A Man Saved a Female CEO’s Life One Night—Then Walked Into Her Company for an Interview the Very Next Morning
Chapter 6
Victoria ordered Ethan to stop investigating alone.
He agreed.
He didn’t listen.
The next morning, he arrived early.
He returned the keycard to security.
Then he checked access records.
Thomas’s card had been used at the loading dock at 1:17 a.m.
But Thomas had been at a charity dinner across town.
Security footage confirmed it.
Someone had copied his keycard.
Ethan immediately realized what that meant.
The attacker had access to sophisticated equipment.
Someone with knowledge of the security system.
Someone who wanted Thomas blamed.
He told Victoria.
She listened carefully.
“Then Thomas may not be the thief.”
“Maybe.”
“But he still benefits if I fail.”
“That doesn’t mean he ordered the attack.”
Victoria looked tired.
“You’re thinking like an investigator.”
“I spent four years managing warehouse operations.”
“Same thing.”
He smiled.
She did too.
For a moment, the tension disappeared.
Then Victoria asked,
“Do you ever regret saving me?”
Ethan looked at her.
“No.”
“Even after everything?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you were in trouble.”
Victoria looked away.
“I’ve spent my whole life believing I had to handle everything alone.”
“You don’t.”
She looked back.
“I know.”
Their relationship remained professional.
But something had changed.
Trust.
They began relying on each other.
Meanwhile, Ethan discovered another clue.
The fraudulent shipments were being paid through a subsidiary company.
The subsidiary belonged to Halston Technologies.
But its registered address led to an empty office.
He visited the address after work.
Inside, he found a locked room.
He called Marcus.
They entered together.
There were computers.
Hard drives.
Stacks of invoices.
And a wall covered with photographs.
Victoria.
Her father.
Thomas.
Several executives.
And Ethan.
His photograph had been added recently.
Marcus stared.
“Someone has been watching everyone.”
Ethan stepped closer.
A photograph showed Victoria entering the parking garage the night she was attacked.
Another showed Ethan walking toward his interview.
The timestamp was from the night before.
Ethan felt cold.
“They were watching me before I met her.”
Marcus nodded.
“That means the interview wasn’t a coincidence.”
Ethan stared at him.
“What?”
Marcus pointed to the photograph.
“Someone knew you were coming.”
Ethan’s mind raced.
His interview had been arranged weeks earlier.
The attacker couldn’t have known he’d save Victoria unless someone had been tracking him.
Unless…
Ethan checked his phone.
His interview confirmation had been sent from a recruitment account.
He contacted HR.
The account was real.
But the IP address was not from Halston.
It came from a private server.
Someone had altered the hiring system.
Someone had specifically arranged for Ethan to enter the building the morning after Victoria’s attack.
Victoria read the report.
Her face went pale.
“So you were planted.”
Ethan shook his head.
“No.”
“Then why would someone choose you?”
“I don’t know.”
Marcus looked at Ethan.
“Maybe they didn’t choose you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Maybe they knew Victoria would survive.”
Ethan stared.
Marcus continued.
“Maybe they wanted to see what you would do.”
The room fell silent.
Suddenly Ethan understood.
The attack might not have been designed to kill Victoria.
It might have been designed to create a connection between Victoria and a stranger.
A stranger who could later be manipulated.
And now Ethan had walked straight into the trap.
