She Was Fired for Helping a Homeless Stranger — The Next Day He Walked In as the Owner
Chapter 6
Emma brought the envelope to Jonathan immediately.
He read it twice.
“You’re not scared?”
“I am.”
“Good.”
She frowned.
“Good?”
“Fear means you’re taking the threat seriously.”
He placed the note into a plastic sleeve.
“Do not respond.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Find out who sent it.”
He called corporate security.
Within an hour, access logs were being reviewed.
Cameras were checked.
Employee badges were examined.
Nothing.
The sender had timed it perfectly.
That night, Jonathan stayed at the hotel.
Emma was surprised.
“You’re sleeping here?”
“For now.”
“Because of the threat?”
“Because whoever sent it knows we’re investigating.”
He paused.
“And I don’t want you walking to your car alone.”
Emma smiled.
“I can take care of myself.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
Jonathan looked at her.
“Because I still worry.”
The words caught her off guard.
She looked away.
“That’s not very professional.”
“Neither was buying a hotel because a woman gave me coffee.”
Emma laughed.
The tension broke.
But only briefly.
At midnight, Claire called Emma.
“I need to talk.”
“Where?”
“Basement level three.”
Emma hesitated.
“Now?”
“Yes.”
She went downstairs.
Claire was waiting beside the laundry room.
“I found the records,” she whispered.
“Where?”
“Storage room seventeen.”
Emma followed her.
Behind several old linen carts was a locked cabinet.
Claire opened it.
Inside were folders.
Payment records.
Bank transfers.
Copies of contracts.
And a list of hotel executives receiving secret commissions.
Emma recognized several names.
Then she saw one that made her stop.
Richard Blake.
She looked at Claire.
“Who is he?”
Claire’s face went pale.
“Jonathan’s older brother.”
Emma froze.
“What?”
“That’s why I didn’t tell you earlier.”
“You said Patricia wasn’t working alone.”
“She wasn’t.”
Claire pointed at the documents.
“Richard created the system.”
Emma picked up another page.
The payments went back nearly three years.
“Does Jonathan know?”
“I don’t think so.”
Emma’s stomach tightened.
Before she could say anything, footsteps sounded outside.
Claire whispered.
“Someone’s coming.”
The basement door opened.
A man’s shadow appeared.
Claire turned off the light.
Emma and Claire hid behind the carts.
The footsteps stopped.
Then the man spoke.
“I know you’re in here.”
Emma recognized the voice.
One of the hotel’s senior executives.
He was part of Jonathan’s new leadership team.
Claire grabbed Emma’s hand.
The door opened wider.
Emma held her breath.
Then suddenly the emergency alarm began ringing.
The man ran.
Emma stepped into the hallway.
The alarm stopped.
She looked at Claire.
“What happened?”
Claire shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
Emma looked at the files in her hands.
Now she knew one thing.
The corruption went much higher than Patricia.
And Jonathan’s own brother might be at the center of it.
