Chapter 2
The rain kept falling. Footsteps sounded at the entrance of the alley.
Three men in black suits walked in. The one in front was holding a stun baton. "Ms. Sterling, Mr. Grant wants you to come back."
I turned and ran deeper into the alley. Trash cans toppled, dirty water spilling across the ground. Footsteps pounded behind me, relentless.
The alley ended in a solid wall. I stopped and turned around.
The three men closed in. "Ms. Sterling, don't make us do this the hard way."
The leader flicked the switch on his stun baton. Blue arcs crackled in the air.
I backed into the corner.
Just then, a police siren wailed at the mouth of the alley. A black SUV rolled up and stopped by the curb.
The door swung open. Black leather boots splashed down into a puddle.
The man was dressed in a deep blue uniform. The badge on his shoulder glinted under the streetlamp. It was the uniform of the Tax Investigation Bureau.
It was Ethan Reed.
I'd done my homework on this world. He was the one who sent the Grant family straight to hell.
The three bodyguards froze, exchanging glances.
"That's the Tax Investigation Bureau's car."
"Don't cause trouble. Let's bail."
They stowed their stun batons, pulled their brims down, and quickly left through the other side of the alley.
I let out a relieved breath and slid down to sit against the wall.
Ethan walked over, holding a file. His gaze settled on me, slumped against the wet wall.
His face was unreadable. Rainwater dripped from the brim of his hat.
"Are you with the Grant family?" he asked, his voice cold and hard.
I nodded, trying to get up, but my legs felt weak. "I'm Olivia."
Ethan took in the mess I was in. "Richard is suspected of tax evasion. As a direct family member, you'll need to cooperate with the investigation." He produced a pair of handcuffs.
I offered my hands. "I've got evidence."
Ethan froze for a second. "What?"
"The actual books showing the Grant family's tax evasion. Plus proof of how they moved their assets around."
I looked him straight in the eye. "But I can't hand them over yet."
Ethan put the handcuffs away, his brow furrowing. "Are you negotiating?"
"No," I said, pushing myself upright against the wall. "Even if I hand them over now, you still won't get the key evidence.
"Those books are locked away in a hidden room at the Grant family mansion. It only opens with Richard's fingerprint."
Suddenly, a black Mercedes-Benz roared into the alley, blinding us with its headlights.
Seven or eight bodyguards piled out of the car. These were the Grant family's elite.
Katherine leaned out the window. "That little bitch is right there! Get her back here."
The bodyguards rushed at me all at once.
Ethan stepped forward, blocking their path. "I'm Ethan from the Tax Investigation Bureau. This is official business."
The head bodyguard sneered. "This is a family matter. Captain Reed, aren't you sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong?"
Two of them grabbed at me. Ethan moved fast. With a quick shoulder throw, he sent the closest bodyguard crashing to the ground.
There were too many of them. In the chaos, someone pressed a handkerchief reeking of ether over my mouth.
My vision went dark. Right before I blacked out, I saw Ethan being swarmed by four or five men. He looked in my direction and reached out desperately.
The System was still shrieking in my mind. 'This is it! If you get dragged back, you'll trigger the torment arc. Endless drama, here we come.'
*****
Cold water splashed across my face. I opened my eyes.
I was in the Grant mansion's living room, kneeling on the rug. My hands were tied behind my back.
Richard was sitting on the couch, holding a cup of hot coffee.
Katherine was standing over me, looking down with an air of superiority.
Emily was lounging in an armchair, idly twirling the Ferrari keys in her hand.
"Awake?" Richard set his cup down with a sharp clink against the coffee table.
"Run, why don't you? Go on, keep running," Richard taunted as he got up and walked over to me.
He slammed his foot onto my shoulder. "So you think you're hot stuff, huh? Grabbing cash, stealing cars?" He ground his heel in, making it hurt even more.
I let out a muffled grunt as my body was forced to bend even lower.
Katherine flung a document down in front of me. The cover read, [Share Transfer and Change of Legal Owner Agreement.]
"Go ahead and sign it," Katherine ordered. "Put your name on this, and we'll let bygones be bygones. The 1.5 million stays yours, and you keep the car."
I glanced over the document. It was a shell company. All the Grant family's bad debts and tax evasion were pinned on this company.
If I signed, I'd become the legal representative. Every single legal mess would be dumped on me.
At the very least, I'd be looking at ten years behind bars.
Emily walked over and crouched down in front of me, giving my cheek a little tap with the Ferrari keys.
"Olivia, you know I'm an art student. I don't understand any of this business stuff. Mom and Dad always say you're the smart one, so it's only right you take charge," she said.
She flashed me a sweet smile. "Sign it, and we'll still be family."