She Helped a Homeless Stranger… Not Knowing He Was a Billionaire in Disguise
Chapter 5
Nathaniel moved Olivia into a secured office the next morning.
She hated it.
“I’m not a prisoner.”
“I know.”
“Then why do I have a security guard outside?”
“Because someone threatened you.”
“I can handle myself.”
“I know.”
“Then remove him.”
“No.”
Olivia glared at him.
Nathaniel almost smiled.
“You remind me of my sister.”
“You have a sister too?”
“Had.”
The smile disappeared.
“She died when we were young.”
Olivia immediately regretted asking.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
He looked down.
“It happened a long time ago.”
But Olivia could tell it still hurt.
They spent the day tracing Blackridge Advisory.
The company was registered to an address in Delaware.
The address belonged to a mailbox service.
The bank account was offshore.
Nathaniel’s investigators had tried to trace it.
Every trail ended.
Olivia noticed something the investigators had missed.
“Look.”
She pointed to a payment.
“These transfers happen on Fridays.”
“So?”
“Not every Friday.”
She highlighted the dates.
“Only Fridays before major acquisitions.”
Nathaniel leaned closer.
“Someone is using Blackridge to move money before deals.”
“Exactly.”
He looked at her.
“You’re good.”
“I know.”
He laughed.
For the first time, Olivia saw him relax.
Then a woman entered.
Sophia Cross.
Nathaniel’s younger sister.
She was elegant, confident, and visibly angry.
“You hired her?”
Nathaniel stood.
“Yes.”
Sophia looked at Olivia.
“She knows?”
“Enough.”
Sophia turned to her brother.
“You’re making a mistake.”
Nathaniel frowned.
“Why?”
“Because people like her don’t belong in this world.”
Olivia felt her face heat.
“What world?”
Sophia looked at her.
“The world where everyone has a price.”
Olivia smiled.
“Then maybe your brother hired me because I don’t.”
Sophia stared.
Nathaniel almost laughed.
But Sophia didn’t.
She left.
Later, Olivia asked:
“Is she involved?”
“I don’t know.”
“You really don’t trust your own family.”
Nathaniel sighed.
“My father taught me something.”
“What?”
“Never assume blood makes someone loyal.”
That evening, Olivia went home.
She noticed a black sedan parked across the street.
She entered her apartment.
Five minutes later, someone knocked.
Olivia froze.
“Who is it?”
Silence.
Then:
“Delivery.”
“I didn’t order anything.”
The person walked away.
Olivia waited.
Then looked through the peephole.
Nobody.
She opened the door.
A small envelope sat on the floor.
Inside was a photograph.
It showed Nathaniel standing beside her at the diner.
On the back:
You were supposed to stay out of this.
Olivia immediately called Nathaniel.
He answered before the first ring ended.
“What’s wrong?”
She sent him the photograph.
He was silent.
Then:
“Don’t leave your apartment.”
“I have to go to work tomorrow.”
“No.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re taking the day off.”
“I don’t take orders from billionaires.”
“Olivia.”
His voice was different.
Not commanding.
Afraid.
“I’m serious.”
She sat down.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
Nathaniel hesitated.
Then said:
“Three years ago, someone tried to kill me.”
Olivia’s stomach tightened.
“What?”
“My car was sabotaged.”
“Who?”
“I never found out.”
“And you think this is connected?”
“I know it is.”
“How?”
“Because the same photograph was sent to me.”
Olivia looked at the picture.
“You think they’re going to hurt me.”
Nathaniel said quietly:
“I think they’re willing to hurt anyone who gets between them and the money.”
She stared at the photograph.
Then she said:
“I’m still coming to work.”
Nathaniel sighed.
“Why?”
“Because now I want to know who they are.”
There was silence.
Then Nathaniel said:
“Okay.”
A pause.
“But from now on, you don’t walk anywhere alone.”
Olivia smiled faintly.
“Deal.”
Neither of them noticed the black sedan leaving her street.
Inside it sat Ethan Blake.
And he was holding another photograph.
This one showed Nathaniel and Olivia leaving the diner together.
