The CEO I Swore to Hate

HE KNOWS

Chapter 2

My hands were still trembling when I walked back to my desk.

I couldn't stop thinking about the note.

If you're going to investigate me, at least try to be subtle.

How did he know?

I'd been careful.

I'd changed nothing about my appearance. I hadn't used my real intentions in any emails. I hadn't asked suspicious questions during the interview.

So how had Alexander Blackwood figured me out?

I looked toward his glass office.

He was gone.

For some reason, that frightened me more than seeing him there.

"Amelia?"

I nearly jumped.

Sophie stood beside my desk, holding two cups of coffee.

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

I forced a smile.

"Just nervous about my first day."

She handed me a cup.

"Don't be. Everyone is scared of Alexander at first."

"At first?"

She laughed.

"Give it a few weeks. You'll either get used to him or start looking for another job."

I glanced toward the CEO's office.

"What is he really like?"

Sophie lowered her voice.

"He's demanding. Very private. He notices everything."

My stomach tightened.

"Everything?"

"Everything."

She leaned closer.

"Once, a manager changed one number in a financial report. Just one number. Mr. Blackwood noticed it immediately."

I swallowed.

"Sounds terrifying."

"It is."

Sophie smiled.

"But he's not always bad."

"Really?"

"He helped one of the cleaners pay for her daughter's surgery."

I stared at her.

That didn't fit the Alexander Blackwood I'd created in my head.

The man I knew was ruthless.

Heartless.

The man who had supposedly destroyed my father.

But generous?

I pushed the thought away.

People could do good things and still be terrible people.

My phone buzzed.

A message appeared.

Alexander Blackwood: My office. Now.

My heart sank.

I looked at Sophie.

"Did you know about this?"

She shook her head.

"Good luck."

I stood and walked toward his office.

I knocked once.

"Come in."

Alexander was standing behind his desk, sleeves rolled up, his tie slightly loosened.

He looked less like a billionaire CEO and more like a man who hadn't slept.

He pointed toward the chair.

"Sit."

I did.

He remained standing.

"Did you read the file?"

"Yes."

"Project Hart."

"Yes."

"Do you know why I named it that?"

I shook my head.

"Then ask."

"Why?"

He walked around the desk.

"Because your father's company wasn't supposed to disappear."

I stared at him.

"What does that mean?"

Alexander stopped in front of me.

"It means you don't know the whole story."

Anger rose inside me.

"I know my father lost everything."

"Yes."

"Because you bought his company."

"I acquired it."

"Same thing."

"No."

His voice was calm.

"Not even close."

I stood.

"Then explain it."

His jaw tightened.

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because some things aren't safe for you to know yet."

I laughed bitterly.

"Safe?"

"Yes."

"You expect me to believe you're protecting me?"

"I expect you to believe nothing I say."

His answer caught me off guard.

Alexander turned away.

"That's your problem, Amelia. You came here believing you knew who I was."

"I know enough."

"No."

He looked back at me.

"You know what people told you."

Silence filled the room.

I wanted to argue.

Instead, I asked, "What happened to my father's company?"

Alexander's expression changed.

For the first time, I saw something beneath the cold exterior.

Regret.

"I didn't destroy Hartwell Industries."

"Then who did?"

"I don't know."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"No."

He walked toward the window.

"But I'm trying to find out."

I stared at him.

"If you're investigating the same person I am, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I needed to know whether I could trust you."

I almost laughed.

"Trust me?"

He turned.

"You came into my company under false pretenses."

My blood ran cold.

"You knew?"

"I knew before you walked into my office."

"Then why hire me?"

His eyes held mine.

"Because I wanted you where I could see you."

My heart pounded.

"You've been watching me?"

"Since the day you applied."

I took a step backward.

"That's creepy."

"Probably."

He didn't even deny it.

"Then fire me."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because you're useful."

I frowned.

"Useful?"

"You graduated at the top of your class. You have excellent instincts, and you know Hartwell Industries better than anyone on my team."

He paused.

"And because whoever destroyed your father's company may come looking for you."

A chill ran down my spine.

"Why would they care about me?"

"Because you're Daniel Hart's daughter."

I stared at him.

"What did my father know?"

