The Art of Wealth: I Became a Billionaire-Chapter 37: You Can’t Keep Hiding

Alex had been home for three long days. He hadn’t smiled. He hadn’t spoken much either, not to Emma or anyone. His eyes stayed distant, his body slumped most of the time on the couch or on his bed, and his mind seemed lost in a dark place no one could reach. He was broken. Shattered by something no one could understand because he refused to say a word about it.

His bruises had faded slightly, but his silence grew louder.

Emma tried at first, softly, and gently, asking what happened, what went wrong, but each time she asked, he would just shake his head and say nothing to worry about. She didn’t push but worry consumed her. Her brother was falling apart right in front of her.

Sarah, on the other hand, had just finished her classes and went to his house. He wanted to look after him because of how quiet and strange Alex had become. She barged into his room the moment she arrived.

There he was, sitting on the floor by the window, knees pulled to his chest, staring into space like he was waiting for the world to end.

"Alex," she said softly but got no response.

She walked in fully, arms crossed, her voice suddenly rising. "Enough, young man! It’s been three days, and I can’t keep watching you like this. What the hell is going on? You’re not eating, not talking, not sleeping properly. This isn’t you. This is not the Alex I know!"

He didn’t flinch. He didn’t blink.

She took a deep breath and stormed toward him. "Look at me!" she said, her voice now shaking. "Spit it out. Whatever it is, just say it. Stop sulking like a child."

Still silence.

Then she said it, the name he hadn’t heard her call in years. "Alexander."

His head snapped up, his eyes wide. It was like the name unlocked something in him. He swallowed hard and looked away again.

Sarah’s voice softened immediately. "What happened to you?" she asked. "Why won’t you tell us? Why are you suffering alone?"

His lips parted slightly. His voice came out cracked, almost like a whisper. "It’s too horrifying..."

Sarah moved closer and stood in front of him. "What is horrifying?" she asked gently. "Talk to me, please."

Alex stared at her with red eyes. "Have you... heard from Elliot recently?"

Sarah blinked. "No... not for a while now. Why? Why are you asking me that all of a sudden?"

He looked down at his trembling fingers. "Because I think... he’s in trouble."

She frowned. "Elliot? What kind of trouble? What’s going on, Alex? Are you saying he’s involved in all this?"

She stood up, pulling her phone from her pocket. "I’m calling him now."

Alex said quickly, panic flashing in his eyes. "It won’t go through."

But she was already dialing. Once. Twice. Three times.

Each time, I voicemail.

Sarah stared at the phone. "You’ve been calling him?"

Alex nodded slowly. "A thousand times. And it’s always the same..."

"..."

Sarah sat up slowly, her face was pale and filled with worry. Her voice trembled just slightly.

"Alex... you’re really beginning to scare me now. What’s going on?" she asked, eyes locked on his, trying to read what lay beneath his silence.

Alex looked away for a moment. His jaw clenched. His fingers trembled slightly as he rubbed his palms together. Then, finally, he spoke.

"Do you remember Rebecca?"

Sarah blinked. "Rebecca? Do you mean... the woman who agreed to invest in your project? The one you’ve been working with closely for months now?"

Alex nodded slowly.

"Yes. That Rebecca."

"Of course, I remember her," Sarah said, sitting forward. "What about her? What’s wrong?"

He swallowed hard, then added, "And you remember Philip too, right? He works with me at Raymond’s company. He’s the one who introduced me to Rebecca."

Sarah nodded again. "Yeah, I do. What about them?"

Alex looked up, his eyes now dark and haunted.

"They’re not who we think they are, Sarah."

"What do you mean?"

"They’re part of something... twisted. Dangerous. I found out, by accident, that they’re spies. Spies working for a secret organization that’s been manipulating and corrupting everything around us. They were infiltrating Raymond’s company and trying to pull him down from the inside."

Sarah’s face drained of color. "Wait... what?"

Alex nodded slowly. "I found evidence in Rebecca’s office. Files. Emails. I didn’t even believe it at first. I was going to take it straight to Raymond. But before I could... I was taken."

Sarah’s eyes widened in shock. "Taken? What do you mean taken?"

"They kidnapped me," Alex said quietly. "I was leaving the building, and the next thing I knew, someone grabbed me from behind. They put a bag over my head and drove me to... I don’t even know where. Somewhere dark. Cold. I could barely breathe."

"Oh my God, Alex..." Sarah gasped, her voice breaking.

"They tortured me," he said while lowering his head. "Tried to scare me into silence. They beat me. Questioned me. Even Threatened to kill me."

Sarah’s hand flew to her mouth in horror.

"I was in that hellhole for hours," Alex continued. "Until Elliot showed up."

"Elliot?" she asked, confused. "Elliot... helped you?"

Alex nodded. "He came in quietly, looked me in the eye, and said, ’Keep and just follow me.’ He unlocked the cuffs, and we sneaked out the back. He risked everything to help me escape."

"But... Elliot works with them, doesn’t he?" Sarah asked, stunned.

"He does," Alex said. "He told me they made him who he is. That they gave him access, money, everything he has."

Sarah sat back, struggling to catch her breath. "This is insane. Where is he now?"

"I don’t know," Alex said softly. "I haven’t heard from him in three days. I’ve been checking my phone every hour. Nothing."

"And you’ve just been sitting here?" Sarah asked, her voice rising. "You don’t think they’ll figure out he helped you? You don’t think they’ll go after him?"

"I don’t know what to think anymore," Alex said, voice shaking. "I’ve been... I’ve been losing it, Sarah.

Sarah stood up, angry and scared.

"Alex, stop being selfish. We have to do something!"

"Do what exactly?" he snapped. "What can we possibly do? You don’t know these people, Sarah. They’re not just criminals. They’re powerful. They have people everywhere."

"And you’re just going to sit here like a scared child? While Elliot, who could’ve walked away, risked his life for you and is now missing? He could be dead, Alex!" Sarah shouted, tears brimming in her eyes.

Alex stood too, his voice breaking. "I don’t know what to do, okay? I’m not a hero. I’m just a guy who got in too deep!"

Sarah walked up to him, her eyes fierce.

"What of Raymond then? Have you told him this? Have you asked him for help?"

"I can’t even face him now," Alex whispered. "I told him I was quitting."

"You are quitting on the one man who’s always stood by you? Who’s proved in every way that he cares for you just like Emma and me? The same man who’s probably the only one strong enough to help Elliot?" Sarah’s voice cracked with disbelief. "How could you be so selfish?"

"It’s not easy," Alex said quietly. "You think I don’t want to make this right? But I’m scared, Sarah. I’m just so tired of everything. My head’s a mess."

Sarah’s tone softened slightly. She stepped closer and held his face gently.

"I know, Alex. I know you’re hurting. But this isn’t about just you anymore. Elliot saved your life. He didn’t think twice. He didn’t wait for someone to save him. And now he needs you, Alex."

Alex closed his eyes. "I’m just afraid of all this."

She whispered. "But we can’t sit here doing nothing. We owe him that much."

She looked him square in the eyes. "So it’s either you get up right now and go to Mr. Raymond Carter’s office and ask for his help... or I call him here myself. So which one is it, baby boy?"