She Fired the Single Dad—Then He Smiled and Said, “Check Who Owns This Building.” Everyone Froze!
Chapter 8
Ethan ordered a private audit.
The payment traced to a senior executive.
Jonathan Pike.
Jonathan had worked at Grantstone Holdings for twenty-five years.
He had also served on Daniel Brooks’s board.
Ethan confronted him privately.
“Why did you pay Robert Grant?”
Jonathan stared.
“I didn’t.”
“Your account did.”
“My account was compromised.”
“By whom?”
“I don’t know.”
Ethan placed another file on the table.
“Then explain this.”
A security report.
Jonathan had entered the building the night before Daniel’s death.
Jonathan’s face turned pale.
“I was meeting your father.”
“About what?”
“He wanted me to resign.”
“Why?”
“Because he knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That Victor was stealing.”
Ethan stared.
“Then why didn’t you tell anyone?”
Jonathan lowered his head.
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of Victor?”
“Yes.”
“What did he threaten?”
“My daughter.”
Ethan was silent.
Jonathan continued.
“He told me he would destroy her life.”
“Did you help kill my father?”
“No.”
“You were there.”
“Yes.”
“Then what happened?”
Jonathan closed his eyes.
“I warned your father.”
“About what?”
“Robert.”
Ethan frowned.
“He’s alive.”
Jonathan nodded.
“He was working with Victor.”
“Why?”
“He wanted his company back.”
“Grantstone?”
“Yes.”
“And the building?”
“Everything.”
Ethan realized the scale.
Robert Grant had helped create the empire.
Daniel Brooks had eventually taken control.
Robert believed Daniel had stolen his legacy.
Victor turned that resentment into a weapon.
But then Jonathan said something unexpected.
“Robert wasn’t the one who killed your father.”
“Who was?”
Jonathan whispered:
“Samuel Cole.”
Ethan froze.
The chief of security.
The man who had access to everything.
The man in the warehouse photos.
Ethan asked:
“Why?”
Jonathan shook his head.
“Because Samuel wasn’t working for Victor.”
“Then who?”
Jonathan looked at him.
“Your father.”
Ethan stared.
“What?”
“Samuel was protecting him.”
“Then why would he kill him?”
Jonathan’s eyes filled with tears.
“He didn’t.”
Silence.
“Samuel staged the crash.”
Ethan’s face hardened.
“Why?”
“To make everyone believe Daniel was dead.”
“What?”
Jonathan explained.
Daniel had discovered a deeper network.
Someone outside the company wanted to destroy both families.
Samuel helped him fake his death.
But something went wrong.
The crash became real.
Daniel died.
Samuel disappeared because he believed Victor would kill him too.
Ethan couldn’t breathe.
“My father wasn’t trying to escape.”
“No.”
“He was investigating.”
“Yes.”
“Then who is the real enemy?”
Jonathan hesitated.
“Someone who was never supposed to inherit anything.”
Ethan looked at the documents.
A name appeared.
Richard Brooks.
Ethan stared.
“Who is that?”
Jonathan said nothing.
Charles entered.
He looked at the name.
Then slowly sat down.
“You need to hear this from me.”
“What?”
“Richard was your father’s older son.”
Ethan froze.
“I don’t have a brother.”
“You did.”
“What happened?”
“He disappeared as a teenager.”
“Why?”
“Because Daniel believed he was dangerous.”
Ethan stared.
His entire family history seemed to be built on secrets.
Then Charles added:
“Richard has been using the name Robert Grant.”
Ethan stood.
“Robert isn’t Robert.”
“No.”
“He’s my brother.”
“Yes.”
Ethan looked at the photograph.
The man he had been searching for all along wasn’t outside the family.
He was inside it.
