She Fired the Single Dad—Then He Smiled and Said, “Check Who Owns This Building.” Everyone Froze!
Chapter 4
Ethan didn’t fire Melissa.
That surprised everyone.
Instead, he asked her to stay.
“Why?” she asked.
“Because you know how this company works.”
“I fired you.”
“Yes.”
“You should hate me.”
“I did.”
She looked at him.
“And now?”
“I don’t know.”
Melissa sat down.
“Then why keep me?”
Ethan looked at the financial reports.
“Because I need to know whether you were part of it.”
She swallowed.
“I wasn’t.”
“Then help me prove it.”
Melissa nodded.
Over the next three days, they reviewed everything.
Lease payments.
Property records.
Executive contracts.
Maintenance budgets.
Employee complaints.
Ethan discovered something strange.
The same departments that controlled property finances also controlled employee layoffs.
The company’s CFO, Victor Lang, had approved both.
He had been moving money out of the company while cutting workers.
Ethan looked at Melissa.
“Why didn’t anyone stop him?”
She hesitated.
“People tried.”
“Who?”
She showed him a list.
Four senior employees had raised concerns.
All four were gone.
Fired.
Transferred.
Retired early.
Ethan frowned.
“Who approved that?”
“Victor.”
Then Ethan found something else.
His own termination notice.
It was dated two months earlier.
But Melissa had signed it only yesterday.
“What is this?”
Melissa froze.
“I didn’t sign that.”
Ethan looked at the signature.
It was hers.
But slightly wrong.
Someone had forged it.
Victor hadn’t simply wanted Ethan gone.
He had planned it.
Long before Ethan knew he owned the building.
Charles walked in.
“We found another transfer.”
“What?”
“The tower’s insurance.”
Ethan frowned.
“What’s wrong with it?”
“The insurance company lists a different owner.”
“Who?”
“Lang Capital.”
Ethan looked at Melissa.
“Victor?”
“His family’s investment firm.”
Charles nodded.
“Victor has been preparing to sell the building.”
“When?”
“Tomorrow.”
Ethan stood.
“Can he?”
“No.”
“Then why is he trying?”
“Because he believes he owns enough of the company to force a sale.”
Ethan looked at the trust papers.
“He doesn’t know.”
“No.”
Charles smiled.
“That’s why you have the advantage.”
Ethan sat down.
He didn’t want an advantage.
He wanted answers.
“Tell me about my father.”
Charles hesitated.
“What?”
“Why did he hide all this?”
Charles looked out the window.
“Because your mother left him.”
Ethan froze.
“What?”
“Your mother didn’t leave because of another man.”
“She left because your father became obsessed with protecting the company.”
Ethan had always believed his mother died.
He had been told she passed away when he was twelve.
Charles corrected him.
“Your mother is alive.”
Ethan stood.
“What?”
“She has been living under another name for fourteen years.”
He stared.
“Why?”
“To stay away from the people who were trying to control your father’s company.”
Ethan couldn’t breathe.
Charles continued.
“She refused to sign away her trust.”
“She vanished.”
“Your father spent years trying to find her.”
“Did he?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t I know?”
“Because he believed you were safer believing she was gone.”
Ethan looked furious.
“My entire life is built on lies.”
Charles nodded.
“Your father believed the truth would destroy you.”
Ethan shook his head.
“It made me stronger.”
Charles smiled.
“I think he eventually realized that.”
Then he handed Ethan a photograph.
A younger Daniel Brooks.
A woman beside him.
And a little Ethan.
On the back:
One day, he will own the building.
Ethan stared.
Then he looked at Charles.
“Why did my father write that?”
Charles answered:
“Because he knew one day someone would tell you that you were nothing.”
Ethan folded the photograph.
“Who is the woman?”
Charles whispered:
“Your mother.”
