Chapter 4 - THE WIFE WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
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Amelia came to my office at 11:12 p.m.
Alone.
No father.
No brother.
No mother.
She entered wearing a black coat and no jewelry.
I had never seen her look so tired.
“I don't know where else to go.”
I stayed behind my desk.
“You should have told me years ago.”
“I know.”
“You knew.”
She closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
“What did you know?”
“That my father wanted you.”
My jaw tightened.
“Not me.”
She nodded.
“Your company.”
She sat down.
“When you met me, my father already knew about your technology.”
“Then why didn't he take it?”
“Because your father wouldn't sell.”
I stared.
“My father and Charles knew each other.”
“They did.”
“How?”
“Business.”
“Only business?”
She hesitated.
“No.”
She told me everything.
Years earlier, my father had developed a financial security system capable of tracing hidden corporate transactions.
Charles wanted it.
My father refused.
Charles sabotaged his company.
My mother lost everything.
My father went after him.
Then he realized Charles was preparing to destroy his family completely.
So my father made a deal.
He offered a marriage alliance.
Mine and Amelia's.
Charles agreed.
But Amelia was twenty-two.
She believed the marriage would stop the feud.
She didn't know her father planned to eventually acquire my company.
“What about me?”
“You weren't supposed to be destroyed.”
“Then why did you humiliate me?”
She began crying.
“Because I hated what my father had turned me into.”
I stared.
“What does that mean?”
“He told me if I didn't keep you obedient, he'd destroy you.”
“So you chose him.”
“Yes.”
“You chose my humiliation.”
“I know.”
Silence.
Then she handed me a file.
“There's more.”
I opened it.
Her father had been siphoning money from my company.
But Amelia had secretly created a counter-account.
She had been returning some of it.
Not enough.
But proof she had tried.
I looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because I couldn't save you openly.”
“Why not leave?”
She laughed bitterly.
“Where?”
I thought about it.
She had no access to independent accounts.
Her father controlled the family businesses.
Even her mother depended on him.
“Then why tell me now?”
“Because he is going to kill you.”
I went still.
“What?”
“He knows you're pulling away.”
“He knows about Red Winter.”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“He has hired someone.”
“To do what?”
“To destroy you.”
“Who?”
She whispered a name.
I recognized it immediately.
A private intelligence contractor.
Known for making people disappear from financial records.
Not physically.
Legally.
Corporately.
Socially.
He could erase companies.
Credit.
Identity.
Reputation.
Everything.
I looked at her.
“When?”
“Tomorrow.”
I stood.
“Then tonight is the last night he thinks he controls me.”
Amelia began crying.
“Daniel.”
“What?”
“I am sorry.”
I looked at her.
“I believe you.”
Hope appeared in her face.
“But that doesn't mean I trust you.”
She nodded.
“I understand.”
Then she reached into her coat.
She pulled out a small key.
“My father's private vault.”
I stared.
“You had this?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He doesn't know.”
“What is inside?”
“Everything.”
“Everything?”
“Evidence.”
I took the key.
Amelia whispered:
“If we open it, my family is finished.”
I looked at her.
“Your family already finished itself.”
She closed her eyes.
For the first time, I saw tears fall.
Not rich-family tears.
Not dramatic tears.
Real ones.
Then my phone buzzed.
Marcus.
“Daniel.”
“Yes?”
“We found the contractor.”
“Where?”
“In the Langford estate.”
I stared at Amelia.
May you like
She whispered:
“He moved faster than I thought.”
