Chapter 2: The Name In The Files
The name on the document was not Victor Hale.
It was mine.
I stared at the screen for almost a full minute, convinced I was exhausted and imagining things.
But the file remained open.
My name was printed at the bottom of an internal company document.
*Emily Carter — Attorney Contact.*
I whispered to myself.
“That’s impossible.””
I had never worked for Hale Construction before Victor hired me.
I had never signed any company agreements.
I had never been involved with their internal operations.
So why was my name there?
I grabbed a notebook and started writing everything down.
Date.
File number.
Source.
Connection.
That was the habit that had made me successful as a defense attorney.
Facts first.
Emotion later.
I followed the document trail.
The file showed payments between several shell companies.
But one line stood out.
A transfer labeled:
*Legal Consultation Preparation.*
The payment had been made three months before Victor officially hired me.
I felt a chill.
Someone knew I was going to represent Victor before I even met him.
The next morning, I called Daniel.
He answered immediately.
“Emily? You sound like you didn’t sleep.””
“I found something.””
A pause.
“What kind of something?””
I looked at the files spread across my desk.
“The kind that changes everything.””
An hour later, Daniel sat across from me.
I showed him the documents.
His expression changed with every page.
“Emily…”
“I know.””
“No, you don’t understand.””
He pointed at one section.
“Look at the approval signatures.””
I leaned closer.
The signature belonged to someone inside the company.
Someone with access to every financial record.
Daniel swallowed.
“Victor wasn’t just moving money.””
I nodded.
“He was planning ahead.””
We spent the next several hours tracing every connection.
Then Daniel found something.
A former employee.
Marcus Reed.
The name appeared repeatedly in old company records.
“Who is he?”” I asked.
Daniel searched.
“Former financial director.””
“Why isn’t he in the witness list?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Because he disappeared six months before the investigation started.””
That sentence stayed in the room.
Disappeared.
Not resigned.
Not transferred.
Disappeared.
I picked up my phone.
“I’m finding him.””
Daniel looked worried.
“Emily, be careful.””
I looked at the evidence.
“I defended Victor because I believed him.””
I closed the folder.
“Now I’m finding out what he was hiding.””
That afternoon, I tracked down Marcus through an old address.
A small apartment outside the city.
When he opened the door, his face changed the moment he saw me.
“You’re Victor Hale’s lawyer.””
“Former lawyer.””
He stared at me.
“You lost the case.””
“Yes.””
His expression became serious.
“Then why are you here?””
I held up the folder.
“Because I think Victor used me.””
Marcus looked around the hallway.
Then quietly opened the door wider.
“Come inside.””
The apartment was dark.
Curtains closed.
Boxes stacked everywhere.
Marcus looked like a man who had been hiding for a long time.
“You don’t understand who Victor Hale is.””
I placed the folder down.
“Then explain it.””
He sat silently for several seconds.
Then he said:
“Victor didn’t build his company by winning contracts.””
He looked at me.
“He built it by controlling people.””
I stayed quiet.
Marcus continued.
“He has people inside banks. Inside government offices. Inside companies that investigate him.””
My stomach tightened.
“Do you have proof?””
He gave a bitter smile.
“I had proof.””
“Had?””
His eyes moved toward the window.
“Victor took care of that.””
Before I could ask another question, his phone rang.
Marcus looked at the screen.
The color drained from his face.
“Who is it?””
He didn’t answer.
The phone stopped.
Then immediately rang again.
This time, he showed me the screen.
A message appeared.
Unknown Number.
*You should have stayed quiet.*
Marcus stood up.
“We need to leave.””
I grabbed the folder.
“Who sent that?””
He looked directly at me.
May you like
And his answer made my blood run cold.
“Someone who already knew you would find me.””
