Chapter 4 - THE WRONG MAN
Amy stared at the photograph until her eyes hurt.
Vanessa and Ryan.
Kissing.
That didn’t make sense.
She had spent months assuming Vanessa wanted Daniel.
Maybe she still did.
But if she was sleeping with Ryan—
Her phone buzzed.
Ask why they want you to leave Daniel.
Amy typed back.
Who are you?
This time the reply came quickly.
A former employee who signed an NDA and regrets it.
Name.
No response.
Amy sat on the edge of the hotel bed.
Her thoughts collided.
The messages.
The medical records.
Vanessa.
Ryan.
Daniel dancing with her.
Maybe Daniel wasn’t having an affair.
That didn’t erase the neglect.
It didn’t erase the humiliation.
But it changed something.
And Amy hated unanswered questions.
At 1:30 a.m., she called Margaret.
Daniel’s mother answered immediately.
“Amy?”
“Don’t tell Daniel I called.”
Margaret hesitated.
“All right.”
“Did you know Vanessa and Ryan were involved?”
Silence.
Amy stood.
“You did.”
“I suspected.”
“How long?”
“Months.”
“And you said nothing?”
“It wasn’t my business.”
“Vanessa is publicly hanging off your married son.”
“I spoke to Daniel about that.”
Amy stopped.
“When?”
“Three weeks ago.”
“What did he say?”
“That Vanessa was useful professionally and annoying personally.”
Despite everything, Amy almost laughed.
“That sounds like him.”
Margaret sighed.
“Amy, Daniel has many faults. I raised him. I could give you a list.”
“Go on.”
“He’s arrogant. He thinks money solves emotional problems. He believes working harder is the answer to almost everything.”
“Accurate.”
“He shuts down when he’s scared.”
Amy frowned.
“Scared of what?”
“You.”
She actually laughed this time.
“Daniel is not scared of me.”
“Yes, he is.”
“Margaret—”
“You’re the only person whose opinion can truly hurt him.”
Amy sat down.
Margaret continued.
“When his father died, Daniel stopped talking for almost a year. Do you know that?”
“No.”
“He was twenty-one. Everyone praised him for being strong. I think it damaged him.”
Amy said nothing.
“That doesn’t excuse what he’s done,” Margaret added. “It explains some of it.”
“Why would Ryan access my medical records?”
Margaret went quiet.
“I don’t know.”
“Would he?”
“Yes.”
The answer came too fast.
Amy’s heart jumped.
“Why?”
“Because Ryan has been trying to force Daniel into selling part of Harrison Freight.”
“What?”
“Daniel refused.”
“And?”
“And Ryan has become desperate.”
“For money?”
“I don’t know.”
Amy thought of Vanessa.
PR director.
Foundation access.
Media access.
Daniel’s closest executive.
If Vanessa and Ryan were together, they could control stories.
Rumors.
Leaks.
Images.
“Margaret, was that dance planned?”
“I don’t know.”
“Think.”
Another pause.
“Vanessa insisted Daniel take the floor during the photographer rotation.”
Amy stood up again.
“She staged it.”
“Possibly.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
Amy laughed without humor.
“Everyone keeps saying that tonight.”
“Amy.”
“What?”
“Come home.”
“No.”
“Not for Daniel. Come to me.”
Amy softened slightly.
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t know who’s watching.”
Margaret inhaled sharply.
Amy told her about the anonymous texts.
Not everything.
Just enough.
When she finished, Margaret whispered, “My God.”
“Yeah.”
Then Amy heard a sound outside her hotel room.
A soft click.
Like metal touching metal.
She froze.
“Margaret, hold on.”
Another click.
The door handle moved.
Slowly.
Someone was trying to enter.
Amy backed away.
“Amy?” Margaret whispered.
The handle moved again.
Then came a knock.
Three soft taps.
Amy grabbed the hotel phone.
“Who is it?”
A man answered from the hallway.
“Room service.”
“I didn’t order anything.”
Silence.
Then footsteps.
Fast.
Moving away.
Amy rushed to the peephole.
A man in a baseball cap disappeared around the corner.
Her phone buzzed.
May you like
Unknown number.
You need to leave. Ryan found the hotel.
