Chapter 6: The Woman Who Knew Too Much
Daniel Hayes hated elevators.
Not because he was afraid of heights.
Not because he disliked small spaces.
He hated them because elevators gave people too much time to think.
And right now, Daniel had too many thoughts.
The man’s voice kept repeating in his head.
You still don’t know what she did.
It was not a threat.
It was worse.
It sounded like a warning.
A warning from someone who believed he knew the truth.
Daniel stood beside Renee as the elevator descended from the executive floor.
Neither of them spoke.
The silence was uncomfortable.
Not because they had nothing to say.
Because they both had too much.
Finally, Renee broke it.
“Who was he?””
Daniel looked at the numbers above the elevator doors.
“You tell me.””
Her expression tightened.
“You think I know him?””
“I think you know more than you’re telling me.””
The words hurt her.
He could see it.
But Daniel refused to apologize.
Not this time.
Too much had happened too quickly.
Someone had gone to his daughter’s school.
Someone had used his name.
Someone had warned him about Renee.
And every road led back to the same question.
Who was she really?
Renee looked down.
“I know who he works for.””
Daniel turned toward her.
“Who?””
She hesitated.
That hesitation told him everything.
“Renee.””
“I’m trying to understand something.””
“What?””
“How many times do you need to almost lose control before you stop protecting the people who hurt you?””
She looked at him.
“I’m not protecting them.””
“Then what are you doing?””
“I’m protecting you.””
Daniel laughed once.
Not because it was funny.
Because he was frustrated.
“You don’t even know me.””
“I know enough.””
“No.””
The elevator doors opened.
Daniel stepped out.
“You know facts about me.””
He walked through the lobby.
“You know my name.””
“Daniel—”
“You know where I work.””
“Because I needed to know who I was trusting.””
“You know my daughter’s school.””
Renee stopped.
That sentence hurt more.
Because she knew he was right.
Daniel turned around.
“But you don’t know me.””
Her eyes softened.
“No.””
A pause.
“But I want to.””
The honesty surprised him.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then Renee spoke quietly.
“The man who approached you works for Victor Cross.””
Daniel frowned.
“Who is that?””
Renee looked toward the glass doors.
“Someone who used to work for my father.””
The Sterling private security room was hidden beneath the company’s headquarters.
Daniel would never have guessed it existed.
The entrance looked like an ordinary maintenance door.
But behind it was a sophisticated command center filled with screens, cameras, and security data.
Renee stood in front of a large monitor.
“Victor Cross was my father’s head of security for fifteen years.””
Daniel crossed his arms.
“And now?””
“He left three years ago.””
“Why?””
Renee stared at the screen.
“My father fired him.””
“Why?””
“He said Victor had become too controlling.””
Daniel looked around.
“Controlling how?””
“He started monitoring employees. Tracking executives. Collecting information he wasn’t authorized to access.””
Daniel nodded.
“Your father thought he was dangerous.””
“Yes.””
“And yet he knew him for fifteen years.””
Renee looked at him.
“That’s the problem.””
Daniel understood.
The closest people were often the ones who knew where to hurt you.
“Why would he warn me?””
“I don’t know.””
“You keep saying that.””
“Because it’s true.””
Daniel sighed.
He wanted to believe her.
That was the frustrating part.
Even when she hid things, even when she made mistakes, some part of him still saw the woman in that hospital room.
Not the billionaire.
Not the CEO.
The woman who thought nobody would answer.
Renee walked toward another screen.
“There’s something you need to see.””
Daniel stepped closer.
The monitor displayed security footage.
A hospital hallway.
Room 608.
Daniel recognized it immediately.
The night he met Renee.
“What is this?””
“Security footage from the hospital.””
“Why do you have it?””
“I requested it.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because someone entered my room after you left.””
The question came instantly.
“Who?””
Renee played the video.
The hallway appeared empty.
Then, around 6:15 a.m., a man entered the frame.
Daniel leaned closer.
The quality was poor.
But he could see enough.
The man walked toward Renee’s room.
Stopped.
Looked around.
Then entered.
“Who is that?””
Renee paused the video.
“I don’t know.””
Daniel looked at her.
“You don’t recognize him?””
“No.””
“What happened?””
“He was inside for four minutes.””
“And?””
“When he left, one of my medical files was missing.””
Daniel’s expression changed.
“Someone stole your medical information.””
“Yes.””
“And you didn’t tell me?””
“I didn’t know if it was connected to you.””
Daniel stared at her.
Again.
The same excuse.
Protecting him.
By keeping him blind.
“What file?””
Renee looked at the screen.
“My transplant compatibility results.””
Daniel frowned.
“Why would someone want that?””
Renee was quiet.
Then she said something that made his blood run cold.
“Because someone may not want me to receive a transplant.””
The room became silent.
Daniel slowly turned toward her.
“What?””
“My condition requires a donor match.””
“I know.””
“But there are only a limited number of compatible donors.””
Daniel’s face tightened.
“And someone stole information about potential donors?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Renee looked at him.
“To make sure I never find one.””
That evening, Daniel returned home later than usual.
Lily was sitting at the kitchen table drawing.
She looked up immediately.
“You’re late.””
