Chapter Seven

Every day, I woke up feeling like I was being pulled in too many directions. My classes, my job, taking care of Mom, the investigation—it was all starting to unravel.

And then there was William. A distraction I couldn’t afford. A presence I couldn’t ignore, a necessary ally even.

But none of that mattered now. Because after what we had just discovered about Starlight Productions funding Bernard…Everything had changed.

The next morning, I walked onto campus with my hoodie pulled over my head, exhausted from another sleepless night. Between poring over financial records and worrying about Mom, I had barely had time to study and that was a problem because today, I had an exam.

I sat in the lecture hall, tapping my pen anxiously as the exam questions was handed out. The words blurred together. My mind kept drifting back to the files William had given me, the names on the accounts.

“Victor Lawson. Bernard Lawson. The Broker. Starlight Productions.”

I clenched my jaw. Focus, Emerald. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t concentrate.

When the exam ended, I turned in my half-finished paper and walked out of the room, stomach twisted in knots. I was slipping. And if I didn’t find a way to balance everything soon, I was going to lose everything I’ve been working for and that’s going to be a disaster to my career and life as a whole.

That evening, I made my way to the house to check on my Mom.

She was sitting by the window, as usual, staring outside. But something was different. The defeated look in her eyes was gone. Instead, there was a quiet determination in the way she gripped the arms of her wheelchair.

She turned to me as I entered, her expression unreadable.

“I want to start therapy again,” she said.

I blinked. That was the last thing I expected her to say.

“I thought you said—”

“I know what I said,” she interrupted, her voice firm. “But I don’t want to spend the rest of my life feeling useless and helpless…you know?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. This was the first time she had shown real fight in months.

I kneeled beside her. “We’ll find the best therapist, Mom. Whatever it takes we’d give.”

She exhaled, reaching for my hand. “I just want to feel like myself again.”

I squeezed her fingers, my heart aching. So did I.

Later that night, William and I met in an abandoned parking garage—the only place we knew we wouldn’t be overheard.

He stood by his car, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. “You look worse than usual.”

I shot him a glare. “Thanks, Carter. You always know how to make a girl feel special.”

His lips twitched, but the amusement didn’t reach his eyes. There was something different about him tonight.

“What is it?” I asked.

William sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I talked to someone. A former accountant at Starlight. He confirmed that my father was laundering money for The Broker.”

My stomach dropped. “You’re sure?”

He nodded. “And it gets worse. The money wasn’t just going to Bernard.” He hesitated. “It was being funneled into politicians, law enforcement, even international accounts. This isn’t just corporate corruption, Emerald. This is organized crime.”

A chill ran down my spine.

This was bigger than I ever imagined.

And I was right in the middle of it.

I started pacing, my mind racing. “This changes everything. If your father was involved, then you’re in danger too.”

William’s expression hardened. “I’ve always been in danger. But now, so are you.”

I exhaled sharply. I already knew that.

But hearing it from him made it feel more real.

I turned to him, meeting his gaze. “We have to expose them. All of them.”

William hesitated. “You’re sure about this?”

I clenched my fists. “My father died because of these people. My mother almost did too. I won’t stop until they pay.”

Something flickered in his eyes—something I couldn’t quite place.

“Then I’m with you,” he said.

And for the first time, I believed him but the weight of everything was suffocating me.

Every step I took felt heavier than the last. Between unraveling the truth behind my father’s murder, keeping up with school, and taking care of Mom, I was being pulled in a thousand directions. And each one felt like it was leading me straight into the lion’s den.

The more I uncovered, the more I realized—I wasn’t just fighting Bernard anymore.

This was bigger. Darker. And I wasn’t sure if I was prepared for what was coming next.

William and I sat across from each other in my apartment, files scattered between us. The Broker’s reach extended further than I could’ve ever imagined.

Politicians. Law enforcement. CEOs of companies I had only ever seen on television.

My fingers trembled as I flipped through the documents. “This is… impossible.”

William’s jaw was clenched. “No, it’s worse than that. This is unstoppable.”

I shook my head. “It’s only unstoppable if we let it be.”

His eyes met mine. “You really think we can take them down?”

I didn’t hesitate. “We have to.”

Because if we didn’t, we would never be safe.

Later that evening, I visited Mom and Aunt Marie at home.

My mom was sitting in her wheelchair, at her usual spot staring out the window, her fingers gripping the armrests tightly.

“Mom?” I said softly.

