Chapter 16

"I met with a man at the police station some time ago," Jake began, his voice low yet urgent as the train hummed to life around them. "He claimed to be the head of Blueroof Properties, alleging he had damning evidence against Dorothy—shady dealings and corruption involving law enforcement."

Sarah leaned forward, her brow furrowing in concern. "Should we meet with him?"

Jake hesitated, his gaze distant as he weighed the implications. "It might be wise. But bringing Dorothy down with the help of a rival company could have repercussions down the line."

Sarah's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "If he truly has the means to bring her down for good, wouldn't he be a valuable ally in our fight against Dorothy?"

Jake blinked, taken aback by Sarah's directness. "I... I don't want to risk damaging my father's company's reputation in the process. It's one of the most respected in town, but now it's under threat from within."

"True," Sarah conceded gently, her voice reflective. "But just because a leader is corrupt doesn't mean the whole company is tainted. We need to find a way to expose Dorothy without implicating innocent parties."

Jake nodded slowly, absorbing Sarah's perspective. He realized that forming alliances, even with rivals, could serve their cause if focused solely on exposing Dorothy.

"Should we arrange to meet with him later today?" Jake finally asked.

"Of course," Sarah replied firmly, her resolve matching his own.

Together, they sat in the train's steady rhythm, the weight of their decision heavy between them as they plotted their next move against an adversary entrenched in power and deceit.

Later that day, Jake and Sarah found themselves in the spacious office of Blueroof Properties' CEO, Mr. Sternice. Despite his late sixties, his piercing grey hair and beard framed a face that defied his age with its vitality. "Thank you for coming," he greeted warmly as Jake and Sarah settled into their seats.

"You mentioned you had something on Dorothy when we last met. What exactly is it?" Jake wasted no time getting to the point after taking his seat. Sternice chuckled lightly before responding, his voice carrying the weight of years of experience.

"I've known Dorothy since long before Enoch, the company's original owner, passed away. She's desperate. Now, I understand you might think we're competitors and assume I want to tarnish her for that reason, but it's not about that," Sternice explained calmly. Jake's brow furrowed with skepticism. "How can we be sure we can trust you?" he questioned, his concern evident.

"I fight for what's right. Dorothy's corruption needs to be exposed, not because she's my rival, but because it's the right thing to do. We can bring her down without bringing the company down," Sternice assured, his words resonating deeply with Jake.

"If you're fighting against injustice and corruption, then we're with you," Jake declared firmly, aligning himself with Sternice's cause. "I'll gather all the evidence I have and send it your way. After that, we can strategize how to expose her to the public and law enforcement," Sternice concluded, outlining their plan of action.

"Of course," Jake agreed solemnly. They shook hands, sealing the beginning of an alliance forged in the battle against corruption and injustice. The air in Sternice's office seemed charged with purpose as they embarked on their mission together.

Back at the mansion, Sam, the family's trusted driver, confronted Dorothy in the elegant lobby. His tone was stern, betraying his frustration. "You’ve been ignoring my messages. That was not part of our agreement!"

Dorothy, standing tall but visibly agitated, retorted sharply, "I’ve been busy, okay? I have a company to run!"

Sam chuckled, his demeanor calm yet firm. "A company to run? Fair enough. But remember, whatever is worth doing, should be done the right way. Our agreement must be honored properly."

Dorothy's mind raced as she struggled to maintain composure. "I haven’t forgotten our agreement, alright? I’ve just been busy," she replied, her voice strained.

"Time is ticking, and I’ve got bills to pay," Sam continued, his voice taking a serious turn. He concluded their tense exchange with a chilling remark, "Don’t forget, the evidence isn’t just with me. If you or your goons try anything funny, I have plenty of people ready to expose the truth about you."

Dorothy watched as Sam walked away, his words echoing in her mind. She had been paying him a substantial sum to keep a damning secret hidden, but now he demanded even more. Thoughts raced through her mind; she could easily dispatch one of her henchmen to silence Sam permanently, but he held a dangerous card—her secret would be unleashed to the world if anything happened to him.

The beep of her phone snapped Dorothy back to the present. It was a text from Victor: "I got something huge! Meet up tomorrow at the park by 4pm!"

Dorothy's heart raced with both anticipation and trepidation.Victor's finding could either save her or ruin her, depending on what he uncovered. As she thought about what to do next, Sam's warning felt overwhelming, reminding her of the tricky situation she had to navigate to keep her secret hidden.