Chapter 10 - THE BETRAYAL BESIDE THE BOSS
Maxwell stared at Raymond.
The man had stood beside him for twelve years.
Protected his family.
Managed his security.
Attended his wedding.
Carried Olivia's coffin.
And now Marianne Hale had accused him of helping control the very operation that destroyed Maxwell's family.
Raymond looked stunned.
"Boss, she's lying."
Maxwell didn't answer.
His face was unreadable.
Audrey moved closer to Charlie.
The boy sensed the tension immediately.
Raymond took a step forward.
"Maxwell, I've protected you for years."
"Then you'll have no problem handing over your phone."
Raymond hesitated.
Only briefly.
But Maxwell noticed.
"Now."
Raymond slowly reached into his jacket.
For one terrifying second, Audrey thought he was drawing a weapon.
Instead, he produced his phone.
He handed it to Maxwell.
Investigators later obtained legal access to the device.
What they discovered was devastating.
Encrypted messages.
Private transfer records.
Payments routed through offshore accounts.
And security schedules showing precisely when Olivia had been moved between facilities.
Raymond had known.
Not merely known.
He had helped conceal her whereabouts.
When confronted with the evidence, Raymond attempted to justify himself.
"Adrian said your wife would destroy everything."
Maxwell stared at him.
"Everything?"
"The business. The contracts. The people depending on us."
"My wife was trying to expose a crime."
Raymond lowered his eyes.
"She found more than that."
Maxwell stepped closer.
"What?"
Raymond swallowed.
"She discovered that Adrian had been using your companies to move stolen money."
Maxwell's expression hardened.
"And you helped him?"
Raymond said nothing.
That silence answered enough.
Police took him into custody.
But before Raymond was led away, he turned toward Audrey.
His face twisted with bitterness.
"You think you're saving them?"
Audrey held Charlie's hand.
Raymond laughed.
"Ask Maxwell what happened at Pier Forty-One twelve years ago."
Maxwell went completely still.
Audrey looked at him.
"What happened?"
Raymond smiled.
"That's where it all started."
Then he delivered one final warning.
"Olivia didn't just discover Maxwell's secrets."
He glanced toward Charlie.
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"She discovered why Charlie was born deaf."
And Maxwell's expression changed from anger to absolute disbelief.
