She Accidentally Sent Her Breakup Text to a Stranger—He Replied, “Don’t Send That Yet.”
Chapter 6
Emily couldn’t speak.
Daniel lowered the gun.
“You weren’t supposed to get hurt.”
“That doesn’t make this better.”
“I know.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“You manipulated her.”
“I had to.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re the only person who can expose them.”
“Who?”
Daniel looked toward the metal case.
“Project Horizon.”
Emily frowned.
“What is it?”
Daniel explained.
Seven years earlier, a group of financial executives had created a network of shell companies.
They moved money between corporations.
The scheme was enormous.
But it wasn’t ordinary fraud.
They were buying failing companies.
Then using hidden debt to control their assets.
Banks.
Transportation companies.
Hospitals.
Construction firms.
Small businesses.
They wanted power over entire industries.
Ethan’s father discovered it.
Daniel’s father was involved initially.
Then tried to leave.
Both men were threatened.
One disappeared.
The other staged his death.
Daniel had spent years trying to uncover the truth.
“But why me?”
Daniel looked at Emily.
“Because your mother worked for one of the banks.”
Emily froze.
“My mother?”
“She saw the transfers.”
“When?”
“Seven years ago.”
The year she met Daniel.
Her mother had discovered something strange in Emily’s name.
A trust.
Money.
Protection.
She had tried to move Emily away from the network.
But before she could, she died.
Emily stared.
“You’re saying my mother was killed?”
Daniel hesitated.
“I think so.”
Ethan looked furious.
“You should have told me.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“You wouldn’t have trusted me.”
“He was right,” Emily said.
Both men looked at her.
“I wouldn’t have.”
She took a breath.
“But I still don’t understand why you used me.”
Daniel lowered his eyes.
“I needed Ethan to care about you.”
Emily stared.
“And you knew he would?”
“I knew he’d respond to your message.”
Ethan’s face hardened.
“You knew her?”
Daniel nodded.
“I knew she was the one person whose message would make you stop.”
Emily looked at Ethan.
“What does that mean?”
He was silent.
Daniel answered.
“Because Ethan’s mother was friends with yours.”
Emily froze.
“Our mothers knew each other?”
“Yes.”
That explained the impossible coincidences.
The old photographs.
The names.
The protection.
The reason Ethan had reacted to her accidental message.
They had been connected long before they met.
Daniel continued:
“Your mother and Ethan’s mother were trying to expose Project Horizon.”
“What happened?”
“They failed.”
“Why?”
“Because someone inside the investigation betrayed them.”
Emily felt a chill.
“Who?”
Daniel looked at Ethan.
“His uncle.”
Ethan went still.
“My uncle died.”
“No.”
“He didn’t.”
Daniel looked at Emily.
“Neither did your mother.”
Emily’s breath caught.
“What?”
Daniel reached into his coat.
He handed her a photograph.
Emily looked down.
Her mother.
Alive.
Older.
Standing beside an unknown man.
Emily dropped the photograph.
“That was taken last year.”
Silence.
“She’s alive?”
Daniel nodded.
“She’s been hiding.”
“From whom?”
“Project Horizon.”
Emily turned to Ethan.
He looked shocked.
“I didn’t know.”
Daniel continued:
“Your mother has the missing evidence.”
“What evidence?”
“The names of the people who control everything.”
The warehouse door suddenly exploded inward.
Armed men entered.
Daniel shoved Emily behind him.
Ethan drew his weapon.
Gunfire erupted.
They ran.
Daniel stayed behind.
“Go!”
Emily looked back.
“Daniel!”
He shouted:
“Find your mother!”
The three of them disappeared into the night.
Emily looked at Ethan.
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
Daniel’s voice came through a phone.
“Boston.”
Then the line went dead.
Emily stared.
“My mother is in Boston.”
Ethan looked at her.
“Then we’re going.”
