Page 76 of Blurred Lines

An idea sparks in my head, a risky one, but born of desperation. "Wait!" Flora's voice rings out, a tremor of feigned uncertainty in it. "We, uh … we have evidence. Proof that your boss is behind all this. There's a paper trail. You can't save her."

The sunglasses men pause. One of them speaks in a low growl. "Look, kids, this ain't your business. You back off now, we forget this ever happened."

Before I can even form a retort, the other sunglasses-clad man lunges forward. His hand flashes towards his waistband, a glint of steel catching the light.

"Everybody down!" he roars, the gun leveling at us, shattering the room's stiff silence.

Instinct takes over. Time distorts as I throw myself to the ground, a heartbeat before the first shot rings out. Chaos erupts as Flora screams and Miles tackles the intruder. The room descends into a maelstrom of violence.

I scramble for cover, my heart pounding a deafening rhythm. There's a sickening thud and a groan as one of the goons goes down. Brody has somehow disarmed him with a jarring twist and a flurry of moves.

Suddenly, the front door bursts open. Caeleb, Silas, and Finn stand there, a grim determination in their eyes. Flora calls out, voice shrill. "Guys, I messaged you an age ago!"

"Fifteen minutes ago," Silas retorts. "We got here as soon as we could."

"Drop the weapon!" Caeleb commands, his presence filling the room. "Your employer can't protect you now. Any more moves and we'll have half of Emberton on your tail."

The goon hesitates, the gun wavering in his hand. Silas seizes the opportunity, lunging forward and knocking the weapon from his grasp. A brutal hand-to-hand fight ensues, Silas's focused strength against the goon's flailing desperation.

Each blow, each cry echoes through the room. The intruder lies cowering on the ground, forgotten as Miles pins the second goon with surprising ferocity. It's ugly, desperate, and exhilarating.

And then, it's over. The goons are disarmed and bound, their arrogant facade crumbling into fear. In the breathless aftermath, there's only the pounding of my pulse and a ringing silence.

Before the lull can settle, footsteps echo. That distinctive click of heels announces Verona's arrival, Alec trotting meekly behind her.

"Emily, darling," she purrs, her voice sickly sweet even with the undercurrent of panic. "What is the meaning of this ruckus?"

"Your games end here, Verona," I say, my voice steady. "Your treachery is laid bare—the sabotage, the payments, the whole twisted scheme."

Verona pales, but her eyes flash with defiance. "You have no proof …"

"On the contrary," I counter, a triumphant smile spreading across my face. I gesture towards the cowering intruder, surrounded by my capable team, and the discarded phone with its damning evidence.

The realization crashes over Verona. Her facade crumbles, replaced by raw fury. Alec's eyes widen, his usual arrogance gone. It's a picture of delicious defeat, a victory savored.

While she stammers out denials, my mind is already buzzing with the next move. Because this isn't over, not by a long shot. I knew Alec posed his own threat, the darling of social media with his legions of adoring followers. We needed a countermeasure, some leverage.

And it seems Flora had that ace up her sleeve. She brushes the dust off her shoulders. "Speaking of hidden things …" she murmurs, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Emily, I believe I found something else of interest on Mr. Alec's social media."

My heart quickens. What has clever Flora uncovered? Before I can ask, she continues, "A little … artificial boost to his follower numbers, shall we say? Not quite the organic rise of a true influencer."

My lips curl into a smile. This is ammunition, the weapon I need to level the playing field. With this revelation, Alec's carefully crafted image is vulnerable, hanging by a thread.

"You should come into the mansion," I tell my stepmother and half-brother, a pleasant smile on my lips. "I don't want this to be too ugly and out in the open, unlike some people."

They follow without complaint, letting me lead them to the living room.

The room crackles with a new dynamic. The power has shifted. I meet Verona's gaze, now alight with panic. She knows her schemes are unraveling, the consequences looming large. As for Alec, his face has drained of all color, the carefully curated persona replaced by a stark fear. He has much to lose now. A delicious sense of anticipation fills me.

"So," I begin, my voice a deceptively calm purr. "Let's recap. You, Verona, have tried to sink my family business. Your motive? Greed, envy, a pathological need for control, who knows?" I shrug, feigning indifference. "And you, Alec."

I turn my attention to the deflated social media star, a smirk playing on my lips. "Turns out your meteoric rise was fueled by fakery. Bots and bought followers—not quite the influencer you wanted us to believe, were you?"

Alec blusters and stammers, denying everything, but his pale face tells a different story.

"Enough!" Verona hisses, a veneer of composure clinging to her as she straightens her designer dress. "You have no proof of anything."

"Proof?" Flora chimes in, her eyes blazing. "Like those emails detailing your instructions to sabotage the irrigation? Or those bank transfers to our little weasel friend here?" She shoves the cowering intruder forward, his face a mask of terror.

---