Chapter 5 - THE FILE WITH HER NAME ON IT
The fire department arrived before Emily could reach the building.
Smoke poured from the upper floors.
The office where she had worked for two years was burning.
Emily stood on the sidewalk in the rain, staring.
Her desk.
Her computer.
Her photographs.
Everything was inside.
Adrian stood beside her.
Two security men remained several feet away.
Emily felt numb.
“Was anyone inside?”
Adrian shook his head.
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“Security cameras showed everyone leaving.”
“Everyone?”
“Except one person.”
Emily looked at him.
“Who?”
Adrian handed her his phone.
A security image showed a man in a gray coat entering the building.
His face was turned away.
Emily recognized the posture.
Her stomach twisted.
“Daniel.”
Adrian nodded.
“He was there twelve minutes before the fire began.”
Emily stared at the image.
“He burned the files.”
“Maybe.”
“No.”
She looked at Adrian.
“He knew I had them.”
“Then we need to find the backup.”
Emily's phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
“Hello?”
Silence.
Then a voice.
“Still hiding behind powerful men?”
Emily's entire body froze.
Daniel.
Adrian watched her.
Emily said nothing.
Daniel laughed quietly.
“You always were predictable.”
“Where are you?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes.”
“Why? So your new protector can come after me?”
Adrian's gaze sharpened.
Daniel continued.
“Tell me, Emily. Does he know what you did?”
Emily's mouth went dry.
Adrian leaned closer.
“Put him on speaker.”
Emily did not.
“What are you talking about?”
“You know.”
“I don’t.”
“You copied the files.”
Emily's heart pounded.
“Why were you involved?”
Daniel laughed.
“Still asking questions.”
“You tried to kill Adrian.”
“Not personally.”
Adrian's expression became cold.
Emily looked at him.
Daniel continued.
“Tell Blackwell I said hello.”
Adrian reached for the phone.
Emily pulled it away.
“Where are you?”
Daniel was silent.
Then he said:
“You should ask him what happened to his brother.”
The call ended.
Emily stared at the phone.
Adrian's face had become completely still.
“What brother?”
He said nothing.
“Adrian.”
“Go home.”
“No.”
“Emily.”
“What happened to your brother?”
Adrian looked toward the burning building.
“Nothing.”
She stared at him.
“You’re lying.”
He turned toward her.
His eyes were cold enough to make the rain feel warm.
“Go home.”
Emily stepped closer.
“No.”
For several seconds, they stared at each other.
Then Adrian walked away.
Emily followed.
“What happened to your brother?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why did you react like that?”
“Because Daniel knows how to manipulate people.”
“Did he tell the truth?”
Adrian stopped.
Emily nearly walked into him.
He turned.
“My brother is dead.”
She froze.
Adrian's face revealed nothing.
“I'm sorry.”
“Don’t.”
She swallowed.
“How?”
“Car accident.”
“Was it?”
Adrian said nothing.
Emily understood.
The silence was an answer.
That night, Adrian finally told her the truth.
His brother, Michael, had died three years ago.
The same week Adrian had been attacked.
The same week Emily had found the file.
And the same week Daniel had disappeared from her life.
Emily sat across from Adrian in his study.
The room was dark except for the city lights beyond the windows.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I didn’t know you were connected.”
“But I was.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Adrian placed a folder on the desk.
Inside was a photograph.
Emily looked at it.
Her blood turned cold.
It was Daniel.
Standing beside Michael.
She looked up.
“What is this?”
“Taken three years ago.”
“Why were they together?”
“I don’t know.”
Emily stared at the image.
Then she saw something in the background.
A black SUV.
A man standing beside it.
She leaned closer.
The image was blurry.
But she recognized the face.
Her face went pale.
“Adrian.”
“What?”
“That man.”
He looked at the photograph.
Emily pointed.
“I know him.”
Adrian became still.
“Who?”
“He worked at Daniel’s company.”
“What was his name?”
Emily closed her eyes.
She remembered.
“Victor Hale.”
Adrian's expression changed.
For the first time, Emily saw genuine shock.
“Victor Hale is dead.”
“What?”
“He died two years ago.”
Emily stared at the photograph.
The man stood clearly in the background.
Alive.
Watching.
And suddenly, the entire story became more terrifying.
May you like
Because if Victor Hale was dead…
Who had been standing beside Daniel three years ago?
