Chapter 4: The Man in the Photograph
“That’s the man who offered to buy Northbridge.””
Arthur’s voice was barely audible.
I looked from him to the photograph.
The man beside him appeared to be in his early fifties, silver at the temples, wearing a charcoal suit and a dark overcoat. His expression was unreadable.
“What is his name?”” I asked.
Arthur didn't answer.
“Arthur.””
He swallowed.
“Victor Kane.””
Richard’s face changed the moment he heard the name.
“You know him,” I said.
Richard looked at the photograph.
“Yes.””
“How?””
“He approached Havenridge first.””
I turned toward him.
“When?””
“Five months ago.””
Five months.
Exactly when Arthur had begun dating me.
The room suddenly felt too small.
I looked at Arthur.
“Five months ago, you met the man who wanted to buy my company.””
“I didn't know he was connected to you.””
“But you knew he wanted a logistics company.””
“I knew he was interested in acquisitions.””
“You're avoiding the question.””
Arthur ran a hand through his hair.
“I met him because my father asked me to.””
Richard closed his eyes.
“I told him to keep the meeting private.””
“And you obeyed,” I said.
“I didn't know what he wanted.””
“You didn't know?””
“No.””
I held up the phone.
“Then why were you standing outside a hotel with him?””
Arthur stared at the floor.
“He contacted me again.””
“When?””
“About a month later.””
“Why?””
He hesitated.
I already knew the answer would be ugly.
“Because he wanted information.””
“What information?””
“About you.””
My fingers went numb.
Eleanor spoke quietly.
“Claire, you need to understand—”
“No.””
I turned toward her.
“No more explanations from you.””
She stopped.
I looked back at Arthur.
“What did he ask?””
Arthur's jaw tightened.
“He wanted to know whether you were really an ordinary consultant.””
“And what did you say?””
“Nothing.””
“Did you tell him my name?””
“He already knew it.””
“Did you tell him where I lived?””
“No.””
“Did you tell him where I worked?””
“No.””
“Did you tell him I owned Northbridge?””
Arthur's silence was enough.
My chest tightened.
“How long?””
“What?””
“How long did you know?””
“I suspected before I knew.””
“That isn't an answer.””
He finally looked at me.
“I found out three months ago.””
My mind went completely still.
Three months.
We had already been together for three months.
He had already told me he was falling in love with me.
He had already started talking about marriage.
And all that time, he knew.
“Who told you?”” I asked.
He looked toward Richard.
“My father.””
Richard sighed.
“We obtained corporate records.””
“Records that were public?””
“Some were.””
“Some?””
Richard didn't respond.
I laughed bitterly.
“So everyone knew except me.””
Arthur stepped toward me.
“I was going to tell you.””
“When?””
“Before the wedding.””
“Why?””
“Because I wanted to be sure.””
“Sure of what?””
He looked hurt.
“Sure you weren't using me.””
I stared at him.
“You thought I was using you?””
“I didn't know what to think.””
“So you investigated me.””
“No.””
“You met Victor Kane.””
“Yes.””
“You knew about my company.””
“Yes.””
“You kept dating me.””
“Yes.””
“And you called me easy.””
His face collapsed.
“I know.””
I shook my head.
“That isn't love.””
“I love you.””
“Then why did you sell pieces of my life to a man who wanted my company?””
“I didn't sell anything.””
“Then what did you give him?””
Arthur looked at Richard.
His father said nothing.
“Arthur.””
He closed his eyes.
“My answer was about your personality.””
I waited.
He continued.
“He asked whether you were ambitious.””
“What did you say?””
“That you were private.””
I stared at him.
“And?””
“That you didn't talk about money.””
“And?””
“That you trusted easily.””
A cold silence followed.
“You told him I trusted easily.””
“I didn't mean—”
“You used the same word.””
Arthur frowned.
“What?””
“You called me easy.””
His face went white.
“I didn't mean the same thing.””
“Maybe not.””
I slipped my phone into my pocket.
“But someone else did.””
Victor Kane.
The man who had somehow known enough about me to produce forged contracts and private information.
Someone who had been working toward my company before Arthur even proposed.
I turned to Richard.
“Where is Kane now?””
“I don't know.””
“You've spoken to him.””
“Not recently.””
“Give me his contact information.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
Richard's expression hardened.
“Because he isn't someone you should contact.””
I gave a small laugh.
“That's interesting advice coming from a man who brought him into his financial problems.””
“He threatened us.””
That silenced me.
Richard's voice dropped.
“He said if we didn't accept his terms, he would force Havenridge into bankruptcy.””
“With what?””
“Debt purchases.””
I frowned.
“He could buy your creditors.””
“Yes.””
“And then demand control.””
“Yes.””
I glanced at the contract again.
The strategy suddenly made sense.
Kane didn't need to buy Havenridge.
He needed to control it.
Then use its assets to leverage Northbridge.
And somehow, Arthur was part of the bridge.
I turned to him.
“What did Kane tell you?””
Arthur hesitated.
“He said your company was vulnerable.””
