Single Dad Sat Alone at the Bar—Then His Cold CEO Boss Smiled and Asked, “Will You Buy Me a Drink?”
Chapter 9
They traveled to the small town where Daniel’s wife had died.
Her name had been Sarah.
She and Daniel had been married for eight years.
Their marriage had ended emotionally long before her death.
They had argued.
They had grown apart.
But Daniel had never imagined murder.
He had always believed she lost control of her car on a wet road.
The police had ruled it an accident.
A retired detective agreed to meet them.
His name was Frank Miller.
He remembered the case immediately.
“Sarah Brooks.”
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.”
Frank looked uncomfortable.
“I always had questions.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I tried.”
Daniel frowned.
“Nobody contacted me.”
Frank sighed.
“Someone at the company told me the case needed to stay quiet.”
Victoria leaned forward.
“Who?”
“Your chairman.”
Silence.
Daniel’s fists tightened.
“What did Graham do?”
Frank pulled out an old folder.
“The brakes were damaged.”
Daniel stared.
“What?”
“The report said mechanical failure.”
Frank shook his head.
“I didn’t believe it.”
Victoria looked at the photographs.
The brake line had been cut.
Not broken.
Cut.
Daniel’s eyes filled.
“My God.”
Frank continued.
“Three days before the accident, Sarah came to me.”
“Why?”
“She said someone was following her.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Did she say who?”
“No.”
Frank handed him a note.
“She left this.”
Daniel opened it.
Three words.
Ask Victoria Hale.
He looked up.
Victoria had gone completely pale.
“I didn’t know.”
Daniel stared at her.
“What did she know about you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why leave my wife your name?”
Victoria shook her head.
“We need the rest of the file.”
Frank opened another envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
Sarah standing outside Hale & Mercer headquarters.
Beside her was a man Daniel recognized.
Graham Pierce.
But there was something else.
Victoria was standing with them.
Daniel looked at the photograph.
He felt betrayed.
“You knew my wife.”
Victoria stared.
“I don’t remember this.”
Daniel’s voice hardened.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I do.”
She looked at the photograph again.
“That was thirteen years ago.”
“Before I met you.”
“Yes.”
“And you never told me.”
“Because I didn’t know.”
Daniel turned away.
His phone buzzed.
Another message.
Ask her about the night Sarah begged her for help.
Daniel looked back.
Victoria’s face changed.
She remembered.
Just not everything.
“I…”
She swallowed.
“There was a woman.”
Daniel waited.
“She came to my father’s office.”
“When?”
“Thirteen years ago.”
“Was it Sarah?”
Victoria nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
“Why did she come?”
Victoria looked at him.
“She said she had discovered something about Graham.”
