CHAPTER 3 — THE FAMILY BETRAYAL
Ethan spent the entire night reading the Project Hades files.
What he discovered changed everything.
The billion-dollar government contract that made headlines was not a victory.
It was a trap.
Years ago, Richard Hale created Project Hades.
A private investigation system designed to detect corruption inside the company.
Every payment.
Every contract.
Every executive decision.
Everything was secretly monitored.
And the files revealed the truth.
Someone had been preparing to steal control of Hale Meridian for years.
The mastermind?
Charles Hale.
Ethan’s uncle.
His father’s younger brother.
The man who stood beside Ethan at the funeral.
The man who cried louder than anyone.
The man who told Ethan:
"Your father’s dream is safe with me."
But behind closed doors, Charles was buying fake companies, moving illegal funds, and preparing to remove Ethan permanently.
Then Ethan found one final document.
A death report.
His father’s medical records.
The official cause:
Heart attack.
The real cause:
Poison.
Ethan sat silently.
His father wasn’t unlucky.
He was murdered.
At that moment, his phone rang.
Vanessa.
Ethan answered.
"I know what you did."
A pause.
Then Vanessa laughed softly.
"You always were your father’s son."
"You killed him."
"No."
Her voice became cold.
"I protected this company from him."
Ethan’s eyes narrowed.
"What?"
"Your father became weak. He wanted honesty. Loyalty. Fairness."
She smiled through the phone.
"Those things don't build billion-dollar companies."
Ethan gripped the phone.
"You helped Charles kill him."
Another pause.
Then Vanessa whispered:
"Ask yourself something, Ethan."
"What?"
"Why do you think your father trusted me enough to make me Head of Operations?"
The call ended.
Ethan stood frozen.
Because suddenly he realized…
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Vanessa wasn’t just a criminal.
She was hiding something much bigger.
