Behind His Empire

Chapter 2: An Unexpected Offer

Lena Hart stood in the hallway outside Alexander Blackwood's office, staring at the closed glass door.

She could still hear his voice in her head.

Don't trust anyone on this floor.

She looked down at the folder in her hands.

She had come to Blackwood International expecting a job interview.

She had expected questions about financial models, risk assessment, and investment analysis.

She had expected to leave with either a job offer or a polite rejection.

Instead, Alexander Blackwood had offered her something she had never applied for.

A position as a financial investigator.

And somehow, the position was connected to her father's death.

Lena took a slow breath.

"This is insane," she whispered.

"Talking to yourself already?"

She turned.

Rebecca Lane stood several feet away, holding her tablet.

Lena straightened.

"I wasn't."

Rebecca smiled slightly.

"Of course."

Lena glanced toward Alexander's office.

"Does he always conduct interviews like that?"

"Not usually."

"Good."

Rebecca's smile disappeared.

"That wasn't necessarily a compliment."

Lena studied her.

"What do you mean?"

Rebecca lowered her voice.

"Mr. Blackwood doesn't usually interview people personally."

"Then why did he interview me?"

"I told you. I don't know."

Lena wasn't convinced.

Before she could ask another question, the office door opened.

Alexander stepped out.

His expression was composed again.

"Rebecca."

"Yes, sir?"

"Have the documents prepared."

Rebecca nodded.

"Which documents?"

"All of them."

Her eyebrows lifted slightly.

"Understood."

Alexander looked at Lena.

"Come with me."

Lena didn't move immediately.

"Where?"

"My office."

"You just told me to leave."

"I changed my mind."

She crossed her arms.

"That's becoming a habit."

A flicker of amusement crossed his eyes.

"Come inside, Ms. Hart."

Lena followed him.

Alexander returned to his desk and sat down.

He opened a drawer and removed a thin black folder.

He pushed it across the desk.

"This is your employment agreement."

Lena stared at it.

"Already?"

"You've already accepted verbally."

"I accepted an opportunity. I haven't accepted a job."

"Read it."

She picked up the folder.

The first page contained the position title.

SPECIAL FINANCIAL INVESTIGATIONS CONSULTANT.

Lena frowned.

"Consultant?"

"Your employment will begin as a six-month investigative appointment."

"Six months?"

"Renewable."

She continued reading.

The salary made her pause.

It was significantly higher than the position she had originally applied for.

Much higher.

She looked up.

"This is more than double the salary listed in the job advertisement."

"I know."

"Why?"

"Because the work is confidential."

"And dangerous?"

"Potentially."

Lena lowered the contract.

"You keep saying that."

"Because you keep asking questions."

"That's usually what investigators do."

Alexander leaned back.

"Exactly."

She looked through the pages again.

Private office.

Direct access to financial records.

No external disclosure without authorization.

Confidentiality agreement.

And one unusual clause.

The investigator will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer.

Lena looked up.

"Why do I report directly to you?"

"Because I don't trust the people who would normally supervise this investigation."

She stared at him.

"That's reassuring."

"It wasn't intended to be."

She placed the contract on the desk.

"Suppose I sign this. What exactly am I investigating?"

Alexander was silent for a moment.

Then he opened a secure file on his computer.

A series of transactions appeared on the screen.

Lena leaned forward.

"Those are transfers."

"Yes."

"Between subsidiaries?"

"Three of them."

She studied the figures.

"These aren't random."

Alexander's eyes sharpened.

"You noticed that quickly."

"They're being structured."

"Explain."

"The amounts are deliberately kept below certain reporting thresholds."

Alexander nodded.

"Continue."

"The transfers are occurring at irregular intervals, but the receiving accounts are connected."

She pointed to the screen.

"Whoever is doing this doesn't want the money to appear connected."

"Can you trace it?"

"Not from this."

"Why?"

"Because you're giving me the transactions after they've been processed. I need the original financial records."

"You'll have access."

"Complete access?"

"To everything relevant."

Lena leaned back.

"And who else knows about this?"

"Three people."

"Who?"

"You."

"That's not what I meant."

Alexander's jaw tightened.

"Three people in this company."

"Names?"

"You'll learn them when necessary."

She shook her head.

"That's not how investigations work."

"It's how this one works."

"Then you're limiting me."

"I'm protecting the investigation."

"Or protecting yourself?"

Silence.

Alexander's eyes met hers.

For several seconds, neither moved.

Then he said, "If you find something involving me, you report it."

"You already said that."

"I meant it."

Lena believed him.

That was the problem.

She didn't know whether she should.

She picked up the contract again.

"What happened to the previous investigator?"

Alexander's expression changed.

Only slightly.

But she saw it.

"There was one?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"He resigned."

"Why?"

"He stopped asking questions."

Lena frowned.

"That's an odd reason to resign."

"He didn't resign voluntarily."

The room became very still.

Lena slowly lowered the contract.

"Are you saying someone forced him out?"

"I'm saying he understood the risks."

"Is he alive?"

Alexander looked at her.

"Yes."

"Then why did he leave?"

"He received a warning."

Lena's pulse quickened.

"What kind?"

Alexander didn't answer.

Instead, he closed the file.

"You don't need to know that yet."

Lena disliked the answer.

But she knew something else.

She wanted the job.

Not because of the salary.

Not because of Alexander.

Because of her father.

For years, Daniel Hart's name had been associated with shame.

If Alexander was telling the truth, there was a possibility that her father had been framed.

A possibility that someone had destroyed his life and walked away untouched.

Lena picked up the pen lying beside the contract.

Alexander watched her.

"Once you sign, you can't discuss the investigation with anyone."

"I understand."

"You can't take documents home."

"I understand."

"You can't access records outside your authorization."

"I understand."

"And if you discover something dangerous, you tell me immediately."

Lena paused.

"What if you're the dangerous thing?"

Alexander's gaze didn't leave hers.

"Then you'll know."

She signed.

The room seemed to become quieter.

Alexander took the contract from her.

He glanced at the signature.

Then he looked at her.

"Welcome to Blackwood International."

Lena stood.

"Thank you."

She turned toward the door.

"Lena."

She stopped.

Alexander opened the black folder again.

He removed a single sheet of paper and held it out.

She took it.

Her eyes moved across the page.

Then stopped.

The document was dated twelve years earlier.

At the bottom was a signature.

Daniel Hart.

Lena's breath caught.

"This is my father's signature."

"I know."

She looked at Alexander.

"What is this?"

"An internal authorization."

"For what?"

Alexander's expression hardened.

"That's what I want you to find out."

Lena looked back at the document.

Her father's signature was clear.

But beneath it was another signature.

One she recognized immediately.

She had seen it in countless newspapers after her father's scandal.

The signature belonged to the man who had accused Daniel Hart of stealing from Blackwood International.

Alexander Blackwood's father.

Lena slowly looked up.

"What were they authorizing?"

Alexander didn't answer.

Instead, he said quietly, "Your first assignment."

She waited.

"Find out where that money went."

Lena stared at the document.

For the first time, this no longer felt like a job.

It felt personal.

She folded the paper carefully and placed it inside her folder.

"I'll find it."

Alexander nodded.

"That's what I'm counting on."

Lena opened the door.

This time, she didn't look back.

She had entered Blackwood International looking for employment.

Now she had a contract, a secret investigation, and the first piece of evidence connecting her father to a mystery that had begun twelve years ago.

What she didn't know was that someone else had just learned she had signed the contract.

And they were already watching her.

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End of Chapter 2