Chapter 8 - THE MAN AT THE DOOR
Claire stayed at Natalie’s house that night.
She hated it.
She hated being displaced from her own life.
Ryan had cheated.
Ryan had stolen.
Ryan had lied.
Yet somehow she was the one sleeping in a guest room with a suitcase beside the bed.
At 2:13 a.m., the security alarm went off.
Claire sat up.
Natalie appeared in the doorway.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Claire.”
“I’m not hiding.”
Natalie grabbed her phone.
The camera feed showed a man standing outside.
Ryan.
He wasn’t knocking.
He was staring directly into the security camera.
Natalie called police.
Claire watched the screen.
Ryan pulled out his phone.
Seconds later, Claire’s rang.
She answered.
“What?”
Ryan’s voice was strangely calm.
“You really called the cops?”
“I didn’t. Natalie did.”
“Open the door.”
“No.”
“I just want to talk.”
“You had twelve years.”
“Claire.”
“Go away.”
His tone changed.
“We can still fix this.”
She almost laughed.
“You got your pregnant assistant involved in financial fraud, forged my name, stole my inheritance, and apparently helped your boss cover it up.”
“David isn’t my boss.”
“Not the part I care about.”
“Open the door.”
“No.”
Ryan looked into the camera.
“You think Madison is helping you?”
Claire said nothing.
“She’s saving herself.”
“Maybe.”
“She knew more than she’s telling you.”
Claire’s pulse changed.
That was possible.
Ryan sensed her hesitation.
“She processed documents.”
“Because you told her to.”
“She signed some.”
Claire frowned.
“What documents?”
Ryan smiled faintly.
There it was.
The old Ryan.
The one who knew how to plant doubt.
“She never told you?”
“Tell me.”
“Ask her about Nevada.”
Claire’s stomach tightened.
“What Nevada?”
Ryan hung up.
Police arrived three minutes later.
Ryan was gone.
No confrontation.
No arrest.
Just a message.
At breakfast, Claire called Madison.
“Have you ever been to Nevada with Ryan?”
Silence.
Claire closed her eyes.
“Madison.”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Four months ago.”
“Why?”
“He said it was for work.”
Claire’s voice sharpened.
“What did you sign?”
Madison started crying.
“I didn’t know.”
“What did you sign?”
“Corporate documents.”
“For what company?”
“I don’t remember.”
Claire looked at Natalie.
“You better remember.”
Madison breathed shakily.
“There were three companies.”
“Names.”
“I don’t know all of them.”
“Try.”
“One was Silver Crest Partners.”
Natalie started typing.
“And?”
“Westline Advisory.”
Claire waited.
Madison whispered the third name.
“Bennett Strategic Consulting.”
Claire felt something snap inside her.
“You signed documents for a company in my name?”
“I didn’t know it was yours!”
“You never asked?”
“Ryan said it was one of his clients.”
Claire slammed her hand on the table.
“You were his assistant!”
“I know!”
“Then how did you not know?”
Madison sobbed.
“Because I was sleeping with him and believing everything he said!”
The honesty stopped Claire cold.
Before she could respond, Natalie’s computer chimed.
A new email had arrived from Gregory Hawthorne.
Subject:
May you like
URGENT — RYAN IS MISSING.
And attached to it was a security image of Ryan entering the company office at 4:07 that morning.
