Chapter 3 - The Connection
My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird.
I quickly grabbed a dry cloth from my apron and began wiping down the wooden bookshelf.
"Mr. Vance asked me to track down a specific medical journal he left in here before the accident," I lied smoothly.
Chloe narrowed her eyes, stepping closer until she was inches from my face.
"My brother-in-law's brain is barely functioning," she sneered.
"Do not play games with me, caregiver."
I kept my expression entirely neutral, apologizing softly before excusing myself from the room.
I could feel her piercing gaze burning a hole in my back as I hurried up the stairs.
Once safely locked inside Richard's room, I showed him the photographs on my phone.
Richard's jaw clenched in pure anger as he read the names on the contract.
"Miguel Torres," Richard read aloud, glancing up at me.
"That is my ex-husband," I admitted, feeling a cold wave of realization wash over me.
"Your ex-husband is the lead acquisition director coordinating the hostile takeover of my company," Richard explained.
Everything suddenly made horrific sense.
Ofelia's smug smile when I left the house wasn't just about my divorce.
They knew I was taking this job, and they had manipulated the hiring agency to place me here.
I was meant to be their convenient, naive scapegoat when Richard eventually died.
My phone suddenly buzzed in my pocket, breaking the tense silence in the room.
It was a text message from a number I had blocked weeks ago.
The message read: "I know where you are living, Maya, and we need to talk right now."
May you like
Before I could type a reply, a second message popped up on my screen.
"Meet me at the coffee shop down the street, or I will tell Eleanor what you were doing in Ethan's office."
