Chapter 9: The Enemy Behind The Curtain
The next morning, Ethan watched the airport footage again.
David Mercer.
Leaving Chicago.
Carrying one suitcase.
Moving like a man running from something.
Not a man celebrating a victory.
Rachel stood beside him.
"So David isn't the villain?""
Ethan didn't answer immediately.
"I don't know.""
"But?""
"But whoever sent this wants me to think differently.""
Rachel nodded.
"Meaning?""
"Meaning someone is controlling the information.""
Ethan had built an empire because he understood patterns.
Business was patterns.
People were patterns.
Fear was a pattern.
And right now, everything pointed to one thing.
Someone wanted him chasing shadows.
At 9:30 a.m., another package arrived at headquarters.
No sender.
No return address.
Inside was a flash drive.
Rachel looked worried.
"You shouldn't open that.""
Ethan smiled slightly.
"That's usually when people open it.""
He inserted the drive.
A single video file appeared.
Created three years ago.
The date made Ethan's chest tighten.
The day before Sarah died.
He clicked.
The video showed a hotel room.
A woman sitting near the window.
Sarah.
Ethan stopped breathing.
She looked tired.
Worried.
But alive.
His hands trembled.
"Sarah...""
The video had no sound at first.
Then audio appeared.
Her voice.
"If you're watching this, something happened.""
Ethan covered his mouth.
Rachel looked away, giving him privacy.
Sarah continued.
"I don't know who I can trust anymore.""
Ethan felt tears forming.
"David was right.""
His eyes widened.
"David?""
Sarah looked behind her nervously.
"He told me there was something wrong with the company accounts.""
Ethan froze.
Company accounts.
David wasn't stealing.
He was investigating.
Sarah continued.
"There are people moving money through our company.""
Ethan stared.
Someone had been stealing from Vance Hospitality Group.
"David found evidence.""
Sarah looked terrified.
"But he thinks they know.""
The video shook slightly.
Like she was afraid someone would enter.
"If anything happens to me...""
She paused.
"Please don't believe the first story you hear.""
Ethan felt like the air had disappeared.
Because that was exactly what happened.
The accident.
The report.
The explanation.
Everyone accepted it.
Except maybe David.
The video ended.
Neither Ethan nor Rachel spoke.
Finally Rachel whispered:
"She knew.""
Ethan nodded slowly.
"She knew she was in danger.""
A new anger replaced the grief.
Not the explosive kind.
The dangerous kind.
The kind that came from realizing someone had taken away three years of truth.
"Find David.""
Rachel looked at him.
"How?""
"Everything.""
She understood.
"Every account. Every contact. Every place he could go.""
Ethan stood.
"And find out who was stealing from us.""
Before Rachel could respond, Ethan's phone rang.
Unknown number.
Again.
He answered immediately.
"Who are you?""
A woman's voice responded.
"You finally watched it.""
Ethan froze.
"Who is this?""
"My name doesn't matter.""
"Then why call?""
The woman was silent for a moment.
"Because Sarah wanted you to know the truth.""
Ethan tightened his grip.
"You knew my wife?""
"Yes.""
"Who are you?""
Another pause.
Then:
"I was Sarah's attorney.""
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
"Sarah never told me she had an attorney.""
"Because she didn't want you involved.""
"Why?""
The woman's voice became softer.
"Because she believed if you knew, they would come after you too.""
A cold silence filled the room.
"Who are they?""
The woman whispered:
"The people who built their wealth on your success.""
Ethan understood.
Someone inside his own company.
Someone close.
Someone powerful.
"Where are you?""
"I can't meet you.""
"Why?""
"Because they already found me once.""
Ethan looked at the security cameras outside his office.
"What do you want?""
The woman answered:
"To finish what Sarah started.""
The call ended.
Seconds later, Rachel's computer flashed.
A notification.
Someone had accessed Ethan's private company files.
Someone was inside the system.
Rachel looked at him.
"Ethan...""
He stared at the screen.
The attack wasn't coming from outside.
It was coming from inside.
And the person responsible had access to everything.
Including his family.
May you like
Including Lily.
Including the secrets Sarah died trying to expose.
