Chapter 39
Cora took in every word, her mind working fast. It sounded too good to be true. And then came the doubt.
Cora exhaled sharply and narrowed her eyes.
"But..."
She leaned back, voice turning cautious. "That con artist past? That’s what worries me. You know how these people work. Once a con, always a con. They live to manipulate. They feed off secrets, weaknesses, and control. You can’t put your trust in someone who once made a life out of lying."
Immediately Malisa gave a slow nod. "That’s exactly what I was thinking."
Malisa didn’t hesitate.
"We’re talking about giving him the power to erase something that could destroy both of us. But if he takes it and flips the game, blackmails us, sells the video back to James, or even worse, uses it as leverage against you? We’ll be playing a game we can’t win."
She shook her head slightly. "Con artists don’t change, Cora. They just get smarter at hiding the game. They don’t take jobs to help people. They take them to help themselves."
At that moment Cora exhaled slowly, leaning back into her chair as her eyes narrowed with thought. "Con artists," she muttered under her breath, "they always find new ways to get money off people. That’s how they survive. That’s their instinct. And that’s exactly why I don’t want to have anything to do with them."