Chapter 5 - The Woman Who Wanted My Life
The message shouldn’t have existed.
That was the first thing Margaret said.
“Impossible.”
She stared at the screen.
“Daniel’s computer was shut down after the police collected evidence.”
I looked at the message.
“But it’s here.”
Margaret clicked carefully.
A password prompt appeared.
“Do you know the password?”
I shook my head.
“No.”
Then I remembered something.
Daniel’s voice.
The way he used to joke with me.
“What password would you use if you wanted to protect something?”
I thought for a moment.
Then typed:
“Emma.”
Our unborn daughter’s name.
The screen opened.
Margaret looked at me.
“He used your baby’s name?”
I nodded slowly.
“Daniel said she was the reason he fought harder.”
A folder appeared.
Inside were dozens of files.
Financial records.
Emails.
Photos.
And one folder labeled:
KELSEY HALE.
My stomach dropped.
“Open it.”
Margaret clicked.
The first document was a background report.
Kelsey Morgan.
Age 24.
Previous marriages.
Debt records.
Financial problems.
Then another file.
Photos.
Kelsey meeting someone.
Not Richard.
A man I had never seen before.
“Who is that?”
Margaret zoomed in.
Her face changed.
“I know him.”
“Who?”
“Victor Lang.”
The name meant nothing to me.
But Margaret looked worried.
“Who is he?”
“He’s a businessman who has been trying to buy Hale-Mercer Logistics for years.”
I stared.
“So?”
“So Daniel refused.”
“Why?”
“Because Victor wanted to dismantle the company.”
Margaret looked at the screen.
“And Daniel knew exactly what would happen if he got control.”
The pieces started coming together.
My father.
Kelsey.
Victor.
This wasn’t just a family argument.
This was a takeover.
A planned attack.
Then another file opened automatically.
An audio recording.
Daniel’s voice filled the room.
“If you’re hearing this, they already made their move.”
I grabbed the desk.
Daniel continued.
“Richard will pretend he’s helping Emily. Kelsey will pretend she’s innocent.”
A pause.
“They’re not.”
My eyes filled.
“But there is someone else.”
Daniel sounded tired.
Someone he trusted.
Someone close.
“Someone inside the company has been feeding information to Victor.”
Margaret froze.
“No…”
I looked at her.
“What?”
She didn’t answer.
“Margaret?”
She looked terrified.
“There are only three people who knew those details.”
“Who?”
She whispered.
“Daniel. Me.”
A pause.
“And…”
Her face went pale.
“Your husband’s business partner.”
The room felt like it was spinning.
“Daniel had a partner?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Before she could answer…
The front door slammed.
Both of us turned.
Someone had entered.
A man’s voice came from the hallway.
“Emily.”
My blood turned cold.
Because I knew that voice.
I had heard it at Daniel’s funeral.
I had seen him standing beside me pretending to mourn.
Margaret stood immediately.
“Stay behind me.”
The man stepped into the room.
Thomas Reed.
Daniel’s business partner.
He looked at me sadly.
“I was hoping you wouldn’t find this.”
My heart pounded.
“You knew?”
Thomas looked at the flash drive.
Then at the computer.
“Yes.”
“How?”
His expression changed.
“Because Daniel told me.”
I stared.
“What?”
Thomas sighed.
“Emily, there’s something you need to understand.”
He stepped closer.
“Daniel didn’t die because of an accident.”
The world stopped.
“What did you say?”
Margaret whispered:
“Thomas…”
But he continued.
“Someone caused that crash.”
I felt my knees weaken.
“No.”
Thomas looked at me.
“I’m sorry.”
My voice broke.
“Who?”
Thomas looked toward the window.
Then quietly said:
“The person who ordered it…”
May you like
A pause.
“Is closer to you than you think.”
