Chapter 54: Bad investments

"The shipment will be heavily guarded, Sin. Once it crosses the borders and reaches the night port, you will get back the original investment and a profit return of at least twenty billion dollars."

I slowly turned to Sin, my lips parting. His brows were drawn, and he seemed to be calculating. His eyes had darkened, and he slowly leaned away from the table, then turned to me.

For a while, he said nothing before he let his fingers open the pages of the document in front of him. Silence descended on the entire place, and I let my eyes read the document, my chest slightly heaving.

After what felt like days, Sin slowly started to nod.

"Yes," he said, just as I said, "No, Sin."

He stopped, meeting my eyes. "What?"

I swallowed, blinking rapidly. I hadn't intended to say anything, but my mouth spoke faster than I could rein myself in.

"You said something," Sin said, slowly sitting on the edge of the table, one leg on the floor, the other propped a little higher so his hands could dangle off it.

"I... I was just..." I trailed off, then looked around, my chest lightly heaving. "Well, I... I don't think you should invest in this."

"What do you mean? We will be transporting these diamonds and they will be safe. Do you know how much we are..."

"Shut up," Sin said, looking up to the man in order to deliver his coldest gaze.

The man gave a small scoff and sat back, but I could see his legs tapping on the floor fast and hard, his gaze unfocused as he switched from glaring at me to almost pleading with Sin using just his eyes.

"What were you saying, Annalise?"

I met Sin's eyes, then slowly reached for the document. I brought it to me, my lips slightly parting as I read the complete document.

"This port... whatever you are transporting will get stolen."

"That is a lie!"

"Fucking shut up!" Sin yelled, grabbing a knife off the fruit bowl and swinging it intently across the table.

It cut the man's cheek and went on to bury itself in the wall behind him, making him and everyone else in the room aware of just how much damage could have been done.

I held my breath, my chest heaving hard as I blinked, my hands clenching into fists to stop them from shaking.

"Speak to me, Annalise."

I looked up to Sin's eyes, and he was calm again, and the room was submerged in deep silence.

I bit down on my lips, then slowly pointed at the document, right under the name of the shipping port where the diamonds were set to be delivered.

"This place... before my dad lost his job... he used to go there. I will never forget it because he called it the Port of Thieves."

"Port of Thieves?" Sin repeated, his voice betraying nothing.

"Yes. Anything that gets delivered there is looted, Sin. And something about his reaction makes me think he knows."

"Sin, she is lying. I swear to you, she is..."

The silent crack of a gun stopped the man mid-sentence, and I swallowed, lifting my head to Sin's bodyguard. He was now standing right next to the man, keeping him helplessly quiet at gunpoint.

I swallowed again, gaining more confidence. "It seems all good since these diamonds aren't legal and the port is hidden. Unused. He probably wanted to trap you with the inevitable need for secrecy and have you buy these diamonds, just so he can steal them from you again and you end up with nothing."

Sin's brows furrowed even darker, and he gave a small laugh. "Definitely interesting."

No one said a word for a long while as Sin sat there, his mind reeling again. I could see the math going on, and he slowly nodded again, then turned to the man.

He was now sweating profusely, his chest heaving hard as his eyes darted between Sin and the grim reaper beside him.

"I will still give you the money."

My lips parted, my brows furrowing in confusion.

"Sin," I said, my voice low, subdued with shock and confusion. "You are investing twelve billion!"

"I know," he said simply, turning to the man again. He slowly waved his bodyguard away, then smiled. "But I trust Alejandro. I know he wouldn't lie to me."

I felt my heart breaking with that statement. I swallowed, then nodded slowly, my head lowering. The man adjusted his suit jacket, then came back to sit, a look of relief washing over his face.

The scar on his forehead looked a lot smoother now, and he had a bright smile.

"Thank you very much for your trust, Sin. I am honored."

"Of course," Sin said, smiling. "Except, I will pay you in cash. Will you accept my invitation to have dinner with me tomorrow night?"

He gave a nod, then stood up to shake Sin's hand.

"Thank you. You will be profiting so much from this, and even my boss, Kali, will be ecstatic."

Sin released his hand, then nodded. "Of course. That is done."

I sucked in a small breath, unable to lift my head. I knew I was right. I knew I was right about that port. About this being a bad investment.

Why did Sin still want to go through with it? His smile told me there was something more than these diamonds or the profit, but I couldn't tell, and it drove me absolutely berserk inside.

"If you will excuse me, gentlemen. I would like to have a word with my wife."

A hum of approval filled the room, and Sin grabbed my hand, then gently led me away towards a smaller room.

"Sin, I..." I started to say, before he closed the door, then put his hand on my mouth, pinning me back on the wall.

"Shhhh, sweetheart."

I swallowed hard, my lips parting as his hand dropped from my mouth. "You trust him over me."

He gave a small smile, then leaned forward, kissing my jaw. My brows furrowed, but my eyes closed, my palms flattening against the wall.

"I was right about you. And him. And about his boss."

"What?"

Sin pulled away, his expression solemn. "I don't think Kali even exists, Annalise. I feel like this entire thing is an attempt to get money from me. I am just not sure why or for what."