Page 9 of Falling for the Grump Billionaire

But as I face Caldwell, one thought lingers: whoever orchestrated this chaos has made their first move. Now it’s my turn.

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Eva

The coffee shop is nearly empty, just the way I like it. The barista hums a familiar pop song while wiping down the counters, and the scent of espresso lingers in the air. Normally, this kind of setting would calm me—quiet, predictable, safe. But tonight, my nerves are on edge.

I adjust my seat, pulling my notebook closer as I glance at the door. Martin Caldwell is late, and I can’t decide if that’s a bad sign or just typical ex-corporate behavior. Twenty minutes have passed, and I’m still nursing the same lukewarm latte, my mind looping back to last night’s text:

“Stay out of this, or you’ll regret it.”

The logical part of me says it’s just a scare tactic, a bluff to make me drop the story. But my gut tells me otherwise. That message wasn’t random. Someone knows I’m looking into Kane Enterprises, and they want me to stop.

The barista glances my way, her brow furrowing slightly, probably wondering why I’m still here. I glance at my phone, scrolling through notes from last night’s insomnia-fueled research session. Caldwell’s name popped up in two old articles buried under layers of corporate PR—a rising star at Kane Enterprises who left under a cloud of suspicion. Officially, he was fired for mishandling confidential data. Unofficially? The rumors pointed to something much messier.

That alone makes him worth my time. Add the fact that he agreed to meet me in this dingy coffee shop, and I’m practically salivating over what he might reveal.

The door swings open, and a man walks in. He’s taller than I expected, with a scruffy beard and an air of nervous energy. His eyes dart around the room before landing on me.

“Eva Stone?” he asks, his voice low and rough.

“That’s me.” I motion for him to sit.

Caldwell slides into the chair across from me, his gaze flicking to the door, then back to me. He doesn’t have the polished look of a former tech executive—no tailored suits, no corporate sheen. Instead, he looks like someone who hasn’t had a good night’s sleep in months.

“You said you wanted to talk about Kane Enterprises,” he says, folding his hands on the table. “I’m not sure how much help I’ll be.”

“We’ll see about that.” I keep my tone casual, letting him think he’s in control. “Let’s start with why you left.”

His lips press into a thin line. “I didn’t leave. I was forced out.”

“Why?”

Caldwell hesitates, his fingers drumming on the table’s edge. “Officially? They said I violated an NDA. Unofficially… I started asking questions they didn’t want me to ask.”

My pulse quickens. “What kind of questions?”

He leans forward, his voice dropping. “The kind that get you blacklisted in this industry. Kane Enterprises isn’t just a company—it’s a fortress. Layers upon layers of security, and not just for their tech. People who get too close to the truth tend to… disappear.”

“Disappear?” I echo, skepticism laced with curiosity.

“Not like that,” he says quickly, shaking his head. “I mean professionally. Their careers vanish. No one will hire them, no one will work with them. It’s like they don’t exist.”

“Are you saying Dominic Kane orchestrates this?”

Caldwell shrugs, his expression darkening. “I don’t know how involved he is personally. But his company isn’t clean. They’ve made a lot of enemies—some powerful, some dangerous. And if you’re digging into whatever’s happening now, you need to be careful.”

I sit back, processing his words. It’s not a smoking gun, but it adds weight to the rumors I’ve been chasing.

“What about the recent leaks?” I ask. “Do you think they’re coming from inside the company?”

Caldwell’s gaze flickers to the door, his tension palpable. “I don’t know for sure, but it wouldn’t surprise me. A company like Kane Enterprises has a lot of people with access to sensitive information. Not all of them are loyal.”

I narrow my eyes. “And you wouldn’t happen to know anyone specific, would you?”

His expression hardens. “I agreed to meet you because I thought you’d ask the right questions, not because I want to end up in someone’s crosshairs. If you’re looking for names, you’re asking the wrong guy.”

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