Liam poured two stiff drinks and handed one to Isla. The cheap whiskey burned her throat as she swallowed, but it was the kind of burn that steadied her nerves, the kind she needed right now. Sitting across from her brother in his crumbling apartment was a stark reminder of just how far things had fallen. The Liam she’d grown up with, the golden boy destined for greatness, had been reduced to this—a shadow of his former self, weighed down by secrets and regrets.
“Okay,” Isla set her empty glass on the table. “Let’s get to it. What do you know?”
Liam leaned back, his eyes narrowing as if deciding how much to share. “The Greyson… they’ve been untouchable for years. Money buys silence, and they’ve paid off everyone—judges, politicians, the media. But their power comes from one thing: fear. Fear of what happens when you cross them.”
“I’m not afraid,” Isla said, her voice steely.
Liam smiled bitterly. “You should be. But I guess it’s too late for that.”
Isla crossed her arms, leaning forward. “Stop stalling. You worked for them. You were close to them. What dirt do you have on Ethan? Katherine? There has to be something I can use.”
Liam stared into his glass, swirling the amber liquid as if it held the answers to all his problems. “You’re not going to like what I have to say.”
“Try me.”
He exhaled slowly. “Ethan’s not the real threat. Katherine is. She’s the one pulling the strings. Ethan’s smart, sure, but he’s nothing without her. She’s ruthless—colder than anyone I’ve ever met. Every scheme, every deal, every backroom betrayal… it all traces back to her.”
Isla’s jaw clenched. She’d always known Katherine was dangerous, but hearing it from Liam confirmed her worst fears. Katherine had been the one smiling at her wedding, playing the part of the doting matriarch while orchestrating every step of Isla’s downfall.
“I need specifics, Liam,” Isla said, her patience wearing thin. “I’m not walking into this blind. I need to know where to hit them.”
Liam set his glass down with a soft clink and leaned forward, lowering his voice. “The Greyson have a network of shell companies—offshore accounts, hidden investments, blackmail material on key players in government and business. But there’s one thing they can’t afford to lose: the Wooder contract.”
Isla’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of the Wooder family. The Wooder were an old-money dynasty, almost as powerful as the Greyson, but they’d kept a cleaner reputation. If the Greyson had managed to entangle themselves with the Harpers, it meant trouble.
“What’s the contract?”
Liam glanced around the room as if expecting someone to be listening. “Years ago, Katherine brokered a deal with Julian Wooder, the patriarch of the family. He’s got one foot in the grave, but his family’s fortune is tied up in some dirty business—a business Katherine helped hide. The contract binds the Wooder fortune to Greyson Industries. If it goes public, it’ll destroy the Wooder and cripple the Greyson. Ethan and Katherine have been siphoning money from Wooder accounts for years, under the table.”
Isla felt a surge of adrenaline. “If I expose that, the Greyson go down.”
Liam nodded grimly. “And the Harpers go with them. It won’t just be Ethan and Katherine who fall. The whole family will be dragged into the mud.”
A cold realization settled over Isla. If she took this route, there would be collateral damage—innocent people, including Harper employees, who had no idea what was happening behind the scenes.
“I don’t care,” she said, her voice quiet but firm. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Liam studied her for a long moment before leaning back. “I can get you the contract, but it won’t be easy. It’s buried deep in the Greyson’ files, likely in their private vault at the estate. You’ll need someone on the inside.”
Isla’s mind raced. “I’ll figure that out.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You sure? This isn’t some corporate heist movie, Isla. Katherine will have you killed if she finds out.”
“I don’t plan on giving her the chance,” Isla said, standing up. “You get me the details. I’ll handle the rest.”
Liam gave a bitter laugh. “You’re more like them than you realize. You’ve got that same fire, that same hunger for revenge.”
Isla didn’t flinch. “The difference is, I’m not doing this for power. I’m doing this because they took everything from me. And now, I’m taking it back.”
He stood up, too, his expression softening. “Be careful, Isla. You might think you’re in control, but this game is bigger than you. The Greyson have been playing it for generations.”
“I know what I’m up against,” Isla said, her eyes hard. “I’m ready.”
Liam sighed and walked toward the door. “I’ll contact you when I have the contract.”
As Isla left Liam’s apartment, the weight of her plan settled on her shoulders. She was stepping into dangerous territory, and there was no turning back. The Greyson had built their empire on deception, and now Isla was prepared to dismantle it brick by brick.
Her phone buzzed, and she glanced down to see another message from Ethan: We need to talk. It’s not too late to fix this.
She didn’t bother replying. He would soon find out just how wrong he was.
The Greyson estate was eerily quiet that night, a stark contrast to the grandeur of the wedding that had taken place only days before. Isla stood outside the iron gates, staring up at the mansion that had once symbolized her future but now felt like a tomb filled with secrets.
Ava had insisted on coming along, though Isla had initially resisted. But as they stood together in the shadows, Isla was grateful for her friend’s presence. Ava had been her rock through the storm, and now, they were in this together.
“We’ll need to move fast,” Ava whispered, her eyes scanning the perimeter. “Security will be tight, but if we time it right, we can slip in during the shift change.”
Isla nodded, her heart racing. The plan was risky, but it was their only chance. Liam had given her the information she needed—the private vault where the Harper contract was stored was on the lower level, hidden behind a false wall in Katherine’s office.
“We’re doing this,” Isla whispered back, her voice steady. “Let’s go.”
They slipped through the side entrance, avoiding the cameras with precision. The estate was vast, but Isla knew it well. She had spent months living here, walking these halls, dreaming of a future with Ethan that now felt like a cruel joke.
As they crept through the darkened corridors, Isla’s mind raced with every possible outcome. She knew they were running out of time. If they were caught, there would be no mercy. The Greyson would destroy her without hesitation.
They reached Katherine’s office, and Ava went to work on the lock. It took only seconds for the door to click open, and they slipped inside. The room was just as Isla remembered it—elegant, cold, and devoid of any warmth. It was a reflection of Katherine herself.
Isla moved to the far wall, running her hands over the wood paneling until she found the small indentation Liam had described. With a gentle push, the wall shifted, revealing a hidden door.
“There it is,” Ava whispered, eyes wide with excitement.
Isla’s pulse quickened. They were so close.
But as they stepped into the vault, the hairs on the back of Isla’s neck stood up. Something was wrong. The room felt… off.
Before she could react, the lights flicked on, and a voice spoke from the doorway.
“Well, well, well,” Katherine Greyson said, her voice dripping with venom. “I knew you’d come, Isla.”
Isla’s heart stopped as Katherine stepped into the room, a cruel smile playing on her lips.
“You’ve always been predictable.”