“Why?””
“Because you owned most of it personally.””
“That's not vulnerability.””
“It is if someone can isolate you.””
I felt a chill.
“How?””
Arthur looked at me.
“Through the people you trust.””
No one spoke.
Then my phone rang.
Maya.
I answered immediately.
“Maya?””
“Claire, where are you?””
“At the Hale house.””
Her voice sharpened.
“Leave.””
“Why?””
“We found something.””
“What?””
“I can't explain it over the phone.””
“Tell me.””
“It involves your signature.””
I looked down at the forged agreement.
“What about it?””
“The digital copy wasn't forged recently.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“It was created five months ago.””
My eyes moved to Arthur.
The room seemed to tilt.
Maya continued.
“I'm sending you the access record now.””
A notification appeared.
I opened it.
There was a timestamp.
An internal Northbridge account had accessed my ownership records at 11:48 p.m.
Five months and four days ago.
The username belonged to someone I knew.
My personal executive assistant before Maya.
“Who is it?”” Arthur asked.
I looked at him.
“Her name was Danielle.””
Maya continued.
“Danielle resigned four months ago.””
“Why?””
“We thought she was moving out of state.””
I stared at the screen.
“She wasn't.””
Maya hesitated.
“No.””
“What do you mean?””
“I found her current employer.””
My pulse quickened.
“Who?””
Maya took a breath.
“Blackridge Capital Holdings.””
The room went silent.
Arthur looked at me.
Richard looked away.
Eleanor sat down.
I felt strangely calm.
The pieces were finally beginning to fit together.
Danielle had accessed my records.
Someone forged my signature.
Someone knew my ownership stake.
Someone approached Havenridge.
Someone met Arthur.
Someone tried to manipulate my engagement.
And now Danielle worked for the man behind it all.
“Claire,” Maya said, “there's one more thing.””
“What?””
“Danielle didn't leave Northbridge voluntarily.””
My hand tightened around the phone.
“What happened?””
“She was terminated.””
“By whom?””
Maya's voice lowered.
“Arthur.””
I looked at him.
He didn't move.
“That's impossible.””
“I have the termination record.””
I stared at Arthur.
“You fired Danielle?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“She stole data.””
“What data?””
“Client information.””
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
“I thought it was handled.””
I stepped closer.
“You thought it was handled?””
Arthur shook his head.
“Claire, I swear I didn't know about Kane.””
“But you knew Danielle was stealing information.””
“Yes.””
“And you fired her.””
“Yes.””
“And then she went to Kane.””
“I didn't know that.””
I looked at Richard.
“Did you?””
He remained silent.
That silence answered another question.
I turned toward Eleanor.
“Did you know?””
She didn't speak.
Arthur looked between them.
“Mom?””
Eleanor finally whispered,
“We knew she had been approached.””
Arthur stared at her.
“You knew?””
Richard stood.
“Eleanor.””
“No,” I said.
“Let her speak.””
Eleanor's hands trembled.
“We knew Danielle was angry. We knew she had access to Claire's information. We didn't know exactly what she gave them.””
Arthur's face hardened.
“You told me none of this.””
“You were already involved emotionally.””
“Involved?”” he repeated.
“You mean engaged.””
“You loved her.””
“And you used that.””
Eleanor's eyes filled with tears.
“I was trying to save this family.””
Arthur stared at his mother.
“At what cost?””
No one answered.
I suddenly remembered something.
A sentence Arthur had said three months ago while we were walking home after dinner.
My family thinks I'm wasting my future.
At the time, I had assumed they meant he wasn't ambitious enough.
Now I wondered what he had actually meant.
My phone buzzed again.
Another message from Maya.
This time there was no attachment.
Only a location.
A hotel.
The same hotel from the photograph.
Then another line.
*Danielle checked in this morning.*
I looked at the clock.
11:06 a.m.
“She’s still there,” I said.
Maya answered immediately.
“Yes.””
I grabbed my coat.
Arthur stood.
“Where are you going?””
“To see Danielle.””
“I’m coming.””
“No.””
“Claire—”
“You've already had enough private meetings about my life.””
His face fell.
“I want to help.””
“I don't know whether you're helping me or them.””
“I swear I'm with you.””
I opened the door.
“Then prove it.””
He followed me into the hallway.
“Tell me how.””
I stopped.
“Go to your father.””
Arthur frowned.
“Why?””
“Ask him who introduced him to Victor Kane.””
His expression changed.
“My father already told you.””
“No.””
I looked directly into his eyes.
“He told me Kane approached Havenridge.””
I stepped closer.
“I didn't ask who gave Kane your family's name.””
Arthur went completely still.
Behind him, Richard appeared in the doorway.
I watched the color drain from his face.
“Dad?””
Richard said nothing.
I looked at him.
“Who introduced you to Victor Kane?””
Richard's lips parted.
Before he could answer, his phone rang.
He checked the screen.
And for the first time since I had met him, genuine fear crossed his face.
He looked at me.
Then at Arthur.
May you like
Then he whispered,
“It's Kane.””
