Chapter 8 - The Betrayal Inside My Own Company
I didn't want to believe him.
That was the problem.
Daniel had lied so much that even when he told the truth, I questioned it.
My best friend.
My business partner.
Maya.
The woman who had been beside me since college.
Impossible.
I went to Carter Industries without telling anyone.
The building looked exactly the same.
People smiled.
Employees greeted me.
Nobody knew my world had collapsed.
Or maybe they did.
Maybe everyone knew something except me.
I entered Maya's office.
She looked up.
"Claire?"
Her smile disappeared when she saw my face.
"What happened?"
I placed a folder on her desk.
Her expression changed.
Just slightly.
But I saw it.
A tiny movement.
A small pause.
The kind of thing you miss when you trust someone.
"What is this?"
I watched her.
"Tell me."
She opened the folder.
Inside were transfer records.
Money moved from company accounts.
To a private account.
Her account.
Maya went pale.
"Claire..."
"How long?"
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Please."
"How long?"
She looked away.
And that was the answer.
---
Maya didn't deny it.
That hurt more.
"I didn't know it would become this."
I stared.
"Become what?"
She cried.
"A murder."
The room went silent.
"You knew?"
She shook her head quickly.
"No."
But then:
"I knew Eleanor was dangerous."
I stepped back.
"Everyone knew."
My voice broke.
"Everyone knew except me."
Maya covered her face.
"I was scared."
I looked at her.
"I understand fear."
A pause.
"But I don't understand choosing silence."
---
Before I could leave, the building alarm started.
People screamed outside.
Smoke filled the hallway.
Someone had started a fire in the archive room.
The same room containing my father's documents.
Maya grabbed my arm.
"We need to go."
I pulled away.
"No."
"Claire!"
"My father's evidence is inside."
I ran toward the smoke.
Because I had spent years losing people.
May you like
I wasn't losing the truth too.
---
