Billionaire CEO Goes Undercover—And Finds His Company’s Biggest Secret
Chapter 5
Nathan pulled the emergency release.
Nothing happened.
He tried the keypad.
Dead.
The intercom crackled again.
“You have no idea what you’ve uncovered.”
Nathan stepped back.
“Who are you?”
No answer.
Then the lights came back on.
The warehouse was empty.
The intercom went silent.
Nathan checked the doors.
One side door was unlocked.
He walked outside.
A black SUV sped away.
He couldn’t see the driver.
He returned to the apartment before dawn.
He didn’t sleep.
At seven, Daniel arrived.
“You look terrible.”
Nathan handed him the mother’s note.
Daniel read it.
“Your mother knew.”
“Yes.”
“And your father tried to stop Victor.”
“Apparently.”
“What about Claire?”
Nathan stared.
“I don’t know.”
Daniel hesitated.
“I might.”
Nathan looked up.
“What?”
“My source found a private medical record.”
“Whose?”
“Claire Miller.”
Nathan stood.
“Where is she?”
“Alive.”
He nearly collapsed with relief.
“Where?”
“Private recovery facility.”
“Why?”
“Someone attacked her.”
Nathan closed his eyes.
“Who?”
“We don’t know.”
They drove there.
Claire was lying in a hospital bed.
Bruised.
Exhausted.
But alive.
When she saw Nathan, tears appeared in her eyes.
“You came.”
“Yes.”
“I knew you’d come.”
Nathan sat beside her.
“Tell me everything.”
Claire looked at Daniel.
“Do you know who he is?”
“Yes.”
She nodded.
“Good.”
Then she looked at Nathan.
“Your company is running two sets of books.”
“I know.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You know about the money.”
“What else?”
“The second set isn’t for fraud.”
Nathan frowned.
“Then what?”
“Protection.”
“From who?”
“Your board.”
Nathan stared.
Claire continued.
“Your father created a hidden operation to protect employees who reported safety violations.”
Nathan blinked.
“What?”
“He knew Victor was manipulating reports.”
“So why didn’t he fire him?”
“Because Victor had evidence.”
“Of what?”
“Illegal financial activity.”
Nathan’s jaw tightened.
“Whose?”
“Your family’s.”
He stared.
Claire continued.
“Your grandfather’s original company was involved in bribery.”
Nathan closed his eyes.
His family history was even darker than he’d imagined.
“When your father discovered it, Victor used the information against him.”
“Blackmail?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t Dad go public?”
“He was afraid your family name would collapse.”
Nathan looked down.
“So he created the hidden trust.”
“And the protection system.”
Claire nodded.
“He started secretly paying employees who were willing to testify.”
“Then why were people still fired?”
“Because Victor took control.”
Nathan felt sick.
Claire reached for his hand.
“Your father was trying to undo the damage.”
“How?”
“Project Northstar.”
Nathan frowned.
“I thought that was the fraud.”
“It was supposed to be a legal restructuring.”
“To break Victor’s control.”
Nathan stared.
“What happened?”
“Your father died.”
Silence.
Claire looked away.
“After that, Victor took over.”
Nathan’s breathing became shallow.
“Was my father’s death an accident?”
Claire hesitated.
“I don’t know.”
That answer said enough.
Nathan stood.
“We need the original files.”
Claire nodded.
“I kept them.”
“Where?”
“My brother has them.”
“Your brother?”
“Sam Miller.”
Nathan remembered the name.
Sam had been on the termination list.
Officially, he had resigned.
But he hadn’t.
Claire gave Nathan an address.
Before he left, she called him back.
“Nathan.”
He turned.
“You’re not safe.”
“Why?”
“Because Victor knows you aren’t your father.”
Nathan frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Claire whispered,
“Your father was afraid of Victor.”
She paused.
“But Victor is afraid of you.”