She turned to me, and for the first time in months, her eyes held a fire I hadn’t seen since before the accident.

“I started therapy today,” she said.

My breath caught. “You did?”

She nodded. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to worry too much. But I need to start taking control of my life again, Emerald. I can’t keep letting this define me.”

I knelt beside her, emotion clogging my throat. “I’m so proud of you mommy.”

She exhaled, squeezing my hand. “I know you have your own battles to fight. But don’t let revenge consume you. Your father wouldn’t want that.”

I swallowed hard. She was right. But I wasn’t sure if I could stop now.

That night, William called me. His voice was tight. He sounded urgent.

“You need to get to my place. Now.”

I didn’t ask questions. I just ran.

When I arrived, he was pacing, his fists clenched. “I found something. Something that changes everything.”

He handed me a file. And when I saw what was inside, my blood ran cold.

A transaction.

A p*****t from The Broker to Bernard… dated AFTER my father’s murder.

My stomach dropped. “This means—”

“Bernard wasn’t acting alone,” William finished. “There’s someone else pulling the strings.”

A chill ran down my spine.

We had been looking at the wrong enemy this entire time.

As I turned to leave, William grabbed my wrist.

I froze.

His grip was firm, his touch warm against my skin. “Emerald…” His voice was softer now, almost hesitant.

I looked up at him, and for the first time, I saw something unspoken in his eyes.

Not arrogance. Not amusement. Something deeper. Something real.

“You don’t have to do this alone,” he murmured.

I swallowed. Because a part of me wanted to believe him.

But trusting William Carter? That might be the most dangerous thing of all.

As I was going back home that night, the weight of the truth was suffocating.

No matter how much I uncovered, there was always something worse waiting beneath the surface.

Bernard wasn’t working alone. The Broker’s reach extended beyond anything I could’ve imagined.

And now, the threats were getting personal.

I wasn’t just fighting for justice anymore.

I was fighting to survive.

The next morning, I found an envelope slipped under my apartment door.

My breath hitched as I picked it up. No return address. No markings. Just my name in bold, black ink.

With trembling fingers, I tore it open.

Inside was a single note:

“Walk away before you lose everything.”

I swallowed hard, my heartbeat roaring in my ears. This wasn’t just a warning.

It was a promise.

Whoever sent this wasn’t bluffing.

And I had a terrifying feeling that if I didn’t stop soon…

I might not live long enough to regret it.

I rushed home to mom, my hands still shaking from the note.

Mom was sitting by the window, a faraway look in her eyes. But when she turned to me, something had changed.

She wasn’t just existing anymore.She was fighting.

“I had my second therapy session today,” she said, her voice stronger than it had been in months.

I managed a small smile. “How did it go?”

She exhaled. “Hard. But… necessary.” She hesitated before looking at me. “I don’t want to be a burden to you, Emerald.”

My chest tightened. “You’re not.”

She reached for my hand. “Neither was your father.”

The words hit me harder than I expected.

“He wouldn’t want you drowning in this fight for revenge,” she whispered. “Don’t lose yourself, baby. Don’t let them take everything from us. They’ve taken enough already.”

Tears burned my eyes. Because I wasn’t sure if I could stop now.

That night, I was in my apartment, trying to piece together the latest findings, when there was a sharp knock at my door.

I grabbed the knife I kept in my desk drawer before peering through the peephole.

It was William.

I unlocked the door, stepping aside as he walked in. His jaw was tight, his usual arrogant smirk replaced with something raw.

He held up his phone. “I got a message.”

I frowned, taking the device from him. A text.

“You’re running out of time, William Carter. Pick a side before it’s chosen for you.”

A shiver ran down my spine. “What does this mean?”

William exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “It means they’re watching me too.”

I met his gaze. For the first time, I saw real fear in his eyes.

“They know I’m helping you,” he said quietly.

My chest tightened. This was spiraling out of control.

And I didn’t know how to stop it.

I turned away, trying to steady my breathing. “Maybe you should walk away, William. Before you get dragged down with me.”

The atmosphere was filled with silence for a while and then—

“I’m already in this, Emerald” he said breaking the silence

I turned back to him. He was closer now. Too close.

“You’re not alone in this,” he said softly.

For a moment, I let myself believe him.

And that’s when it happened.

His hand brushed against mine. A touch that lingered longer than it should have.

I should’ve pulled away.

But I didn’t.

Because for the first time in forever…

I didn’t want to be alone.