Chapter 9: The Enemy Inside Whitmore Technologies
By the time I arrived at the storage facility, police cars were already outside.
My stomach dropped.
Room 317.
The one place Grandpa had hidden the truth.
Destroyed.
The storage manager met me near the entrance.
“I’m sorry.””
I looked at him.
“What happened?””
“Someone forced entry.””
“Did they steal anything?””
He hesitated.
That hesitation told me everything.
“Yes.””
“What?””
He looked uncomfortable.
“Documents.””
Of course.
Not money.
Not valuables.
Information.
Someone wasn’t looking for something valuable.
They were looking for something dangerous.
Daniel stood nearby.
His face was tense.
“You’re okay?””
I nodded.
“Did you call the police?””
“Yes.””
“Did they find anyone?””
“No.””
I looked toward the building.
“Whoever did this knew exactly what they were looking for.””
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.””
“How?””
He didn’t answer.
I turned toward him.
“Daniel.””
He looked away.
And that bothered me.
“You know something.””
Finally, he sighed.
“There’s something I didn’t tell you.””
I crossed my arms.
“I’m getting tired of hearing that.””
“I know.””
“Then start talking.””
Daniel took a deep breath.
“When your grandfather created the trust, he didn’t just choose you.””
“What do you mean?””
“He prepared for this.””
I waited.
“He knew there would be people who tried to stop you from taking control.””
My heart sank.
“How long?””
“Years.””
I stared at him.
“Years?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Daniel looked toward the broken storage room.
“Because your grandfather knew the company was changing.””
“What changed?””
Daniel lowered his voice.
“The people around him.””
I thought about the board.
The photos.
The names.
“Who was the first person he suspected?””
Daniel hesitated.
Then:
“Thomas Caldwell.””
I froze.
“The executive?””
“Yes.””
“But you said my mother—”
“Your mother was involved.””
That surprised me.
“Then why did Grandpa suspect Thomas?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Because Thomas had access.””
“To what?””
“Everything.””
That word stayed in my mind.
Everything.
Money.
Accounts.
Contracts.
Information.
Power.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message.
From an unknown number.
I opened it.
One sentence.
*Your grandfather chose wrong.*
I stared.
Another message appeared.
*You are not ready for what comes next.*
Daniel noticed my face.
“What is it?””
I handed him the phone.
He read the messages.
Then his expression changed.
“Evelyn…”
“What?””
“We need to go.””
“Why?””
He looked at me.
“Because they know you found the files.””
The next morning, every major news outlet reported the same story.
*WHITMORE TECHNOLOGIES FACES INTERNAL INVESTIGATION AFTER FINANCIAL IRREGULARITIES SURFACE*
My name wasn’t mentioned.
Not yet.
But I knew it was coming.
Because someone had leaked information.
Someone wanted chaos.
When I arrived at the Whitmore headquarters, employees were already whispering.
Executives were panicking.
And standing in the center of the lobby was my father.
Waiting for me.
“You need to leave.””
Those were his first words.
Not hello.
Not are you safe.
Leave.
I stared at him.
“Why?””
“Because this is bigger than you.””
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“This is exactly about me.””
His jaw tightened.
“Evelyn.””
“No.””
I lowered my voice.
“Grandpa trusted me because he knew this would happen.””
My father looked around.
“Not here.””
“Then where?””
He looked exhausted.
For the first time, I saw something I had never seen before.
Fear.
“My daughter,” he whispered.
Then he said:
“You don’t understand who you’re fighting.””
I held his gaze.
“Then tell me.””
He stayed silent.
And that silence told me something.
My father knew.
He had always known.
Finally, he whispered:
“The person who betrayed your grandfather is still inside this company.””
I waited.
“Who?””
My father looked toward the executive offices.
Then he said:
“The person you least expect.””
At that exact moment, Vanessa walked out of the elevator.
She stopped when she saw us.
And my father’s face changed.
Because he wasn’t looking at Vanessa with anger.
He was looking at her with fear.
And suddenly I wondered...
What if the person Grandpa warned me about wasn’t my mother?
May you like
What if it wasn’t my father?
What if it was someone I had spent my entire life protecting?
