Love Game With The Rebel Billionaire

Those were the words I wanted to say, but instead, I pulled my checkbook and pen from my bag.

"How much?" I asked, raising an eyebrow when Tanner chuckled softly.

"Money won't do, Miss Miller," he replied in a cold tone. "Just make sure you find the truth in whatever you're investigating... so Evangeline can finally be at peace." "Got it," I replied. "Anyway, do you like my cousin?"

I'd been dying to ask that since our college days.

"No," he answered quickly. "But I do want her to be happy."

His sincerity was undeniable. The tone of his voice was so heartfelt, it tugged at me.

But I didn't believe he didn't like Evangeline. His eyes lit up when I mentioned my lovely cousin.

He stood, pointing to the card in his pocket. "I'll have this ready by tonight."

"That fast?" I raised an eyebrow.

I was expecting it to take days... but by tonight?

"Trust my skills the way your cousin does," he said before walking away.

I PACED back and forth inside my unit. I started working on other tasks, but I eventually stopped when I realized my focus wasn't on any of it.

My mind was wandering somewhere else. Could it be a bluff?

It was already ten in the evening. I should have gone to bed instead of waiting for Tanner.

Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Tanner.

"I thought you were all talk," I greeted him, making him chuckle.

"Check your email," he instructed. "Your personal email, not the one you use for work."

My jaw dropped. No one knew about my personal email except for my close friends. I rarely used it.

"How did you-" I stopped mid-sentence.

Tanner was a hacker. Why was I even surprised he'd figured it out?

"That's creepy. You could've just asked for it. I would've given it to you."

Instead of responding or apologizing, the line disconnected. I shook my head, wondering how Evangeline managed to recruit someone like Tanner into her organization. They're opposites in some ways, but oddly similar in others. Both are rude.

I sat at my study table and opened my personal email. There it was-the document Tanner sent, attached to the video I'd given him.

The file was heavily encrypted. No wonder he felt confident sending it through email. He made sure only I could open it.

I clicked on the document and the video. My eyes widened as the video now had sound. It wasn't muted before-it was just that the voices had been so faint, almost imperceptible. "Nice one, Tanner," I smiled.

Shortly, the conversation began.

"I wanted to enter politics," my father said.

He was sitting across from Senator Windwood, legs crossed, leaning back on the couch, a cigarette in hand.

"That's a good idea, sir. Entering politics will give you and your company the immediate you need," Senator Windwood replied with a grin. "Once you're in, no one will dare oppose you." He held a glass in his hand-probably alcohol. They were drinking as they talked. Typical for rich men like them.

Never in my life did I expect Simon to be interested in politics. With his attitude, he wanted to run for office? I couldn't imagine the lives of the citizens if he actually succeeded. "What do you want to be? I can help you," Senator Windwood asked.

My father took a drag from his cigarette.

"President," he said without hesitation, picking up a glass of alcohol from the side table and taking a sip.

For someone with no experience in politics, he was aiming so high. Why did he want to run for president? He had an agreement with the Greensmiths-they handled all the political dealings. The Greensmiths were highly influential, even internationally, especially in Britain. Among all of us, Haze was the wealthiest. That's why he could do whatever he wanted without much effort. I couldn't blame him for finding life boring-it's his reality.

"It's too early for that, sir," Senator Windwood said, and I silently agreed. "You still have a lot to go through."

The Greensmiths might have their illegal dealings like us, but they genuinely cared for their people. They wouldn't harm the innocent.

Not that it made them saints. They still had their dirt-but at least they weren't the worst.

The worst were in my bloodline.

"Why?" Simon asked, raising a brow.

"Maybe you should start by running for senator, sir-"

"I want to be the president of this country. What's wrong with that?"Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

He flicked his cigarette, and the ash landed on Senator Windwood's face. It wasn't much, but it must've stung. I could see why he was angry-he hated being told what to do.

I'm the same. We both despise being ordered around.

"Why would I lower my dreams just because someone like you doesn't believe I can achieve them?" Simon asked coldly.

Senator Windwood was busy brushing the ash off his face. So, Simon grabbed his glass, ready to hurl it at the senator.

"How brutal..." I couldn't help but comment.

"C-Clyden Greensmith wanted to be president, too," Windwood stammered, barely able to meet Simon's gaze. "H-He even announced that he will run in the next presidential race." Woah.

That wasn't bad news at all. I'd seen him a few times at Greensmith events, and he always struck me as genuinely friendly-no pretense.

"Exactly," Simon smirked, his expression darkening.

"Sir?"

"That's why we need to do something to eliminate him... like, killing him in secret."

What the heck?

I always knew Simon had a ruthless streak-he was notorious for killing countless people. But his own childhood friend? Someone who hadn't even wronged him?

I replayed the video, going back to the exact moment. The words were the same, unchanged. It was... real.

"I can make you the vice president," Simon whispered, but his voice was still loud and clear in the recording. "We should take the Greensmith down."

I blinked twice, staring blankly at my laptop. The screen had already gone black, but I could still see their faces-Senator Windwood and Simon. Their voices echoed in my mind. What the fuck did I just watch?

Leaning back in my chair, I spun it in circles, hoping dizziness would be better than letting my thoughts spiral.

I grabbed my phone and typed a message to Simon.

[Let's meet tomorrow.]

I shook my head as I hit send. I'd confront him about everything. This video might be the reason why he wanted me to kill Senator Windwood.

This video was solid evidence of his plot to assassinate Clyden Greensmith-a massive scoop for the media and a sure path to Simon's downfall. And mine, too.

I couldn't use it against him just yet. His fall would inevitably drag me down with him. That wasn't an option, not now.

I'd wait for the right time.