Single Dad Bought an Old Bakery after Losing Everything—Then the CEO Who Fired Him Walked In
Chapter 8
Daniel’s late wife had died four years earlier.
Her death had been ruled accidental.
A car crash.
Wet road.
Loss of control.
He had never questioned it.
Until Graham’s message.
He showed Victoria.
She immediately stopped smiling.
“Don’t answer.”
“I’m not.”
“Daniel, your wife’s death could be connected.”
He stared.
“What are you saying?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then how could it be connected?”
Victoria hesitated.
“Graham knew your personal history.”
“He worked at my company.”
“He shouldn’t have known that much.”
Daniel felt cold.
“Let’s find out.”
They contacted the detective who had handled the accident.
His name was Frank Miller.
He agreed to meet them.
When Daniel showed him the message, Frank frowned.
“I always disliked that case.”
“Why?”
“The brakes.”
Daniel stared.
“What about them?”
“They failed.”
“That’s what the report says.”
Frank shook his head.
“No.”
He opened an old file.
“The line had been damaged.”
Daniel’s heart pounded.
“Then why wasn’t it investigated?”
“Because someone from Hale & Mercer called.”
Victoria’s face went pale.
“Who?”
Frank handed her a document.
The name was Graham Pierce.
Silence.
Daniel sat back.
“My wife knew about the fraud.”
Victoria looked at him.
“How?”
Frank searched through his notes.
“Three days before the accident, she came to my office.”
“What did she say?”
“She told me Daniel was in danger.”
Daniel’s breathing stopped.
“Why?”
“Because she believed someone was using his work to steal company money.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
“She was trying to protect you.”
Daniel stared at her.
“And she was killed.”
Frank nodded.
Then he handed Daniel one final piece of evidence.
A recording.
Sarah’s voice.
Shaky.
Afraid.
“If anything happens to me, tell Daniel I loved him. And tell Victoria not to trust the chairman.”
Daniel covered his face.
Victoria looked devastated.
“My God.”
Daniel turned toward her.
“She knew you.”
“Yes.”
“You knew her?”
“Only once.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know she was investigating Graham.”
Daniel looked down.
The grief he had buried for years came back.
Victoria sat beside him.
He whispered,
“I thought I was the one who failed her.”
She shook her head.
“You didn’t.”
“What if I’d listened?”
“You didn’t know.”
“What if—”
She took his hand.
“You can’t punish yourself forever for something someone else did.”
His eyes filled.
Victoria leaned closer.
“I know what it feels like to live with guilt.”
He looked at her.
“Do you?”
“My father.”
“What about him?”
“He died believing he had failed me.”
Daniel stared.
“What happened?”
Victoria took a breath.
“Graham made sure I blamed myself.”
Then she looked at Daniel.
“Maybe that’s what he does.”
Daniel understood.
“He makes people carry his crimes.”
Victoria nodded.
“And then they destroy themselves.”
