They Publicly Tore Up the Single Dad Invitation Not Knowing He Owned the Company Signing Their $1B
Chapter 5
The police arrived at the school within minutes.
The SUV was gone.
Lily was safe.
Daniel held her tightly when he arrived.
“Daddy.”
“I’m here.”
“Did I do something wrong?”
“No.”
“Then why is everyone scared?”
Daniel looked at her.
“Because sometimes grown-ups make bad decisions.”
Lily hugged him.
Victoria arrived shortly after.
She crouched beside Lily.
“You’re safe.”
Lily nodded.
“Thank you.”
Victoria looked at Daniel.
“This changes everything.”
Daniel knew what she meant.
The deal could be paused.
The investigation could widen.
The risk could increase.
Still, he refused to run.
That night, Victoria stayed at Daniel’s house until Lily fell asleep.
They sat quietly in the living room.
“You should hate me,” Victoria said.
Daniel looked confused.
“Why?”
“Because this started with my company.”
“No.”
“You wouldn’t be in danger if Sterling hadn’t pursued ColeFlow.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Danger doesn’t belong to one company.”
Victoria looked down.
“I’ve spent my whole life believing control was the same thing as safety.”
Daniel smiled faintly.
“It’s not.”
“What is?”
“Trust.”
Victoria looked at him.
“And you trust me?”
Daniel answered honestly.
“More than I should.”
She smiled.
“That’s probably the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
He laughed quietly.
Then the room became still.
Their eyes met.
Daniel moved closer.
Victoria didn’t step away.
They kissed.
It was gentle.
Unexpected.
And terrifyingly real.
When they separated, Daniel whispered:
“This is complicated.”
Victoria smiled.
“My life is complicated.”
“So is mine.”
“Then we’re even.”
The next morning, Daniel’s lawyers discovered another problem.
Blackridge Capital had obtained confidential information about ColeFlow’s proprietary algorithm.
Someone had sold it.
The leak came from inside ColeFlow.
Daniel was shocked.
He trusted his team.
One engineer in particular, Michael Grant, had worked beside him for four years.
Michael denied everything.
“I would never do that.”
Daniel believed him.
Then forensic investigators found a hidden payment account in Michael’s name.
Michael broke down.
“I didn’t leak anything.”
“Then why were you paid?”
“I don’t know.”
Daniel stared at the records.
The account had been opened using Michael’s identity.
Someone had framed him.
The real culprit was still hidden.
Then Daniel received a message from an unknown number.
You should have sold ColeFlow when you had the chance.
Another message arrived.
The billion-dollar deal will never happen.
Daniel deleted both.
Victoria saw his face.
“What happened?”
He showed her.
She stared at the screen.
“We need to move faster.”
“Agreed.”
The next forty-eight hours became a race.
Their investigation uncovered a chain of fake consulting firms.
A former Sterling executive.
Two outside lawyers.
A Blackridge strategist.
But the final link was missing.
Then Lily came home from school holding a folded piece of paper.
“Daddy?”
Daniel looked at it.
“What’s this?”
“Someone left it in my backpack.”
His blood turned cold.
He opened it.
Inside was a photograph of Emma.
On the back were four words.
You should have asked sooner.
Daniel stared at the picture.
Victoria came closer.
“Who is that?”
“My wife.”
“I know.”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“This photograph was taken before she died.”
There was a date written beneath it.
A date Daniel recognized.
A date that connected Emma to the company now trying to destroy his business.
