Shadows of the billionaire

CHAPTER3

The penthouse was very quiet as Zara and Alexander sat together in his study. On the desk in front of them was the USB drive that Ethan had given them. Alexander was ready to start looking at the files on his laptop. Zara felt nervous, her heart beating fast as the files began to load. The laptop screen soon filled with documents, emails, and financial records.

Alexander focused hard, scrolling through the files. Zara leaned in close, trying to understand what was on the screen. The documents showed many offshore accounts, large sums of money moving between hidden businesses, and suspicious transactions. All of this paints a troubling picture of Robert Hughes' business.

“This is worse than I thought,” Alexander said, his voice tense. “My father has been hiding this from everyone, including me.”

Zara felt a mix of anger and fear. “What should we do now? This could ruin your family and put us in danger.”

“We need a plan,” Alexander replied firmly. “We can’t just confront him without solid proof and a strategy to protect ourselves.”

As they continued to go through the evidence, Zara’s phone buzzed. She looked at the screen and saw a message from her mother.

Mom: Zara, can we talk? It’s urgent.

Zara’s heart sank. “It’s my mom. She says it’s urgent.”

“Go see her,” Alexander said gently. “I’ll keep working on this.”

Zara nodded, giving him a reassuring squeeze on the hand before leaving the penthouse. The drive to her mother’s house was filled with worry. She couldn’t shake the feeling that their lives were becoming more complicated and dangerous.

When Zara arrived, her mother greeted her at the door, looking worried and anxious. “Zara, thank you for coming. We need to talk.”

They went to the living room and sat down. The air felt heavy with tension. Zara’s mother took a deep breath before she spoke.

“There’s something I haven’t told you about your father’s debt to the Hughes family,” she began, her voice shaking. “It wasn’t just about money. Your father was involved in some of Robert Hughes’ illegal activities. He tried to back out, but they wouldn’t let him.”

Zara was shocked. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“I wanted to protect you,” her mother said, tears welling up in her eyes. “But now that you’re engaged to Alexander, you deserve to know the truth. Your father was a good man, but he got mixed up in something he couldn’t control.”

Zara felt a surge of anger and betrayal. “So, our family has been tied to the Hughes’ corruption all along?”

Her mother nodded, guilt written all over her face. “I’m so sorry, Zara. I should have told you sooner.”

Zara stood up, pacing the room. “This changes everything. Alexander and I have proof of his father’s crimes. We were planning to confront him, but now I’m not sure what to do.”

“Be careful, Zara,” her mother pleaded. “The Hughes family is very powerful. They won’t hesitate to protect their secrets.”

Zara took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing thoughts. “I need to talk to Alexander. We have to be smart about this.”

Back at the penthouse, Alexander was waiting for her, looking concerned. “What happened?”

Zara quickly explained what her mother had told her. Alexander’s expression grew darker with each word. “This makes things even more complicated,” he said, rubbing his head. “But it also gives us more leverage. If we can link your father’s involvement to my father’s activities, we might be able to use it to our advantage.”

Zara nodded, feeling her resolve strengthen. “We need a plan that will keep us safe and also bring Robert to justice. We can’t let him get away with this.”

Alexander’s eyes met hers with determination. “We’ll need help. I have a few trusted allies who can assist us. And we need to keep this quiet until we’re ready to act.”

They spent the next few days making a plan, contacting allies, and gathering more evidence. Zara’s anxiety grew as they worked on their strategy. She knew they were taking a big risk, but there was no turning back now.

The night of the confrontation finally arrived. Zara and Alexander, along with their trusted allies, waited in a secluded office building. They had arranged a meeting with Robert Hughes under the pretense of discussing wedding plans. As time went by, Zara’s nerves were on edge.

At last, Robert Hughes entered the room. He had a powerful presence and looked around with suspicion. “What’s going on here?” he demanded, his voice cold and harsh.

Alexander stepped forward, holding up a file. “This is a confrontation, Father. We know everything. Your illegal activities, the framing of Ethan Carter, and your involvement in Zara’s father’s problems.”

Robert’s eyes flashed with anger. “You don’t have any proof.”

Zara’s voice was steady as she spoke. “We have plenty of proof. And we have allies who are ready to go public if you don’t cooperate.”

Robert’s gaze turned to Zara, and a menacing smile appeared on his lips. “You think you can scare me, little girl? You’re playing with fire.”

Zara’s heart raced, but she stood her ground. “We’re not afraid of you. This ends now.”

Robert’s expression grew colder. “You have no idea what you’ve started.”

Before anyone could react, the door burst open, and armed men stormed into the room, surrounding them. Zara’s heart sank as she realized how serious the situation had become.

Alexander stepped in front of Zara, his voice calm but firm. “Father, call them off. This won’t end well for any of us.”

Robert looked at his son with an unreadable expression. After a tense moment, he raised his hand, signaling the armed men to stand down. “Very well,” Robert said, his tone begrudgingly respectful. “Let’s talk.”

The room was filled with tension as they began negotiating terms, but Zara couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the start of their struggle. The cliffhanger of Robert’s ominous warning echoed in her mind, reminding her that their fight for justice was far from over.

Late that night, as Zara and Alexander returned to the penthouse, they found a note slipped under the door. Zara picked it up, her hands shaking as she read the chilling words:

“You may have won this round, but the game is far from over. Be prepared for what’s to come.”

Zara and Alexander exchanged a worried look, knowing that their journey was only beginning. The stakes had never been higher, and the secrets of the Hughes family seemed to grow more dangerous with each passing day.