Chapter 6 - The Name on the Contract
Chloe showed Adrian Daniel's message privately.
His expression hardened.
“Daniel wouldn't send that without a reason.”
“What if Victor has his phone?”
“Possible.”
“What if Elena isn't telling us everything?”
“Likely.”
Elena had already admitted that much.
They confronted her in the attorney's conference room.
Chloe placed her mother's photograph on the table.
“What aren't you telling us?”
Elena stared at it.
“Many things.”
“Start with Daniel.”
“I don't know where he is.”
“He told us not to trust you.”
Elena's face tightened.
“Then he found the second contract.”
Adrian leaned forward.
“What second contract?”
Elena opened her bag.
Inside was a sealed envelope.
“I came back because Victor's network was collapsing. I thought I could finally end it.”
She removed a document.
Another contract.
This one carried Victor's signature.
Tommy's.
And Elena's.
Adrian looked as though she had struck him.
“You worked with them?”
“For four months.”
“You told me you discovered them.”
“I did.”
“After joining them?”
“Yes.”
Elena's eyes filled.
“I was twenty-six. I was drowning in debt. Victor offered me accounting work. I knew some of it was wrong. I told myself I was just moving numbers.”
Adrian turned away.
“Then Margaret Mercer contacted me.”
Chloe listened.
“Your mother discovered one of our transfers. She could have reported everything immediately. Instead, she came to me.”
“Why?”
“She knew I was scared.”
Elena looked at Chloe.
“She gave me a chance to help expose it.”
“And you did?”
“Eventually.”
Chloe hated that word.
Eventually.
How many lives were damaged before eventually?
“My mother died.”
Elena's voice broke.
“I know.”
“Was Victor responsible?”
“I don't know.”
“Was Tommy?”
“He wasn't involved yet.”
That mattered.
It didn't make Tommy innocent.
But truth mattered more than convenient villains.
Elena continued.
“After Margaret died, I kept investigating. Years later, Tommy joined Victor. When Tommy found Margaret's name, he found you.”
“So you knew he approached me deliberately.”
“Yes.”
“And you didn't tell me.”
“I was going to.”
“But you disappeared.”
“Yes.”
Adrian asked, “Why does Daniel distrust you?”
“Because he found records showing my signature.”
“Where?”
“Victor's private archive.”
Chloe frowned.
“Daniel escaped from Victor?”
Elena shook her head.
“I don't think Daniel was ever captured.”
Silence.
Adrian's phone buzzed.
Daniel.
A location.
Adrian called.
This time Daniel answered.
“Where are you?”
“Don't say names,” Daniel replied.
“Are you safe?”
“For now.”
“What happened?”
“I followed Victor.”
“Why didn't you answer?”
“My phone was compromised.”
Adrian looked at Elena.
“Why shouldn't I trust my sister?”
Daniel paused.
“Because she signed the original transfer orders.”
“We know.”
Another pause.
“You know?”
“Yes.”
“Then ask her who authorized the Mercer account.”
Chloe's stomach tightened.
Everyone looked at Elena.
Her face drained.
“Elena?”
She sat down.
“I did.”
Chloe couldn't speak.
“You used my mother's name?”
“No.”
“You said you authorized it.”
“I authorized an account tied to her employee number.”
“Without her permission?”
“Yes.”
Chloe stood.
Adrian moved toward her.
She raised a hand.
“Don't.”
He stopped.
Elena cried silently.
“I was told it was routine.”
“My mother found it.”
“Yes.”
“She reported it.”
“Yes.”
“And then she died.”
“Yes.”
Chloe felt as though the room had tilted.
For years, her mother's death had been one terrible fact.
Now strangers had attached themselves to it.
Tommy.
Victor.
Elena.
Money.
Lies.
“I need air.”
She walked outside.
Adrian followed but kept his distance.
“Chloe.”
“I don't know who to trust.”
“You don't have to trust me.”
She turned.
“Then why are you still here?”
“Because Elena involved your family in something that damaged your life.”
“That isn't your responsibility.”
“No.”
“Then stop acting like it is.”
Adrian was quiet.
Finally he said, “Because when you climbed into my car, you were terrified.”
Chloe looked away.
“And?”
“And I know what it looks like when someone believes they have nowhere left to go.”
His voice was softer.
“I couldn't ignore that.”
For once, Chloe had no sharp response.
Her phone rang.
Tommy.
She nearly rejected it.
Then answered.
“What?”
“I need to see you.”
“No.”
“Chloe, listen.”
“I've done enough listening.”
“Victor is going to destroy everything.”
“You helped him.”
“Yes.”
The admission stunned her.
Tommy continued.
“I helped him. I lied to you. I approached you because of your mother.”
Chloe closed her eyes.
“But?”
“But I stopped looking for the ledger a year ago.”
“Why?”
Silence.
Then Tommy said, “Because I fell in love with you.”
Chloe felt nothing.
Once, those words could have changed everything.
Now they sounded like another lock.
“You don't get to call control love.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Then prove it. Leave me alone.”
“Victor knows where Daniel is.”
Chloe looked at Adrian.
“Where?”
“I'll tell you in person.”
“No.”
“Chloe—”
“Send it.”
Tommy hesitated.
Then a location arrived.
An underground parking garage owned by one of Victor's companies.
Authorities were notified.
Daniel was found there less than an hour later.
Alive.
Unharmed.
He hadn't been held captive.
He had been hiding while collecting records from Victor's office.
Daniel brought something with him.
A laptop.
On it was the complete ledger.
They didn't need the brass key anymore.
Victor's network was exposed.
But Daniel had discovered something else.
A recent payment.
From Victor.
To Tommy.
Chloe stared at the amount.
“What was it for?”
Daniel opened the attached memo.
Two words.
CHLOE MERCER.
Adrian's face hardened.
Then Daniel opened the payment date.
Yesterday.
After Chloe escaped.
Her phone rang again.
Tommy.
This time Chloe answered immediately.
“What did Victor pay you for?”
Silence.
“Tommy?”
His answer came quietly.
“To make sure you got into Adrian Rossi's car.”
Chloe stopped breathing.
May you like
“You didn't escape me by accident,” Tommy said.
“Someone planned the entire night.”
