MY BILLIONAIRE HUSBAND (Sandro Marcos)

Chapter 9: A Glimpse of Darkness

Alexander's words hung in the air, heavy with implication. Isabella watched as he ran a hand through his hair, a rare crack in his usual composure. She could see the tension etched on his face, the conflict in his eyes. Whatever he was about to tell her, it was something serious—something that had been weighing on him for a long time.

"The kind that could put both of us at risk," Alexander finally continued, his voice low. "Isabella, I didn't want you to get involved in this. But now, I don't have a choice."

Isabella's heart raced as she processed his words. The idea that they were both in danger because of something he had done was terrifying, but she couldn't back down now. She needed to know the truth, no matter how dark it might be.

"What kind of deal are we talking about, Alexander?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. "Who are these people, and what do they want from you?"

Alexander hesitated, as if deciding how much to reveal. Finally, he sighed and looked her straight in the eye. "The deal was with a powerful investor, someone who promised to back my business in exchange for certain... favors. At first, it seemed like a good arrangement—mutually beneficial. But over time, their demands became more and more unreasonable. They started asking for things that went beyond business, things that crossed into dangerous territory."

"What kind of things?" Isabella pressed, her fear growing by the second.

Alexander's jaw tightened, his expression grim. "Money laundering, illegal deals, using my business as a front for their operations. At first, I tried to push back, to keep my distance. But they made it clear that if I didn't cooperate, they would come after me—and anyone close to me."

Isabella felt a chill run down her spine. She had always known that Alexander's world was one of power and influence, but she had never imagined it could be so dark, so dangerous. "And now they're threatening you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"They've been threatening me for a while," Alexander admitted, his voice laced with regret. "But now that you're in the picture, it's different. They know that hurting you would hurt me, and they won't hesitate to use that against me."

Isabella's mind raced as she tried to make sense of everything. It was all so much to take in—the dangerous deal, the threats, the knowledge that they were both being watched by people who wouldn't hesitate to harm them. But amid all the fear and confusion, one thing stood out: Alexander had been trying to protect her, to shield her from this dark side of his life. He had kept it from her, not because he didn't trust her, but because he didn't want to burden her with the danger he was facing.

"What do they want now?" she asked, her voice firmer than she expected. "What do we need to do to get out of this?"

Alexander looked at her, a mixture of admiration and sorrow in his eyes. "I wish it were that simple. They want more than I can give. They want control—over me, over my business, over everything I've built. And they're willing to do whatever it takes to get it."

Isabella felt a wave of anger rise within her. The idea that someone was trying to take everything away from Alexander, to force him into submission, was infuriating. She didn't know much about the world he was caught up in, but she knew one thing: she wasn't going to let these people destroy him, or their relationship.

"Then we'll fight them," she said, surprising even herself with the conviction in her voice. "We'll find a way to stop them, to get out of this mess. But you have to be honest with me, Alexander. I need to know everything if we're going to make it through this."

Alexander looked at her, clearly moved by her determination. He reached out, taking her hand in his, and for a moment, the connection between them felt stronger than ever.