Daniel smiled.
“Hello to you too.””
She studied him.
“You look tired.””
“I am.””
“Bad day?””
Daniel hung up his jacket.
“Very bad.””
Lily continued drawing.
Then she asked:
“Is the billionaire lady involved?””
Daniel froze.
“What?””
She shrugged.
“You said nothing was happening.””
Daniel stared.
“How did you know?””
“You said ‘nothing’ in the voice you use when something is definitely happening.””
He almost laughed.
Children were dangerous.
They noticed everything.
“She’s a client.””
“Uh-huh.””
Daniel sat across from her.
“What are you drawing?””
She turned the paper around.
It was a city.
Buildings.
Roads.
Lights.
A power grid.
Daniel smiled.
“You drew electricity.””
“No.””
She pointed at the lines.
“I drew connections.””
He looked at her.
“What?””
“Everything is connected.””
Daniel stared at the drawing.
A strange feeling moved through him.
Everything is connected.
That was exactly the problem.
Every person.
Every secret.
Every decision.
All connected.
“Dad?””
“Yeah?””
“Are you helping her?””
Daniel looked at his daughter.
He wanted to lie.
But he had promised himself.
No more lies.
“Yeah.””
“Why?””
Because she called me.
Because she was scared.
Because nobody came.
But he couldn’t explain all of that.
So he said the simplest truth.
“Because someone needed help.””
Lily nodded.
“That’s what Mom would do.””
Daniel looked away.
Those words hurt.
But they also reminded him why he was doing this.
The next morning, Renee arrived at Daniel’s apartment.
Not with security.
Not with assistants.
Alone.
Daniel opened the door and looked surprised.
“What are you doing here?””
“I need to show you something.””
He glanced outside.
“No driver?””
“No.””
“No security?””
“No.””
“That’s a first.””
Renee looked uncomfortable.
“I wanted to talk to you as Renee.””
Not CEO.
Not Sterling.
Just Renee.
Daniel stepped aside.
“Come in.””
She entered carefully.
Her eyes moved around the apartment.
It was small.
Simple.
But warm.
A family lived here.
Not an image.
Not a brand.
A real life.
“I like this place.””
Daniel looked amused.
“You own buildings worth hundreds of millions.””
“Yes.””
“And you like my apartment?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
She looked toward Lily’s drawings on the refrigerator.
“Because nobody here is pretending.””
Daniel became quiet.
Then Renee placed a folder on the table.
“I found something.””
He opened it.
Inside was a list.
Names.
Dates.
Payments.
Daniel read carefully.
Then his expression changed.
“These are people connected to the board.””
“Yes.””
“And these payments?””
“Money transfers.””
“From where?””
Renee looked at him.
“That’s the problem.””
Daniel looked up.
“Where?””
“From an account connected to my father.””
Silence.
“What?””
“My father’s private account.””
Daniel closed the folder.
“Are you saying your father paid someone to destroy you?””
“No.””
Renee’s voice became softer.
“I’m saying someone used my father’s money after his death.””
Daniel looked back at the documents.
“How?””
Renee’s face turned pale.
“Because only three people knew the access codes.””
“Who?””
“My father.””
She paused.
“Me.””
Another pause.
“And Marcus.””
Daniel felt a chill.
Marcus.
The missing boyfriend.
The man who disappeared.
The man Renee called at 2 a.m.
The man who might hold the answers.
“So Marcus had access.””
“Yes.””
“And he vanished.””
“Yes.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Then maybe the person you’re looking for isn’t inside Sterling.””
Renee’s expression changed.
“What do you mean?””
“Maybe it’s someone who was close enough to walk right in.””
She understood.
The possibility she had been avoiding.
Marcus.
The man she loved.
The man she trusted.
The man who left.
“No.””
Daniel watched her.
“Renee.””
“No.””
Her voice cracked.
“He wouldn’t.””
“Why?””
“Because I know him.””
Daniel looked at her quietly.
“You thought you knew him.””
That sentence broke something.
Because deep down, she knew.
The person who betrayed you was always someone you once trusted.
Renee sat down.
For the first time, Daniel saw her truly afraid.
Not afraid of death.
Not afraid of losing power.
Afraid of the possibility that the person she loved had never been who she believed.
Then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Her face changed.
Daniel noticed immediately.
“Who is it?””
Renee didn’t answer.
The phone continued ringing.
Finally, she answered.
“Hello?””
A voice came through.
Daniel couldn’t hear the words.
Only Renee’s reaction.
Her face lost all color.
“Where are you?””
A pause.
“What do you mean you found it?””
Another pause.
Then Renee whispered:
“No…”
She stood suddenly.
Daniel rose.
“Renee?””
She looked at him.
Tears filled her eyes.
“It’s Marcus.””
Daniel froze.
“What?””
“He wants to meet.””
“When?””
“Tonight.””
“Where?””
Renee looked down at the phone.
Then back at Daniel.
“He said he has proof.””
“Proof of what?””
Her answer came quietly.
“Proof that I’m not the victim.””
Daniel felt his stomach drop.
“What?””
Renee’s hands shook.
“Marcus said the person who betrayed my father…”
May you like
She swallowed.
“Was me.””
