Chapter 3 - The Hidden Truth
The conference room spun around me as I collapsed heavily into one of the leather chairs.
My father had died when I was in high school, leaving my mother and me buried in massive medical debt.
"You built your entire billionaire empire on my father's stolen work?" I asked, my voice barely a broken whisper.
"My father stole it from yours twenty years ago, and I only discovered the truth right before my father passed away," Nathan confessed.
"I have been secretly restructuring the company so I can legally transfer the majority ownership directly to you."
He knelt on the floor in front of me, taking my trembling hands in his warm, steady grip.
"Victoria found the transfer documents, and she is threatening to destroy the company's stock before you ever get a dime."
I looked at him, finally understanding why he had looked at me with such intense guilt and longing.
"I do not care about the money, Nathan, I just want my life back," I cried softly.
"I swear I will fix this, but I need you to stay close to Victoria and figure out where she is hiding her copy of the evidence."
I took a deep, shaky breath, agreeing to play the dangerous role of the obedient assistant to save my father's legacy.
For the next three weeks, I suffered through Victoria’s endless insults while secretly searching her private office network.
Nathan and I worked late every night, desperately trying to trace the blackmail files through a maze of encrypted servers.
One evening, we were sitting so close on the sofa that I could feel the steady heat radiating from his chest.
He looked down at me, his gaze dropping to my lips with a sudden, overwhelming hunger that made my heart race.
He leaned in slowly, giving me every opportunity to pull away, but I stayed perfectly still.
Just as his lips brushed against mine, the heavy glass door of the office suddenly swung wide open.
Harper, my supposed best friend, stood in the doorway holding a stack of printed financial documents.
"I really wouldn't do that if I were you, Maya," Harper said coldly, dropping the papers onto the desk.
"Harper, what are you doing up here on the executive floor?" I gasped, quickly jumping up from the sofa.
May you like
Harper offered a chilling, unfamiliar smile and pulled a platinum access keycard from her pocket.
"Victoria pays much better than friendship does, Maya, and I just gave her all your search history."
