Chapter 5 - THE KISS THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
The next morning, Savannah arrived at work with dark circles beneath her eyes and a dangerous plan.
She needed access to Linda Whitmore’s private records.
And she knew exactly where to find them.
The executive archive occupied a locked room on the thirty-ninth floor.
Only senior management had access.
Savannah had spent the previous week studying the cleaning schedule, security cameras, and maintenance procedures.
At 8:15 p.m., she entered the archive using a temporary access card borrowed from an unattended security desk.
She had six minutes before the next patrol.
Inside, she found rows of filing cabinets.
Then a drawer labeled Historical Acquisitions.
She pulled it open.
Reed Horizon.
Thomas Cole.
Richard Reed.
Three names appeared together on a single folder.
Savannah’s pulse raced.
She opened it.
Before she could read the first page, the hallway lights flickered.
Footsteps.
Someone was coming.
She shut the folder and moved toward the door.
Too late.
A security guard stood outside.
“Hey! What are you doing in there?”
Savannah froze.
Then a familiar voice came from behind him.
“There you are, sweetheart.”
Ethan.
He walked toward her carrying a bouquet of grocery-store flowers.
The guard frowned.
“Do you know this woman?”
Ethan smiled.
“Unfortunately, yes. She’s my girlfriend, and she’s been avoiding me all evening.”
Savannah stared.
Girlfriend?
Ethan stepped closer.
“I told you I was sorry.”
She understood immediately.
She folded her arms.
“You embarrassed me.”
“I know.”
“You forgot my birthday.”
“I know.”
“And you bought flowers from a gas station?”
“Grocery store,” Ethan corrected.
The guard rolled his eyes.
“Take your argument downstairs.”
Ethan slipped an arm around Savannah’s waist.
She expected him to lead her away.
Instead, he whispered, “There’s another camera behind us. Play along.”
Then he kissed her.
It was supposed to be a performance.
A quick distraction.
But when Savannah touched his cheek, something changed.
The kiss lasted one heartbeat too long.
Then another.
When they finally separated, the guard was already walking away.
Savannah looked up at Ethan.
“That was unnecessary.”
“Probably.”
Neither moved.
For one extraordinary second, Savannah forgot about Linda, her father, and the stolen company.
Then Ethan noticed the folder in her hand.
His smile vanished.
“Where did you get that?”
“Why?”
He pointed at the name printed on the cover.
Thomas Cole.
“My father,” he whispered.
May you like
Savannah looked from the folder to his face.
And for the first time, she realized the driver was hiding something far bigger than a secret romance.
