Chapter 5 - The Woman Who Knew Too Much
Callum Russo had enemies.
Many of them.
Some wanted his money.
Some wanted his power.
Some wanted him dead.
But this was different.
This person wasn’t attacking his empire.
They were attacking the one person who could expose it.
Sadie sat inside Callum’s private office, wrapped in a black jacket that belonged to him.
She noticed it immediately.
“You always keep extra clothes here?”
Callum looked up from the documents on his desk.
“Yes.”
“For emergencies?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
A pause.
“Because I don’t like being unprepared.”
Sadie almost smiled.
“Of course.”
Callum noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You were about to insult me.”
“No.”
“You were.”
She looked down.
“Maybe a little.”
For a brief moment, the tension disappeared.
Then Callum placed a folder on the desk.
The smile vanished.
“This was found in the warehouse.”
Sadie opened it.
Her face changed.
Inside were copies of financial records.
Shipping documents.
Private contracts.
And names.
Many names.
She looked at him.
“What is this?”
Callum’s voice was quiet.
“Evidence.”
“Of what?”
“That someone inside my company has been moving money illegally.”
Sadie flipped through the papers.
“How long?”
“Six months.”
“And you didn’t know?”
The question wasn’t cruel.
But it hurt.
Callum leaned back.
“No.”
That honesty surprised her.
“You admit that?”
“Yes.”
“Most powerful people would pretend they had everything under control.”
“I’m not most people.”
Sadie looked at him.
“No.”
A pause.
“You’re not.”
The room became quiet.
Then she found something.
A document hidden between the pages.
“Wait.”
Callum looked over.
“What?”
She pulled it out.
“This signature.”
Callum stood.
He recognized it.
His face changed.
“Impossible.”
Sadie looked at him.
“Who is it?”
Callum stared at the signature.
Then said one name.
“Anthony Russo.”
Sadie frowned.
“Your father?”
Callum didn’t answer.
Everyone in Chicago knew Anthony Russo had died ten years ago.
A respected businessman.
A powerful man.
A legend.
But also a man with secrets.
“This is impossible,” Callum repeated.
Sadie looked closer.
“Maybe someone copied it.”
“No.”
The way he said it made her stop.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Callum looked away.
“Because that’s how he signed every personal document.”
Silence.
Sadie realized something.
“You think your father was involved?”
Callum didn’t respond.
That was answer enough.
Before she could speak, Marcus rushed into the office.
“Boss.”
Callum turned.
“What happened?”
“We found Evan.”
Everyone froze.
“Where?”
Marcus looked serious.
“He came back.”
Callum grabbed his coat.
“Why?”
Marcus hesitated.
“He asked for Sadie.”
Callum stopped.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
“He said…”
Marcus swallowed.
“He said he knows who ordered the attack.”
Sadie stood.
“Take me with you.”
Callum looked at her.
“No.”
“Callum.”
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“If he knows the truth, I need to hear it.”
Callum wanted to argue.
But he knew she was right.
Ten minutes later, they arrived at an abandoned warehouse.
Evan stood alone in the center.
No weapons.
No guards.
Just fear.
When he saw Sadie, his expression changed.
“I’m sorry.”
Callum stepped forward.
“You have five seconds to explain.”
Evan looked at him.
“It wasn’t me.”
Callum said nothing.
Evan continued.
“The person who attacked Sadie…”
He looked at her.
“Was trying to protect her.”
Nobody moved.
Sadie frowned.
“What?”
Evan took a breath.
“The person who ordered the attack wasn’t trying to kill you.”
Callum’s eyes narrowed.
“Then what were they trying to do?”
Evan whispered:
“Warn you.”
A sound came from the darkness behind them.
Everyone turned.
A phone rang.
Not Evan’s.
Not Callum’s.
Sadie’s.
She looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
Callum slowly said:
“Don’t answer.”
But Sadie already had.
And the voice on the other end made her blood run cold.
“Sadie…”
She froze.
Because she recognized the voice.
A voice she hadn’t heard in years.
A voice that was supposed to be impossible.
Her hand began shaking.
Callum noticed.
“Who is it?”
Sadie looked at him.
Her face had lost all color.
May you like
Then she whispered:
“My father.”
