She Thought She Was Saving a Homeless Old Man — Then She Discovered Why He Had Chosen Her
CHAPTER 3
Emily returned to the café expecting at least one normal thing in her life.
Instead, her manager met her at the door.
“Emily, we need to talk.”
Ten minutes later, she was fired.
No warning.
No explanation.
Just a cardboard box containing her belongings.
“You’re sorry?” Emily asked.
Her manager wouldn’t look at her.
“I’m sorry.”
“Who told you to do this?”
Silence.
Emily walked outside.
The black SUV was waiting across the street.
Her stomach tightened.
The driver’s window lowered.
But before she could see who was inside, another vehicle pulled up.
A long black sedan.
The rear door opened.
Arthur stepped out.
Emily stared.
He wasn’t wearing torn clothes.
He wore a perfectly tailored charcoal suit.
A silver watch gleamed beneath his cuff.
Two men in expensive suits followed him.
Arthur walked toward her.
“Emily.”
She laughed in disbelief.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Who are you?”
Arthur stopped.
“My full name is Arthur Reed.”
The name hit her like a physical blow.
Arthur Reed.
Billionaire.
Chairman of Reed Meridian Holdings.
Owner of hospitals, hotels, technology firms—and the café that had just fired her.
Emily’s mouth went dry.
“You’re him?”
“Yes.”
“You slept under a pharmacy awning.”
“Yes.”
“You let me spend my last twenty dollars on you.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
“You lied to me.”
“I hid the truth.”
“That is the same thing!”
Arthur lowered his voice.
“Not always.”
Emily stared at him.
“What do you want from me?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why did you choose me?”
Arthur looked toward the black SUV.
“Because your mother told me that if I ever found you, I would know.”
Emily’s anger faltered.
“What does that mean?”
Arthur took a breath.
“Your mother discovered corruption inside my company seventeen years ago.”
“She died.”
“Yes.”
“An accident.”
“No.”
Emily stopped breathing.
Arthur’s eyes met hers.
“Your mother’s death was not an accident.”
The world seemed to go silent.
“What are you saying?”
“Someone wanted her dead.”
“And you knew?”
“I suspected.”
“You suspected?”
Arthur’s expression broke.
“I was too late.”
Emily stepped backward.
“You knew my mother.”
“Yes.”
“You knew she was in danger.”
“Yes.”
“And you did nothing?”
“I tried.”
“Not hard enough.”
Arthur didn’t defend himself.
Perhaps because he knew she was right.
Then he said quietly:
“There is something else.”
Emily looked at him.
“Someone is trying to kill me.”
He paused.
“And because you helped me…”
His voice became almost a whisper.
“They may come for you next.”
