leaping into my throat The screen died but the implication didn't Damien had said the server had a ghost I hadn't even tried to hack into Blackwood Dynamics yet I was just looking at public state records and my system had already flagged a security alert

Before I could process the panic heavy rhythmic knocking echoed from my front door

I jumped off the bed my muscles freezing I glanced at the clock It was exactly eight o'clock in the morning The gray light of dawn was filtering through my grime-streaked window

Who is it?I called out approaching the door cautiously

Delivery for Miss Carter's polite professional voice replied through the thick wood

I unlocked the dead bolt and cracked the door keeping the security chain slid into place Standing in the dimpling hallway was Frank Damien’s driver. He was dressed in the same pristine dark suit from the night before In his hand he held a thick-embossed leather folder

Mr Blackwood sent this for your review Frank said bowing his head slightly The car is waiting downstairs

I unlatched the chain and pulled the door open staring at the folder. What is this?

The resolution to your immediate variables Miss Carter Frank said smoothly handing the folder to me I’ll wait for you downstairs

Frank turned and walked down the hall, his leather shoes clicking softly against the linoleum

I slammed the door and threw the folder onto my small kitchen table I flipped it open and my breath caught

The first page was a cashier's check drawn from a private bank It was made out to my landlord for exactly twelve thousand dollars, three times what I owed in back rent Attached to it was a signed lease extension for the next two years completely paid in full

The second page was a bank wire confirmation receipt It showed a zero balance on my deceased father’s outstanding medical and factory union debts

The third page was a clean single-spaced contract

Strategic Visual Partnership and Non-Disclosure Agreement

My eyes scanned the clinical legal jargon It legally bound me to accompany Damien Blackwood to all public engagements for the next six months to maintain the appearance of an exclusive personal relationship and to submit all investigative findings regarding the Marcus Blackwood files directly to his personal desk before publication

I stared at the signature line

If I signed it my life was secure My dad's name was finally clear of the debt that had broken him My apartment was safe

If I signed it I belonged to the monster

My hand shook as I picked up a pen from the counter I pressed the pen to the paper the ink bleeding into the white sheet as I forced myself to write my name

Elena Carter

The moment the last letter was finished I dropped the pen It clattered against the wood A hot tight lump swelled in my throat and I choked back a sob pressing my palms against my eyes

Dad I whispered to the quiet rooma single tear slipping past my fingers I’m so sorry I’m so sorry

I felt sick I had just sold the one thing my father always told me to keep clean my integrity I wiped my face angrily grabbed the folder and walked out the door before I could change my mind

Thirty minutes later I walked into the newsroom of my paper, my gray blazer buttoned tight trying to pretend my world hadn't just shattered I needed to see Mr Davis to tell him I was pursuing a massive lead on Blackwood Dynamics

But the moment I stepped past the threshold the entire room went quiet

Phones were still ringing but the reporters at their desks stopped typing Sarah stood by the coffee machine staring at me with her mouth slightly open

Elena Sarah whispered, stepping into my path before I could reach the editor's office. What did you do?

What are you talking about?I asked my chest tightening

Davis wants to see you, she said her eyes wide with a mix of awe and terror He’s been waiting since eight-thirty Elena the paper’s corporate bank account received a wire transfer this morning A massive syndication retainer From Blackwood Dynamics

My stomach dropped into a bottomless pit Damien

I didn't answer her I pushed past her and marched straight toward the glass walls of the managing editor's office I threw the door open without knocking

Mr Davis was sitting behind his desk but he wasn't looking at proofs He was staring at a printed wire confirmation sheet When he looked up at me his usual exhausted irritation was completely replaced by absolute shock

Elena Mr Davis said standing up slowly You never told me Blackwood hired you

He didn't hire me Mr Davis I said my voice shaking with rage

They just bought exclusive syndication rights for a six-month profile piece on their global restructuring Davis said waving the paper They paid enough to cover our rent for the next three years Elena They filed the paper work under your by line What happened last night?

He had moved every single piece on the board before I had even woken up He hadn't just bought my silence; he had bought the roof over my head the memory of my father and the very desk I worked at He had completely boxed me in

It's it's an exclusive profile I liked the words tasting like ash in my mouth I have to go to their headquarters now For the first briefing

Go Davis said instantly nodding frantically Whatever he wants Carter Give it to him

I walked out of the office in a daze my phone vibrating in my pocket It was a single text from an unknown number

The car is downstairs Elena Don't keep me waiting