Chapter 3 - The Man Who Was Supposed to LeaveThe next week became a blur.
Daniel moved into a guest suite at Renee's estate.
Not because he wanted luxury.
Because the security team insisted.
Lily stayed with Daniel's sister during school days.
Renee adored Lily.
She listened to her stories.
Helped her build a miniature electrical circuit.
And laughed when Lily announced:
“You're not really sick like Mom was.”
Renee froze.
Daniel looked at his daughter.
“Lily.”
“What?”
Renee smiled.
“It's okay.”
Lily continued drawing.
“You look better.”
Renee laughed softly.
“I'll take that as medical advice.”
One afternoon, Marcus returned.
Daniel was standing beside Renee when he entered the room.
Renee went pale.
“Why are you here?”
Marcus looked at Daniel.
“I heard you're getting married.”
“We're not.”
“Not yet.”
Marcus looked angry.
“You can't replace me.”
Renee stared at him.
“You left.”
“I was overwhelmed.”
“You disappeared.”
“I was scared.”
“So was I.”
Marcus lowered his voice.
“I made a mistake.”
Renee shook her head.
“You made a choice.”
He looked at Daniel.
“You think this guy loves you?”
Daniel stepped forward.
“That's enough.”
Marcus laughed.
“You're being paid.”
Renee's expression changed.
“How do you know?”
Marcus smiled.
“Because everyone knows.”
Daniel looked at Renee.
She had never told him the arrangement was public.
But apparently someone had leaked it.
Marcus walked away.
That evening, Renee asked:
“Do you regret taking the money?”
Daniel thought.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I know what it means.”
She looked at him.
“What?”
“To be abandoned when you're sick.”
Renee looked away.
“My father was the only person who never left.”
“What happened to him?”
“He died two years ago.”
“How?”
“Heart attack.”
Daniel remembered her earlier words.
“You think it wasn't natural.”
“I know it wasn't.”
She opened a drawer.
Inside was a file.
“My father was investigating someone.”
“Who?”
“Ethan.”
Daniel read the documents.
Money transfers.
Shell companies.
Private security invoices.
Then he saw a familiar company name.
A company that had hired his electrical firm months earlier.
Daniel stared.
“What?”
“This company.”
“What about it?”
“They installed electrical systems in one of Ethan's warehouses.”
Renee looked at him.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Daniel remembered something.
One of the warehouse panels had been tampered with.
He had reported it.
No one responded.
He suddenly understood.
Someone had been using industrial contractors to conceal something.
He called his old foreman.
“Do you remember the Sterling warehouse?”
“Of course.”
“Who signed off on the electrical inspection?”
Silence.
Then:
“Your name.”
Daniel's stomach dropped.
“I never signed it.”
His foreman sounded confused.
“The paperwork says you did.”
Daniel looked at Renee.
May you like
Someone had forged his signature.
And whoever had done it had access to Sterling Global.
Related Stories
