Chapter 3 - The Secret Behind The Missing File
A woman stepped out from the locked hallway and whispered: "Alessandra... you have no idea what you took."
Massimo Costa looked at the woman holding an old company badge and a damaged phone.
But carved into the back of the badge were three small numbers:
"07."
Massimo finally understood.
The file Alessandra stole was never supposed to be found.
The woman standing in the doorway looked nothing like the criminals who had come searching for Alessandra.
She wasn’t wearing black.
She wasn’t carrying a weapon.
She looked ordinary.
And that was exactly what made her dangerous.
Alessandra remained frozen beside the booth.
Her arms wrapped around Leo.
The little boy was still asleep, unaware that the room around him had completely changed.
Massimo stood between them and the woman.
His body language shifted instantly.
Not aggressive.
Not surprised.
Prepared.
"Who let you in?" he asked.
The woman ignored him.
Her eyes stayed on Alessandra.
"You really copied everything, didn’t you?"
Alessandra’s heart tightened.
She didn’t know this woman.
But the woman knew exactly who she was.
"Who are you?"
The woman looked at the drive on the table.
Then back at Alessandra.
"My name is Clara Bennett."
Massimo’s expression changed.
Only slightly.
But Alessandra noticed.
"You know her," she said.
Massimo didn’t answer.
That answer was enough.
Clara walked slowly into the room.
Several of Massimo’s men raised their weapons.
Massimo lifted one hand.
Everyone stopped.
"Explain."
Clara looked at him.
"You still don’t know what’s inside the file, do you?"
Silence.
Massimo’s eyes narrowed.
"You have ten seconds."
Clara smiled faintly.
"Still the same Massimo Costa."
Alessandra looked between them.
"How do you know each other?"
Neither answered.
That bothered her more than anything.
Because since entering this room, everyone seemed to know more about her life than she did.
Massimo noticed her expression.
"She worked with the company you audited."
Alessandra looked at Clara.
"You were there?"
Clara nodded.
"Three years."
"And you knew about the missing money?"
Clara’s face changed.
Not fear.
Regret.
"I knew someone was stealing."
Alessandra stepped forward.
"Then why didn’t you say anything?"
The room became quiet.
Clara looked at Leo.
Then lowered her voice.
"Because the last person who tried to expose them disappeared."
Alessandra felt a cold sensation.
"Who?"
Clara didn’t answer.
Massimo did.
"Her husband."
Alessandra looked at him.
"You knew?"
Massimo looked away.
"I knew the rumors."
That answer made her angry.
"Rumors?"
Her voice became sharper.
"I lost my career. Someone tried to kill me. My son is hiding in a room full of strangers. And you’re telling me you only heard rumors?"
Massimo didn’t react.
But everyone else in the room became uncomfortable.
Nobody spoke to him like that.
Nobody except her.
"You’re right," Massimo said.
The room went silent.
Alessandra looked surprised.
She hadn’t expected him to admit it.
Massimo continued.
"I should have known more."
Those words were heavier than an apology.
Because men like Massimo Costa did not admit mistakes.
Clara looked at him.
"That’s why you need to listen now."
She reached into her coat.
Several men immediately moved.
Massimo watched her hand.
She slowly pulled out a small envelope.
Not a weapon.
A piece of paper.
She placed it on the table.
"This was inside the file room before everything was deleted."
Alessandra opened it.
Inside was a single photograph.
Her own company executives.
Standing together.
Laughing.
Celebrating.
She recognized all of them.
Including her supervisor.
But one person in the photo made her stop breathing.
Massimo noticed.
"Who?"
Alessandra stared.
"I don’t know."
Clara looked at her.
"Yes, you do."
Alessandra shook her head.
"No."
"Look closer."
Her fingers trembled.
Because the person standing in the corner of the photograph was someone she had seen many times.
Someone who was never supposed to be involved.
Someone who always acted like they were helping her.
Her assistant.
The person who brought her coffee.
The person who organized her meetings.
The person who knew every step of her investigation.
Alessandra whispered:
"No..."
Massimo looked at the picture.
"Your assistant?"
She nodded slowly.
"He knew everything."
Clara looked at Massimo.
"Now you understand."
Massimo picked up the photograph.
"What exactly is inside File 07?"
Clara remained silent.
Alessandra looked at her.
"You brought me here because you know."
Clara hesitated.
Then she finally spoke.
"File 07 wasn’t about stolen money."
Massimo waited.
"It was a list."
"What kind of list?"
Clara looked around the room.
Then lowered her voice.
"The names of everyone involved."
Nobody moved.
Because everyone understood what that meant.
Not just employees.
Not just criminals.
Everyone.
Powerful people.
People who could erase evidence.
People who could make someone disappear.
Alessandra looked at Massimo.
"And you’re on that list?"
The question shocked everyone.
Massimo didn’t move.
He simply looked at her.
"I don’t know."
That was the first time Alessandra saw uncertainty in him.
And somehow, that frightened her more.
Because if Massimo Costa didn’t know what was coming...
Nobody did.
A sudden sound interrupted them.
A phone vibrating.
One of Massimo’s men looked down.
His face changed.
"Boss."
Massimo turned.
"What?"
The man slowly handed him the phone.
"There’s a message."
Massimo read it.
The color disappeared from his face.
Alessandra noticed.
"What does it say?"
He didn’t answer.
"Massimo."
He finally looked at her.
And for the first time, she saw something she never expected to see from him.
Fear.
Not for himself.
For her.
He turned the phone around.
A picture filled the screen.
It was Leo.
Sleeping.
Taken only minutes earlier.
From inside the room.
Alessandra stopped breathing.
"How..."
Massimo immediately moved toward her.
The entire lounge exploded into action.
Men checked doors.
Others searched cameras.
But Massimo only stared at the image.
Because underneath the picture was one sentence.
A warning.
"Bring Alessandra to us, or the next picture will be different."
Alessandra grabbed Leo.
"No."
Massimo looked at the entrance.
Then at his men.
"Lock everything down."
Clara stepped backward.
Her face suddenly changed.
"What?"
Massimo looked at her.
"What is it?"
Clara stared toward the private hallway.
"The person who sent that message..."
Her voice shook.
"They were never outside."
A long silence followed.
Massimo slowly turned toward the dark hallway behind them.
Because the security system showed something impossible.
The person who took the picture had entered through a door that only one person could open.
May you like
A door that was supposed to be locked.
And then the handle began to move.
