Chapter 4: My Father’s Final Warning
I read the letter three times.
Because the first time, I couldn’t believe it.
The second time, I wanted to find another meaning.
The third time, I accepted the truth.
My father knew.
He knew Ethan was dangerous.
He knew someone close to me was involved.
And he had been trying to protect me from beyond the grave.
“Claire,” the letter began, “I have spent my life building Hartwell Medical Systems. But companies are not protected by walls or money. They are protected by people.””
I sat in my father’s chair.
The same chair where I used to watch him work late at night.
“I made mistakes trusting people because I wanted to believe the best in them.””
I swallowed.
He had trusted Thomas.
He had trusted Ethan.
He had trusted too much.
The letter continued.
“There is a reason I never gave full control of the company to anyone after my death. I knew there would be people waiting.””
A folder was attached.
Inside were documents proving Ethan and Thomas had been connected for years.
But there was something else.
A name.
A name I never expected.
My assistant.
Natalie.
I whispered, “No.””
Natalie had worked with me for five years.
She had been there when my father died.
She had cried with me.
She had helped me plan the wedding.
Then I remembered something.
A small detail.
A detail I ignored.
Natalie always knew where I was.
Every meeting.
Every decision.
Every document.
My phone rang.
I looked at the screen.
Natalie.
I answered.
“Hello?””
Silence.
Then:
“Claire.””
Her voice was trembling.
“I know you found it.””
I stood slowly.
“Where are you?””
“I need to explain.””
“Then explain.””
She cried quietly.
“I never wanted this to happen.””
My jaw tightened.
“Then why did it?””
“Because Ethan threatened me.””
I said nothing.
“He had information about my brother. He forced me to help.””
I closed my eyes.
Another piece of the puzzle.
Another person trapped by Ethan’s control.
“What did you give him?””
Natalie hesitated.
“Your schedule.””
The room went cold.
“You gave him my schedule?””
“I didn’t know he would hurt you.””
But he did.
And she knew.
A door opened downstairs.
I looked toward the hallway.
“Natalie?””
She whispered:
“Claire, you need to leave the house.””
My heart raced.
“What?””
“He knows where you are.””
The call ended.
A sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Confident.
I grabbed the letter and moved toward the office door.
Then I heard a voice.
“Claire?””
My blood turned cold.
Not Ethan.
Someone else.
Someone I knew.
I stepped into the hallway.
And there he was.
Thomas.
Holding a key.
The key to my father’s house.
“You shouldn’t have found that letter,” he said.
I stared at him.
“You broke into my home?””
He sighed.
“I came to talk.””
“You came to destroy evidence.””
His face hardened.
“You’re making the same mistake your father made.””
“What mistake?””
“Thinking you can save everyone.””
I backed away.
“You’re afraid.””
“No.””
“Yes.””
I held up my phone.
“I already sent copies of everything.””
Thomas froze.
For the first time, he looked genuinely scared.
Then he smiled.
“You still don’t understand.””
My stomach tightened.
“What?””
Thomas looked toward the front door.
“Ethan was never the person you needed to fear most.””
The door opened.
A figure stepped inside.
And when I saw who it was, I realized Thomas was right.
May you like
Because the person standing behind him was someone who had been helping me all along.
And they were holding a file with my name on it.
