Chapter 3: The Enemy Inside the Company
The name on Richard Hale’s phone sat between us like a loaded weapon.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Daniel stared at the screen.
His face had gone from confusion to disbelief.
“That’s impossible.””
Richard didn’t move.
“Is it?””
Daniel looked at him.
“Yes. That person would never do that.””
I watched him carefully.
Interesting.
He knew exactly who it was.
Not just a random employee.
Not just a stranger with access.
Someone close enough that the betrayal felt personal.
“Who is it?”” I asked.
Richard turned the phone toward me.
The name appeared clearly.
*Marcus Bell.*
I recognized it immediately.
Marcus was Vantage Meridian’s Senior Compliance Officer.
He was the man responsible for investigating internal violations, reviewing executive conduct, and ensuring the company followed its own policies.
He was also someone Daniel had publicly criticized several times.
“Marcus?”” I asked.
Richard nodded.
“He sent the footage to the board before it reached the media.””
Daniel stood abruptly.
“He wouldn’t do that.””
Richard looked at him.
“Why not?””
“Because he works for me.””
The room went quiet.
Richard’s expression hardened.
“That sentence alone explains more than you realize.””
Daniel opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Because he knew exactly what Richard meant.
Daniel had spent years believing everyone around him existed beneath him.
Assistants.
Managers.
Employees.
Even his own wife.
He didn’t see people.
He saw positions.
“Marcus had concerns,” Richard continued.
“Several concerns.””
Daniel looked away.
“What kind of concerns?””
I noticed the hesitation.
That was the first moment Daniel looked genuinely worried.
Not embarrassed.
Not angry.
Worried.
Richard opened another document.
“Over the past eight months, there have been complaints regarding your department.””
Daniel immediately shook his head.
“That’s ridiculous.””
“Is it?””
“Yes. My department has exceeded every quarterly target.””
Richard nodded.
“Financially, yes.””
He placed another document on the table.
“But leadership isn’t measured only by numbers.””
Daniel glanced at the papers.
“What are these?””
“Employee complaints.””
His expression changed.
“You’re investigating me because someone got offended?””
“No.””
Richard’s voice remained calm.
“We’re investigating you because multiple employees described the same pattern.””
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“What pattern?””
Richard looked at him.
“Taking credit for others’ work. Intimidating junior staff. Creating a hostile environment. Using your position to silence criticism.””
Daniel laughed.
“That’s absurd.””
I studied his face.
The confidence was back.
He always believed denial was enough.
Richard turned another page.
“One employee specifically mentioned Vanessa Cole.””
Vanessa, who had been silent until that moment, suddenly spoke.
“Why is my name involved?””
Richard looked at her.
“You should know.””
She swallowed.
“I don’t.””
“Then perhaps you should explain why several confidential documents from Daniel’s department were accessed using your credentials.””
The room changed instantly.
Daniel turned toward her.
“Vanessa?””
She looked stunned.
“That’s not possible.””
Richard slid a report across the table.
“Your account accessed files outside your assigned responsibilities.””
Vanessa picked up the document.
Her hands trembled slightly.
“I didn’t do this.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“Vanessa.””
She looked at him.
“I said I didn’t.””
For the first time that night, they weren’t standing together.
They weren’t united.
They were two people realizing they might have been protecting the wrong person.
I remained silent.
Because this was the part Daniel never understood.
Power was not about shouting the loudest.
It was about knowing when to wait.
Richard turned to me.
“Claire, there is one more matter.””
I nodded.
“What?””
He glanced at Daniel.
“The board has requested a meeting tomorrow morning.””
Daniel immediately reacted.
“About my position?””
Richard didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
Daniel ran a hand through his hair.
“This is insane.””
“No,” I said quietly.
He looked at me.
“This is consequences.””
His eyes narrowed.
“You’re enjoying this.””
The accusation surprised me.
Not because it hurt.
Because it was predictable.
Daniel couldn’t imagine that someone might simply be tired.
Tired of being dismissed.
Tired of being insulted.
Tired of protecting someone who never protected me.
“I spent six years hoping you would become the man you promised me you were,” I said.
My voice stayed calm.
“I didn’t spend six years planning revenge.””
Daniel looked away.
For a moment, I saw the man I used to love.
The man who brought me coffee every morning when we first met.
The man who held my hand during my grandfather’s funeral.
The man who promised me we would always choose each other.
Then I remembered the ballroom.
The champagne.
The words.
The woman beside him.
That version of Daniel was gone.
Or maybe he had never existed.
Richard closed the folder.
“We’ll continue this discussion tomorrow.””
Daniel looked at me.
“You’re really going to let this happen?””
I stared at him.
“Let what happen?””
“My career.””
I almost laughed.
After everything.
After humiliating me publicly.
After destroying our marriage in front of hundreds of people.
His greatest concern was still himself.
“You built your career,” I said.
His face softened slightly.
“Yes.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You built your image.””
That landed.
Because deep down, he knew it.
He had spent years chasing appearances.
The expensive suits.
The luxury apartment.
The exclusive events.
The important people.
But he forgot one thing.
A reputation could be created overnight.
Character couldn’t.
Richard opened the door.
Security personnel were waiting outside.
Not because Daniel was being arrested.
Not because he was dangerous.
Because his access to certain areas had been temporarily restricted.
Daniel stared.
“Seriously?””
Richard nodded.
“Until the review is complete.””
Daniel looked at me.
“Claire.””
I didn’t respond.
“Claire, wait.””
I stopped.
Not because I wanted to.
Because some part of me still remembered the man I married.
He lowered his voice.
“Please.””
That word almost broke something inside me.
Almost.
“I need you to believe me.””
I looked at him.
“About what?””
His eyes moved toward Vanessa.
Then back to me.
“About us.””
A painful silence followed.
“Us?””
“Yes.””
I stared at him.
“The woman you brought to our anniversary dinner last month?””
His face changed.
“The hotel receipt I found?””
Silence.
“The messages I saw?””
His expression collapsed.
“I can explain.””
“No.””
My voice was barely above a whisper.
“You had six years to explain.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“I made mistakes.””
I looked at him.
“Mistakes are forgetting an anniversary.””
My eyes moved to Vanessa.
“Mistakes are buying the wrong gift.””
Then back to Daniel.
“You didn’t make a mistake tonight.””
He said nothing.
“You made a choice.””
The silence after that was heavier than anything before.
Then my phone vibrated.
I looked down.
A message had arrived.
Unknown number.
My first instinct was to ignore it.
But something made me open it.
There was one sentence.
And one attachment.
My blood went cold.
*You think Daniel is the only person who betrayed you?*
I stared at the screen.
Then opened the file.
It was a photograph.
A document.
A signature.
And a date from three years earlier.
My hands tightened around the phone.
Because the signature at the bottom belonged to Daniel.
But the document wasn’t about the affair.
It wasn’t about Vanessa.
It was something much worse.
Something that meant Daniel’s betrayal had started long before the champagne hit my dress.
Richard noticed my expression.
“What is it?””
I looked up slowly.
“I think…”
My voice caught.
“I think Daniel has been lying to me since the beginning.””
Daniel’s face changed.
“What are you talking about?””
I didn’t answer.
Because the document on my phone revealed a secret my husband had buried for years.
A secret involving my family.
My grandfather.
May you like
And the one thing Daniel had never been supposed to know.
The true reason he married me.