Alexander's expression became unreadable.

"That's what we're going to find out."

He placed a folder on the desk.

I looked at it.

"What's inside?"

"Your father's original acquisition documents."

My heart jumped.

"You have them?"

"I do."

"Why?"

"Because I kept them."

I opened the folder.

The papers were old, but the signatures were clear.

I scanned the documents.

Something immediately caught my attention.

"Wait."

Alexander watched me.

"This signature."

"What about it?"

I pointed to the bottom of the page.

"That's not my father's."

His eyes narrowed.

"I know."

I looked up.

"Then whose is it?"

"That's the question."

For the first time, we were looking at the same mystery.

The same enemy.

The same unanswered questions.

I closed the folder.

"I'll help you."

Alexander raised an eyebrow.

"You don't trust me."

"I don't."

"Then why?"

"Because I want the truth."

He nodded slowly.

"Good."

I turned toward the door.

"Amelia."

I stopped.

"Yes?"

"From now on, you work directly with me."

I turned around.

"That wasn't part of the job description."

"It is now."

"I don't like working with arrogant men."

"I don't like stubborn women."

"Then we're going to hate each other."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"We already do."

I left his office before he could see me smile.

The rest of the day passed quickly.

Alexander assigned me documents to review, old contracts to organize, and records connected to Hartwell Industries.

Every file revealed another strange detail.

Payments that didn't make sense.

Companies I'd never heard of.

Transfers made shortly before my father's company collapsed.

Someone had been moving money.

But who?

At six thirty, most employees began leaving.

I was still at my desk.

I opened another file.

Then I froze.

A company name appeared on the page.

Raven Holdings.

I had seen that name before.

But where?

I searched through the documents again.

There it was.

Raven Holdings had purchased a large number of Hartwell Industries shares just two weeks before Alexander acquired the company.

My pulse quickened.

I grabbed my phone and stood.

I needed to tell Alexander.

His office door was slightly open.

I knocked.

No answer.

"Alexander?"

Nothing.

I pushed the door open.

The room was empty.

I turned to leave.

Then I noticed something on his desk.

A photograph.

My father.

Standing beside Alexander.

My breath caught.

They were shaking hands.

But that wasn't the strange part.

On the back of the photograph was a handwritten message.

He trusted you. Don't let him down.

I stared at the words.

My father had trusted Alexander?

That was impossible.

I heard footsteps behind me.

I turned.

Alexander stood in the doorway.

His expression changed when he saw what I was holding.

"Where did you get that?"

"It was on your desk."

He walked toward me.

"Give it to me."

"Why?"

"Amelia."

His voice was different now.

Not cold.

Not angry.

Afraid.

I held the photograph tighter.

"Why was my father meeting you?"

Alexander stopped.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then he finally spoke.

"Because three years ago, your father came to me for help."

My heart stopped.

"Help with what?"

Alexander looked toward the photograph.

"Raven Holdings."

I stared at him.

"What happened?"

His eyes returned to mine.

"Your father discovered who was stealing from his company."

"Who?"

Alexander took a slow breath.

"Someone inside your family."

The words hit me like a punch.

"My family?"

He nodded.

"And before your father could expose them..."

He stopped.

"What?"

Alexander's eyes darkened.

"Someone made sure he couldn't."

I couldn't breathe.

"Are you saying my father didn't lose his company because of you?"

"No."

His voice was quiet.

"He lost it because someone close to him betrayed him."

I stared at Alexander, unable to process what he was saying.

Then my phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

I opened the message.

There was only one sentence.

Stop digging into Hartwell Industries, Amelia.

A second message appeared.

You have no idea what happened to your father.

My hands went cold.

Alexander saw my face.

"What is it?"

I slowly showed him the phone.

His expression hardened.

"Give me your phone."

"Why?"

"Because whoever sent that message knows you're investigating."

He took one step closer.

"And now they know you're working with me."

I looked at him.

"What do we do?"

Alexander's eyes met mine.

For the first time, I wasn't looking at my enemy.

I was looking at the only person who might know the truth.

"We find them before they find you."

And suddenly, I realized something even more terrifying.

The danger wasn't in the past anymore.

It had just found me.