Chapter 7: The Secret Olivia Never Told Me
I called Rebecca immediately.
She answered before the first ring finished.
“What happened?””
Her voice was serious.
“Where are you?””
“At Maya’s.””
“Good. Stay there.””
My heart started racing.
“What did you find?””
A pause.
Then:
“Something about Olivia.””
I looked across the room.
Olivia was sitting silently.
She noticed my expression.
“What?””
I didn’t answer.
Not yet.
Because suddenly I remembered something.
Nathan’s words.
*The person who told you about my plan is the same person who helped create it.*
I wanted to believe he was lying.
I needed him to be lying.
But I had learned something about Nathan.
The worst lies were the ones built around small pieces of truth.
Twenty minutes later, Rebecca arrived.
She walked inside holding a file.
Olivia stood.
“What happened?””
Rebecca looked at her.
“You tell us.””
The room went silent.
Olivia’s face changed.
“What?””
Rebecca placed the file on the table.
“We found your name.””
Olivia looked confused.
“Where?””
“In the original company documents.””
I looked between them.
“Explain.””
Rebecca opened the file.
“Three years ago, before Olivia became Nathan’s assistant, she wasn’t just working for his competitor.””
Olivia closed her eyes.
“I knew this would happen.””
My stomach dropped.
“You knew?””
She looked at me.
“I knew Nathan would eventually use this against me.””
“Use what?””
Olivia sat down.
“My father.””
I frowned.
“What does your father have to do with this?””
She took a deep breath.
“My father was the accountant for Bennett & Co. before Nathan became managing partner.””
The room became still.
“He discovered financial problems.””
Rebecca nodded.
“And Nathan blamed him.””
Olivia looked down.
“My father lost everything.””
I felt the anger rising.
“Then why would you work for Nathan?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Because I wanted proof.””
That answer stopped me.
“I thought if I got close enough, I could find what he did.””
Rebecca added:
“But she made a mistake.””
Olivia nodded.
“I trusted him.””
I looked at her.
“You fell for him.””
She whispered:
“Yes.””
Nobody spoke.
Then Rebecca said:
“Nathan knew who she was from the beginning.””
My heart sank.
“What?””
“He hired her because he knew she was Daniel Cross’s daughter.””
Olivia looked at me.
“He wanted me close.””
“To control you.””
“Yes.””
Everything suddenly made sense.
Nathan didn’t choose Olivia because he loved her.
He chose her because he knew exactly how to manipulate her.
But there was still one question.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Olivia looked at me.
“Because I was ashamed.””
“That’s not enough.””
“I know.””
She wiped her eyes.
“I spent years helping the man who destroyed my family. Even if I thought I was fighting him, I was still inside his game.””
I looked away.
Because I understood that feeling.
Being trapped inside someone else’s version of reality.
Rebecca sat down.
“There’s something else.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
“Nathan has been preparing a legal case against you.””
“For what?””
“Fraud.””
I laughed.
The sound surprised even me.
“He’s accusing me?””
“Yes.””
“Of what?””
“Using company funds.””
I stared.
“That’s impossible.””
Rebecca nodded.
“Which is why we need proof.””
I looked at Olivia.
“What proof do you have?””
She hesitated.
Then she opened her bag.
“I have something.””
She removed a small hard drive.
“I copied this from Nathan’s office.””
Rebecca took it carefully.
“What’s on it?””
“Everything.””
The next few hours felt unreal.
Emails.
Contracts.
Recordings.
Nathan’s voice.
His plans.
His instructions.
Then we found the file.
The one that changed everything.
A folder titled:
*Clara Bennett Exit Strategy*
I felt sick.
My name.
Not divorce plan.
Not separation.
Exit strategy.
Rebecca opened the first document.
The words appeared on the screen.
*Objective: Remove Clara Bennett from ownership position without triggering suspicion.*
I covered my mouth.
Maya whispered:
“Oh my God.””
Then another line appeared.
*Final stage requires Clara’s signature.*
I stared at the screen.
My hands shook.
Because Nathan had not been trying to leave me.
He had been trying to erase me.
Then a video file appeared.
Recorded six months earlier.
Rebecca clicked it.
Nathan appeared on screen.
Speaking to someone.
Someone whose face was hidden.
“Once Clara signs, everything belongs to us.””
I leaned closer.
Then Nathan said the words that made my entire body go cold.
“She will never know her own husband was the enemy until it’s too late.””
The video ended.
Nobody moved.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A man’s voice spoke.
“Clara Bennett?””
“Yes?””
“You just found Nathan’s files.””
My blood turned cold.
“Who are you?””
The man paused.
May you like
Then:
“The person who helped Nathan build the plan.””
