Chapter 6 - The Night the Powerful Fell
The room became completely silent.
Not the peaceful kind of silence.
The kind that came before something broke.
Anna could hear the rain tapping against the window.
She could hear the faint sound of one of the babies breathing.
She could hear her own heartbeat.
But she could not hear trust anymore.
Because Rachel’s words had changed everything.
Someone inside this room betrayed us.
Anna slowly looked around.
Daniel.
Rachel.
Herself.
Three people.
One secret.
One betrayal.
And somewhere outside, an enemy was already coming.
Daniel was the first to speak.
“Explain.”
Rachel looked uncomfortable.
“I don't know how.”
“That’s not an answer.”
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
Anna noticed something about Daniel.
When he was angry, he didn't raise his voice.
He became quieter.
More dangerous.
Rachel took a breath.
“My contact inside Cross International just sent me a warning.”
“What warning?”
“That Richard Vale knows about this location.”
Daniel stared at her.
“That’s impossible.”
Rachel nodded.
“Exactly.”
Anna looked between them.
“Why is that impossible?”
Daniel answered.
“Because only three people knew where we were.”
Rachel looked away.
Anna felt the weight of those words.
Three people.
Daniel.
Rachel.
And her.
Her heart sank.
“Wait.”
Both of them looked at her.
“You think I told someone?”
Daniel immediately shook his head.
“No.”
But Rachel did not answer.
That hurt more.
Anna noticed.
“You don't know.”
Rachel looked at her.
“I don't know you.”
The words landed harder than Anna expected.
Of course she didn't know her.
Why would she?
To Rachel, Anna was just a waitress who appeared suddenly with Daniel Cross.
Someone who had access to him.
Someone who could have been used.
Anna stepped back.
“You're right.”
Her voice became colder.
“You don't know me.”
Daniel looked at her.
“Anna.”
“No.”
She looked at him.
“I understand why she's suspicious.”
A pause.
“But I need you to understand something too.”
Daniel stayed silent.
“I didn't save you because I wanted money.”
“I know.”
“I didn't save you because I knew who you were.”
“I know.”
“I saved you because there were two babies crying in an alley.”
Her eyes became emotional.
“And nobody deserves to die alone.”
The room went quiet again.
Daniel looked away.
Because those words reminded him of something.
Someone.
His brother.
Michael.
Rachel noticed his expression.
“Daniel…”
But he ignored her.
Instead, he picked up the pendant.
“There's another possibility.”
Anna looked at him.
“What?”
Daniel stared at the number engraved on the back.
“Maybe they didn't find us because someone betrayed us.”
Rachel frowned.
“Then how?”
Daniel looked toward the window.
“Because Michael expected this.”
Nobody moved.
“What are you talking about?” Anna asked.
Daniel turned around.
“My brother knew someone would come after him.”
He walked toward the table.
“He knew he couldn't trust phones.”
He placed the pendant down.
“He knew he couldn't trust computers.”
Then he touched the silver symbol.
“So he created a backup.”
Rachel looked confused.
“Daniel, what backup?”
Daniel looked at the babies.
A painful expression crossed his face.
“The twins.”
Anna frowned.
“The babies?”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“Not them.”
He carefully picked up the blanket around one of the twins.
Inside the fabric was a small hidden pocket.
Rachel stepped closer.
“What is that?”
Daniel reached inside.
And pulled out something tiny.
A memory chip.
Anna stared.
“Your brother hid that?”
Daniel nodded.
“He knew someone would search everywhere.”
Rachel looked shocked.
“But why put it with the babies?”
Daniel looked down.
“Because nobody would hurt innocent children.”
Anna almost laughed.
Almost.
Because after everything she had seen, she wasn't sure that was true anymore.
Daniel connected the chip to Rachel's laptop.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Then files appeared.
Hundreds of documents.
Photos.
Videos.
Financial records.
Anna watched Daniel’s expression change.
The truth was finally appearing.
And it was worse than any of them imagined.
Rachel opened the first file.
Her face went pale.
“Oh my God.”
Daniel leaned closer.
“What?”
Rachel turned the screen.
The document showed payments.
Millions of dollars.
Transferred secretly.
To politicians.
Judges.
Police officials.
Anna felt sick.
“This is…”
“Corruption,” Daniel said.
But Rachel kept scrolling.
Then she stopped.
“Daniel.”
Something in her voice made everyone freeze.
“What?”
She looked at him.
“This isn't just about the company.”
Daniel moved closer.
“What do you mean?”
Rachel pointed at the screen.
“These payments started years before your father became CEO.”
Daniel stared.
“What?”
Rachel opened another file.
A list of names appeared.
Dates.
Locations.
And one name repeated over and over.
Michael Cross.
Anna looked at Daniel.
His face had lost all emotion.
Because he understood.
His brother wasn't just investigating corruption.
He was investigating his own family.
Then a video file appeared.
Recorded three months before Michael died.
Rachel clicked it.
The screen showed Michael sitting alone in a dark office.
He looked exhausted.
Afraid.
Anna watched Daniel's reaction.
He looked like he was seeing a ghost.
Michael looked directly into the camera.
“If you are watching this…”
His voice shook.
“It means I failed.”
Daniel covered his mouth.
His brother continued.
“I need whoever finds this to understand something.”
Michael looked around nervously.
“They are not trying to take the company.”
A pause.
“They are trying to control everything connected to it.”
The video flickered.
Then Michael said the words that changed everything.
“The person behind this is someone we trusted our entire lives.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Who?”
But the video froze.
The file ended.
A second later, the laptop screen went black.
Rachel looked confused.
“What happened?”
Then Anna noticed something.
A tiny red light blinking on the laptop.
Daniel saw it too.
His expression changed.
“Close it.”
Rachel froze.
“What?”
“Close the laptop.”
“Why?”
“Now.”
She did.
But it was too late.
Daniel grabbed the laptop and turned it over.
A small device was attached underneath.
A transmitter.
Anna's face went pale.
“They were watching.”
Daniel nodded.
“They were listening.”
Rachel looked horrified.
“They heard everything.”
Daniel looked at Anna.
The realization hit both of them at the same time.
The conversation.
The location.
The files.
Everything.
Someone had been listening from the beginning.
Then the power suddenly went out.
The apartment went dark.
The babies started crying.
Anna immediately held them closer.
Daniel reached for the gun.
A sound came from outside.
Footsteps.
Not one person.
Several.
Rachel whispered:
“How did they get here so fast?”
Daniel stared at the door.
Because he already knew.
Someone had been ahead of them.
Someone had known their every move.
Then a voice came from the hallway.
Calm.
Familiar.
Cold.
“Daniel.”
Everyone froze.
Richard Vale.
“We can do this the easy way.”
A pause.
“Or you can force me to hurt the people helping you.”
Anna looked at Daniel.
His face changed.
Not fear for himself.
Fear for them.
And that was when Anna understood something.
Daniel Cross had spent his entire life fighting powerful people.
But tonight was different.
Because now he had something to lose.
And the people outside knew exactly how to use it.
The door handle began to turn.
May you like
Slowly.
The empire had found them again.
