Chapter 4 - Seven Years of Secrets
By morning, Danielle’s fever had broken.
Adrien’s patience had not.
He assembled three trusted men in the study while Danielle sat at the long table wearing one of Adrien’s oversized sweaters because her clothes were still damp from the previous night’s rain.
No one commented.
No one was suicidal.
Danielle opened her laptop.
“Victor’s shell company received $26 million over 18 months.”
Adrien’s attorney frowned.
“For what?”
“That’s the problem. Nothing.”
She rotated the screen.
“The invoices are fake.”
Adrien leaned closer.
Danielle continued tracing the money.
The payments had originated from legitimate Moretti subsidiaries, then passed through consulting firms, charities, construction vendors, and finally overseas accounts.
Someone had designed the trail to look messy.
Danielle saw the pattern anyway.
“You found this accidentally?” Adrien asked.
“No.”
He looked at her.
“I was looking.”
“Why?”
“Because three months ago I noticed discrepancies.”
“You didn’t tell me.”
“I didn’t know who I could trust.”
“You could trust me.”
Danielle’s eyes met his.
“Could I?”
The room became uncomfortable.
Adrien dismissed everyone.
When the door closed, Danielle stood.
“You’re angry.”
“Yes.”
“Because I investigated your company?”
“Because you were afraid and handled it alone.”
“I’ve handled things alone my whole life.”
“I’m beginning to notice.”
That silenced her.
Adrien approached.
“You think asking for help makes you weak.”
“No.”
“You nearly died beside your couch rather than tell anyone you were sick.”
“That’s melodramatic.”
“I broke a door, Danielle. I’ve earned melodramatic.”
She laughed before she could stop herself.
Adrien smiled.
It vanished almost immediately.
Then Danielle said, “There’s another reason I didn’t tell you.”
“What?”
“Seven years ago, my father died.”
Adrien knew her personnel file listed him as deceased.
“He worked for a construction company,” she continued. “There was an accident. They said he fell.”
Adrien watched her carefully.
“Which company?”
“Bellacosta Development.”
Every trace of warmth left Adrien’s face.
Bellacosta had once been controlled by his father.
Danielle saw his reaction.
“You know it.”
“Yes.”
“My father was an accountant.”
Adrien’s stomach tightened.
“He discovered money disappearing. Two weeks later, he was dead.”
“Danielle—”
“I applied to Moretti Holdings because I wanted answers.”
The confession struck harder than betrayal should have.
“You came to me deliberately.”
“Yes.”
“For seven years?”
“At first.”
“And afterward?”
Her voice softened.
“Afterward it became complicated.”
“How?”
“Because you weren’t the man I expected.”
Adrien stepped closer.
“What man did you expect?”
“A monster.”
“And what did you find?”
Danielle looked at him for a long time.
“A lonely man pretending not to need anyone.”
His breath caught.
She immediately looked away.
Adrien opened a locked cabinet.
Inside were archived ledgers dating back decades.
He placed one on the table.
“If your father died because of my family, we find out.”
“Even if you don’t like the answer?”
“Especially then.”
They worked until sunset.
At 6:17, Danielle found the name.
Michael Carter.
Her father.
Beside it was an entry for $2.4 million and three initials.
V.S.
Victor Salerno.
But another set of initials appeared below.
A.M.
Danielle froze.
Adrien stared.
A.M.
His initials.
“No,” he said.
Danielle looked at him.
“Adrien—”
“I never met your father.”
The door exploded inward.
Gunfire shattered the window.
Adrien threw Danielle to the floor.
Glass rained across them.
Security shouted outside.
Adrien covered Danielle with his body.
A bullet buried itself in the wall inches from where her head had been.
Then silence.
Adrien lifted his face.
Across the street, a dark sedan accelerated away.
Danielle’s hand trembled against his chest.
“Still think I’m safer here?”
Adrien looked toward the shattered window.
“No.”
May you like
His arm tightened around her.
“But now I know they’re afraid of what we’re finding.”
