Chapter 9 - THE ENEMY CLOSER THAN I THOUGHT
We escaped through the kitchen.
Richard grabbed my hand.
I immediately pulled away.
"Don't touch me."
He stopped.
The pain on his face almost looked real.
Almost.
"I understand."
"No, you don't."
I stared at him.
"You don't get to become the hero after trying to kill me."
He lowered his head.
"I know."
And somehow…
That answer scared me more.
Because a liar would argue.
Richard did not.
---
The next morning, Daniel discovered something impossible.
"The attack was not random."
"What?"
"The person who attacked the restaurant knew exactly where you would sit."
I looked at Richard.
He looked away.
"Someone leaked the meeting."
Evelyn crossed her arms.
"Which means someone close to us knew."
My stomach tightened.
"Who knew?"
Nobody answered.
Because the list was small.
Very small.
---
Then Lisa called.
Her voice was shaking.
"Amelia?"
"What happened?"
"I found something in the old company records."
"What?"
"Your father left a message."
I froze.
"My father?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
"Hidden inside the original company server."
I looked at Daniel.
"Can you access it?"
He nodded.
But before he could move…
The connection disappeared.
"LISA?"
No answer.
I called again.
Nothing.
---
Twenty minutes later, we found her office empty.
Her computer was gone.
The files were gone.
And on her desk was one thing.
A handwritten note.
Three words.
"STOP DIGGING."
I held the paper.
My hands shook.
Not from fear.
From anger.
Because someone had crossed another line.
They attacked me.
They threatened my company.
Now they were hurting people who helped me.
---
That evening, Richard came to my house.
I almost called security.
But something stopped me.
"What do you want?"
He handed me a small box.
"What is this?"
"Something Mark gave me."
I opened it.
Inside was an old USB drive.
"My father?"
Richard nodded.
"Your father knew someone would eventually come after his company."
I looked at him.
"Why give this to me?"
"Because I finally understand something."
"What?"
He looked at me.
"I was never the person controlling this."
A pause.
"I was just the person they chose to blame."
---
I stared at the USB drive.
"Who chose you?"
Richard looked toward the window.
Then said:
"The person who has been controlling Hayes Technologies from the shadows for years."
My heart raced.
"Who?"
Richard whispered the name.
And the moment I heard it…
Everything changed.
Because it was someone I never suspected.
Someone who had been beside me since the beginning.
---
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CHAPTER 9 END
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