Shadows of the billionaire

CHAPTER4

Zara sat in her apartment, staring at the scary note. The message was clear: Robert Hughes wouldn’t give up easily. It was past midnight, and she was tired, but sleep was out of reach tonight. Her phone buzzed, breaking the silence. It was a message from Alexander.

Alexander: Are you okay? I can't stop thinking about the note.

Zara: I’m fine. Just can't shake the feeling that we’re being watched.

Alexander: Me too. But we have to stay strong. I’m coming over. We need to plan our next move.

Zara felt a bit of relief. Even with the danger, having Alexander with her made her feel safer. She quickly tidied up the apartment, her mind racing about their next steps.

Twenty minutes later, Alexander arrived. He looked serious but determined. He hugged Zara, and they sat at the kitchen table with the note between them.

“We need to guess his next moves,” Alexander said firmly. “Robert will try to scare us and might even try to make us look bad. We need to be ready.”

Zara nodded. “We need more allies. People who can help us expose his crimes if he does anything.”

“I was thinking the same,” Alexander said. “There’s a journalist I trust, someone who has been investigating corporate corruption for years. If we get him involved, we might have a chance.”

“Do you think he’ll believe us?” Zara asked, feeling uncertain.

Alexander smiled slightly. “If we show him the evidence, he will. And he knows how to get the truth out.”

Zara felt a bit hopeful. “Then let’s contact him. The sooner, the better.”

The next morning, they met with the journalist, David Greene, at a small café. David was an experienced reporter known for his fearless investigations. He listened carefully as Zara and Alexander explained the evidence and recent events.

“This is huge,” David said, his eyes showing interest. “If this is true, it could bring down the Hughes empire. But going public will put you both in danger.”

“We understand the risks,” Alexander said firmly. “But we can’t let my father’s crimes go unpunished.”

David nodded, impressed by their determination. “Okay. I’ll start looking into this. We need to make sure our case is strong before going public.”

Zara felt grateful. “Thank you, David. We couldn’t do this without you.”

David smiled. “Just be careful. Robert Hughes won’t take this lightly.”

Over the next few days, Zara and Alexander worked closely with David, giving him more evidence and piecing together Robert’s illegal activities. The tension was high, but they kept going, knowing how important it was.

One evening, while reviewing documents at Alexander’s penthouse, Zara received a call from her mother.

“Zara, I need to see you,” her mother said urgently. “It’s about your father. There’s something I never told you.”

Zara’s heart raced. “I’ll be there right away.”

She told Alexander about the call, and he insisted on coming with her. They drove to her mother’s house, feeling the weight of the unknown.

When they arrived, her mother was pacing the living room, looking worried and tired. She looked up with a mix of relief and fear.

“What is it, Mom?” Zara asked, her voice trembling.

Her mother took a deep breath. “There’s something I need to show you.” She led them to the attic and pulled out a dusty box from a hidden spot. Inside were old documents and letters.

“This is everything your father left behind,” her mother explained. “He kept these hidden in case something happened to him.”

Zara went through the papers, her heart racing as she realized how important they were. These documents detailed even more of Robert Hughes’ criminal activities and included personal notes from her father about the threats he had received.

“This is amazing,” Alexander said, impressed. “This could be the key to bringing Robert down.”

Zara nodded, tears in her eyes. “My father tried to protect us, even after he was gone. We have to use this.”

They took the documents, knowing they had a powerful tool against Robert. As they left her mother’s house, Zara couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. She looked around, feeling the night closing in.

Back at the penthouse, Alexander immediately secured the door and turned on the building’s security system. They spread the documents on the dining table, carefully reviewing each one.

“This is a goldmine,” Alexander said, both excited and anxious. “We need to get these to David right away.”

Zara agreed. “But we have to be careful. Robert won’t hesitate to retaliate if he finds out we’re getting closer.”

As they worked late into the night, organizing and scanning the documents, a plan began to form. They would give David the most damaging evidence and use the rest to pressure Robert into backing down, at least for now.

Just as they were finishing up, Zara’s phone buzzed again. It was a text from an unknown number.

Unknown: You’re playing a dangerous game, Zara. Back off now, or you’ll regret it.

Zara’s heart skipped a beat. She showed the message to Alexander, who frowned.

“We need to be extra careful,” he said. “This shows we’re getting too close. We should involve the authorities soon.”

Zara agreed, and they decided to meet David the next morning to give him the documents. They would also contact a trusted law enforcement contact to ensure they had protection if Robert decided to escalate his threats.

The next day, Zara and Alexander met David at a secret location and handed over the carefully prepared files. David’s eyes widened as he looked at the evidence.

“This is incredible,” David said, shaking his head. “With this, we can not only expose Robert Hughes but also get justice for Zara’s father and many others.”

Zara felt a mix of relief and anxiety. “What’s our next step?”

David looked serious. “I’ll start working on the story immediately, but we need to make sure you’re safe. I have some contacts who can help with protection. In the meantime, keep a low profile and avoid unnecessary risks.”

Alexander nodded. “We’ll do whatever it takes. Just promise us you’ll be careful too.”

David smiled. “I’ve been doing this for a long time. I know how to handle myself. But thanks for the concern.”

As they left the meeting, Zara felt both hopeful and fearful. They were making progress, but the danger was still present. Later that evening, Zara and Alexander returned to the penthouse, trying to relax after the busy day.

They ordered takeout and settled in the living room, trying to feel normal despite the threats. Zara’s phone rang again, and this time it was Ethan. She answered quickly, her heart racing.

“Zara, you need to get out of there,” Ethan said urgently. “I just got a tip that Robert’s men are coming for you. They know you’ve been gathering evidence.”

Zara’s blood ran cold. “How much time do we have?”

“Minutes, maybe,” Ethan replied. “I’m on my way, but you need to leave now.”

Zara told Alexander, and they quickly grabbed only the essentials. As they hurried to the garage, the building’s security alarms went off, signaling their time was running out.

They jumped into Alexander’s car, and he sped out of the garage, narrowly avoiding a black SUV that was pulling in. Zara’s heart pounded as they raced through the city streets, feeling the weight of their dangerous situation.

Alexander looked at her, determined. “We’ll find a safe place to hide. We’re not giving up. We’re going to see this through.”

Zara nodded, holding his hand tightly. “Together.”

As they drove through the night, the city lights flashing by, Zara wondered what new dangers awaited them. They had uncovered the secrets of Robert Hughes’ empire, but now those secrets were closing in on them.

She knew one thing for sure: she and Alexander were in this together, and they would face whatever came their way side by side.