That hit.
His face changed slightly.
But only for a moment.
Then he smiled.
A small, controlled smile.
“You’re emotional.””
The room became still.
Daniel looked at him.
I studied Thomas carefully.
There it was.
The mistake.
He thought I was reacting emotionally.
He thought grief made me weak.
He forgot that grief had taught me patience.
“What did you find?”” I asked.
Thomas looked away.
“I don’t know what you mean.””
I walked toward the broken drawer.
Inside were several missing files.
But one folder remained.
A blue folder.
My name was written on it.
I picked it up.
Thomas moved.
Only slightly.
But enough.
Enough for me to notice.
“What is this?””
Nobody answered.
I opened it.
Inside were financial records.
Foundation transactions.
Transfers.
Donations.
And something else.
A series of payments.
All approved by Thomas Reed.
All connected to companies I had never heard of.
I looked at him.
“These are fake vendors.””
Thomas stayed silent.
Daniel took the papers.
His eyes widened.
“Ethan…”
“How much?””
Daniel scanned the records.
“These payments total nearly twelve million dollars.””
I looked at Thomas.
“Where did the money go?””
He finally spoke.
“You don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
His jaw tightened.
“You think this is about theft?””
“What else would it be?””
Thomas looked toward Olivia.
Then back at me.
“This company was never as stable as you believed.””
I stared.
“What are you talking about?””
He stepped closer.
“Claire found out.””
The room went quiet.
My heartbeat changed.
“What did she find out?””
Thomas looked at me.
And for the first time that night, I saw fear in his eyes.
Not guilt.
Fear.
“She found out someone inside the company was planning to destroy the Grand Regent.””
I frowned.
“Someone?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Thomas didn’t answer.
Because the archive room lights suddenly turned off.
Complete darkness.
A sound came from the hallway.
A door closing.
Then footsteps.
Running away.
Security immediately moved.
Daniel turned on his flashlight.
“Everyone stay here.””
The emergency lights flickered on.
The room was chaos.
Documents scattered.
The broken drawer hanging open.
But one thing was missing.
The blue folder.
I looked at Thomas.
It wasn’t in his hands.
Not in Olivia’s.
Someone else had taken it.
Someone who had been waiting for the perfect moment.
The security officer rushed back.
“Mr. Vance!””
“What?””
“We checked the cameras.””
“And?””
His face was pale.
“The person who entered the archive room…”
He stopped.
I stepped forward.
“Who was it?””
The officer looked at me.
“It was someone wearing a hotel uniform.””
Daniel frowned.
“An employee?””
The officer shook his head.
“No.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Then who?””
He swallowed.
“The cameras captured the face.””
He turned the tablet toward me.
The image appeared.
And I forgot how to breathe.
Because the person who stole Claire’s files…
the person who had been inside my hotel all night…
was someone I thought had been gone forever.
Someone who should never have been able to walk through those doors again.
My hands went cold.
Daniel whispered:
“Ethan…”
I stared at the screen.
Because the face looking back at me belonged to—
*my wife’s brother, Nathan.*
For two years, I had believed Nathan Parker was gone.
Not missing.
Not hiding.
Gone.
The world had a way of turning people into memories when enough time passed.
I remembered Nathan as Claire’s protective older brother.
The man who gave the worst speech at our wedding because he claimed he “wasn’t emotional,” then cried halfway through it.
The man who carried Lily around the house when she was born.
The man who told me, “If you ever hurt my sister, I’ll make you regret it.””
I used to laugh when he said that.
Because Nathan loved fiercely.
He protected the people he cared about.
But two years ago, after Claire’s death, Nathan disappeared.
No goodbye.
No explanation.
No funeral.
Just a note left behind saying he needed time away.
At least, that was what everyone told me.
Now he was standing inside my hotel.
Stealing files.
Connected to secrets surrounding Claire’s death.
I stared at the security image.
The man looked older.
Thinner.
His hair was longer.
But there was no mistaking him.
“Nathan.””
I whispered his name.
Daniel looked at me.
“You know him?””
I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.
“He was Claire’s brother.””
The room became silent.
Thomas looked uncomfortable.
Olivia looked down.
And that told me everything.
They knew.
They knew Nathan was alive.
They knew more than they had told me.
I turned slowly.
“Who else knew?””
Nobody answered.
My voice hardened.
“Who knew Nathan was here?””
Thomas looked away.
That was enough.
I stepped toward him.
“You knew.””
Thomas shook his head.
“You don’t understand.””
“I’m tired of hearing that.””
My voice echoed through the archive room.
“Everyone keeps telling me I don’t understand.””
I pointed toward the stolen folder.
“My wife tried to warn me.””
I pointed toward the security footage.
“Someone threatened my daughter.””
I looked at Thomas.
“And now I find out you knew her brother was alive?””
Thomas stayed silent.
Olivia finally spoke.
“Ethan…”
I turned to her.
“How long?””
Tears filled her eyes.
“Since before Claire died.””
The words hit like a physical blow.
Daniel looked at her.
“Excuse me?””
Olivia closed her eyes.
“I didn’t want this.””
“Then explain.””
She looked at the picture of Claire on the wall.
“She asked me for help.””
My breathing slowed.
“When?””
“Three weeks before the accident.””
The room felt colder.
“What kind of help?””
Olivia hesitated.
“She thought someone was following her.””
Nobody moved.
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Following her?””
She nodded.
“She didn’t know who. She only knew someone was trying to access foundation records.””
Daniel looked at the documents.
“The foundation.””
Olivia nodded.
“She discovered irregular payments.””
I looked at Thomas.
“The money.””
Thomas looked away.
Olivia continued.
“Claire believed someone was using the foundation to move money out of the company.””
“Who?””
She swallowed.
“I don’t know.””
I stared at her.
“Don’t lie to me.””
“I’m not.””
Her voice broke.
“I swear.””
I believed she was afraid.
But fear didn’t mean innocence.
I walked toward the table.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
Olivia looked devastated.
“Because Nathan told me not to.””
My entire body went still.
“Nathan?””
She nodded.
“He said Claire’s life was in danger.””
I looked at the security image again.
“Where is he now?””
Nobody answered.
Then Daniel’s phone rang.
He stepped away and answered.
A few seconds later, his face changed.
“What?””
He listened.
Then looked at me.
“Security found the vehicle.””
“Whose vehicle?””
He lowered the phone.
“Nathan’s.””
“Where?””
“Outside the west entrance.””
I moved immediately.
Daniel followed.
“Ethan, wait.””
But I was already walking.
Because after two years of questions, I finally had a chance to ask the person who might know the truth.
The west entrance was nearly empty.
Rain fell lightly.
The same rain that had followed me into the hotel earlier that night.
Security surrounded a black vehicle parked near the service area.
The door was unlocked.
Nobody inside.
I approached slowly.
“Did you find him?””
The security officer shook his head.
“No.””
I looked through the window.
The car was old.
Nothing like the luxury vehicles associated with the Grand Regent executives.
The passenger seat held a worn backpack.
Daniel opened the door carefully.