Falling for my sister's billionaire husband

The first thing I learned about breaking into a billionaire's office was that guilt made your hands shake. The second was that grief made you do it anyway. My fingers trembled as I pressed the stolen access card against the scanner beside Noah Backwell's private office. For a terrifying second, nothing happened. Then the scanner flashed green. A soft click echoed through the empty hallway. Access granted. I swallowed hard. This was it. If anyone caught me here, I would lose my job. At best. At worst? I'd be escorted out in handcuffs But none of that mattered Not tonight Not after what happened to Victoria My sister had been dead for six months Six months since the police found her car submerged in the river Six months since they declared it an accident Six months since they closed the investigation despite the fact that her body was never found And six months since Noah Backwell her billionaire husband walked away untouched like he wasn't a suspect Everyone else believed that story am i going to believe that my sister disappeared just like that? hell No No !!! I didn't I quickly pushed open the office door and stepped inside The room was enormous. But did i expect less? Not when it belonged to Noah backwell Floor to ceiling windows overlooked the city skyline Dark wood shelves lined the walls Everything was immaculate Organized Controlled Just like the man who owned it The billionaire CEO with the cold eyes and perfect reputation The man who had married my sister three years ago just one year after she finished high school I'm too convinced he has something to do with my sister's disappearance After slowly closing the door behide me My pulse hammered in my ears I didn't have much time The annual charity gala was happening downstairs. Hundreds of guests filled the ballroom Noah was supposed to be there That was why I had taken the risk I crossed the office and headed straight for his desk Locked Of course it was , he is not someone to let his guard down , not even in his own office I pulled a bobby pin from my hair Victoria had taught me how to pick locks when we were teenagers Back then it had been a game Now it felt like betrayal "I'm sorry," I whispered to no one Then I got to work A minute later, the drawer clicked open My heart leaped letting out a little smile of relief Inside were contracts financial reports Business files Nothing useful I searched more and even faster Another drawer more documents Another Nothing Frustration burned through me There had to be something Some proof no matter how little it is Even a threatening letter would be satisfying Just anything to hold unto My sister's death isn't accidental Not when she had sounded terrified during our last phone call I should have known with the way she kept saying i shouldn't trust anyone recently like she was passing a message but i did't comprehend A chill ran down my spine I still remembered her voice The fear The desperation And then she had disappeared Forever My eyes landed on a small cabinet near the window Unlike everything else in the office, it wasn't locked I hesitated for a while before opening Inside were dozens of folders Personal files My breath caught Photographs. I grabbed the first stack Most were business-related Charity events ,meetings Corporate functions Then I found one that made me freeze Victoria The picture slipped from my fingers For a moment I couldn't breathe My sister stared back at me from glossy photo paper Her blonde hair danced in the wind Her smile was bright just as bright as she was Alive Beautiful Real Tears burned my eyes God, I missed her I missed her so much My hands shook as I picked up the photograph again With memories we shared together going through my head Then something caught my attention The date My stomach dropped. No No, that cant be possible. The photograph had been taken two months ago Lliterally four months after Victoria's supposed death I blinked Read it again But tge date did't change it was really taken two months ago. As untrue as it felt it was true My heartbeat thundered This had to be a mistake An old image uploaded recently Or it was edited Anything at all But the location in the background looked new A luxury resort One that hadn't even opened until this year I stared at the photograph My entire world tilted, could i be dreaming? If this picture was real... Then Victoria hadn't died six months ago She had been alive two months ago A sound outside the office snapped me back to reality Footsteps My blood ran cold Someone was coming I shoved the photograph into my purse Too late The office door opened not too fast I spun around And found myself staring directly into Noah backwell My breath caught He looked even more intimidating up close Tall Broad-shouldered Dressed in a black tuxedo that fit him perfectly His dark eyes locked onto mine instantly No surprise no confusion Just cold, dangerous awareness As though he was expecting me to be in here The door clicked shut behind him Silence filled the room I fought the urge to panic "Working late?" I asked weakly His expression still didn't change "Interesting question from someone standing in my office without permission." Damn. I straightened my shoulders. "I know you know something Noah , I'm here for what you know " He took his gaze off me , walked around and land it back to me "By breaking in?" "By doing what the police failed to do." something immediately flickered in his eyes. Not guilt Not fear, but Anger The controlled kind The dangerous kind "What exactly are you accusing me of, Elena?" I stepped closer My grief swallowed my caution "You know exactly what I'm talking about Noah backwell " His jaw tightened The room felt smaller The air heavier "You should saythings you are sure of elena" "Really?" My voice cracked. "My sister disappears. Her body is never found. The investigation ends before it begins. And somehow I'm supposed to believe you're innocent?" For a second, pain flashed across his face Gone so quickly I almost imagined it "Something are better left untold " "Is that the best you could do"? Silence I laughed bitterly.l "That's what I thought." he looked away first a tiny movement But enough Enough to convince me I was right "You know something," I whispered His eyes returned to mine Unreadable. "And you know nothing." The words stung I hated him so much hated how calm he remained while my entire life had fallen apart hated how handsome he looked when I wanted to despise him Hated how impossible he was to read I took a step toward the door "We're done." His voice stopped me "No." Every nerve in my body tensed Slowly, I turned around His gaze had dropped Not to my face To my purse My heart stopped The photograph He knew "What's in your bag, Elena?" I tightened my grip instinctively His eyes darkened The silence stretched One second Two Three Then he started walking toward me My pulse exploded not knowing what his next move was "What did you take?" I backed away His expression changed completely He instantly looked alarmed As if whatever I had found was something he never wanted me to see "What is it?" I demanded. "Give it to me." "No." "Elena." The warning in his voice sent a chill down my spine I pulled the photograph from my purse The second Noah saw it, all color drained from his face And suddenly I knew This picture mattered to him just as it does to me I held it up between us "Explain this." The silence that followed was deafening Noah stared at the photograph Then at me Then back at the photograph When he finally spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. "Give it back " My heart pounded "Who took this picture?" No answer "Why was it taken two months ago?" Still nothing Fear crept into his eyes. Real fear And that terrified me more than anything Because men like Noah weren't supposed to be afraid. "Elena," he said quietly. I took another step back. "Tell me the truth please ." His gaze locked onto mine like he was holding something back just to protect me I wasn't sure which of us was in danger Because whatever secret hid behind that photograph... It was far worse than murder.