Chapter 3 - The Woman Grant Thought Was Ordinary Became Sebastian’s Greatest Asset
Elise did not tell Sebastian about the letter immediately.
She sat in the back of his car and stared at the envelope.
The city moved past the windows.
She kept thinking about the handwriting.
The same pressure.
The same angle.
The same strange flourish.
Someone wanted her to stop.
That meant she had found something real.
When they reached the Voss residence, Sebastian walked beside her.
“You're quiet.”
“I'm thinking.”
“Dangerous.”
She glanced at him.
“That sounded almost like a joke.”
“It wasn't.”
They entered through a side door.
The house was enormous.
Not flashy.
Old stone.
Dark wood.
Muted lighting.
Everything felt controlled.
Elise noticed a framed photograph in the hallway.
Sebastian as a child.
Standing beside a man she assumed was his father.
And beside them—
Elias Voss.
Her eyes stopped.
Sebastian noticed.
“What?”
She pointed.
“That's the same face.”
“Who?”
“The person in the archival photograph.”
“That is my grandfather.”
“No.”
Sebastian frowned.
“What?”
“He's younger.”
“Yes.”
“Not him.”
She stepped closer.
“Look at the jaw.”
Sebastian's eyes narrowed.
“That's him.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“It's not.”
Sebastian stared.
Elise continued.
“Your grandfather's left ear had a small scar near the upper edge.”
Sebastian looked at the photograph.
Then at her.
“You're sure?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Because I've seen the original photograph.”
“Where?”
“Your archive.”
He stared.
“You remember details like that?”
“Usually.”
His expression changed.
“You've been studying my family.”
“No.”
“Then why do you remember?”
“Because the scar was obvious in the original.”
She looked toward the photo.
“This version has been retouched.”
Sebastian approached.
He stared at it.
“You're saying someone edited my family's history.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
He went silent.
Then looked at her.
“How much can you remember?”
“Almost everything I read.”
He frowned.
“Almost?”
“I don't remember everything.”
“That's still unusual.”
Elise smiled.
“My grandmother called it inconvenient.”
Sebastian almost laughed.
Later that night, he gave her access to the archive.
Elise worked until two in the morning.
She found altered documents.
Crossed dates.
False signatures.
Fabricated ownership chains.
Every suspicious document had one thing in common.
A private investment company.
Mercer Holdings.
She froze.
Grant's family company.
Her heart sank.
She pulled another file.
Same company.
Another.
Same company.
Then a third.
Grant had told her his father had nothing to do with the Voss foundation.
He had lied.
Elise took photographs.
Then stopped.
She remembered something Grant had said six months earlier.
I just need access to their private donor list.
She had assumed he meant professionally.
Now she wasn't sure.
Sebastian entered.
“You found something.”
She turned the laptop toward him.
His face became unreadable.
“Mercer Holdings.”
“Yes.”
“How did your boyfriend get access to these?”
“He shouldn't have.”
Sebastian looked at her.
“Tell me everything.”
So she did.
Every strange assignment.
Every question Grant had asked.
Every time he had become irritated when she refused to share confidential information.
Every time he had taken her computer.
Every time he had asked about Sebastian's family.
By the end, Sebastian's jaw was tight.
“Why are you still with him?”
Elise looked down.
“That's complicated.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
He waited.
“My father died when I was young.”
Sebastian said nothing.
“My mother became ill. My grandmother raised me. Grant was the first person who made me feel safe.”
“That changed.”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“When he got ambitious.”
Sebastian's voice softened.
“You don't owe loyalty to someone who only loved your usefulness.”
Elise looked at him.
“That sounds personal.”
“It is.”
She waited.
“My father taught me that people stay when you are useful.”
Elise frowned.
“And when you're not?”
“They leave.”
She understood.
Perhaps that was why he had been so interested in her.
Two people with different lives.
Same wound.
A knock interrupted them.
One of Sebastian's men entered.
“We found Grant.”
Elise's stomach dropped.
“Where?”
“At Mercer Holdings.”
“What is he doing?”
The man hesitated.
“Meeting with Vivian Voss.”
Sebastian's expression changed.
He looked at Elise.
She whispered,
“Your sister.”
“Yes.”
The evidence on the table suddenly looked different.
Vivian had been testing Elise.
Grant had access to Mercer Holdings.
Someone had forged the Voss family records.
And both Grant and Vivian were meeting in secret.
Sebastian picked up his coat.
“Elise, stay here.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“This is not a discussion.”
“I know.”
“Then listen.”
She walked toward him.
“Someone has been threatening me because I found the documents.”
“Yes.”
“They used Grant's company name.”
“Yes.”
“And I want to know whether Grant is involved.”
“He probably is.”
“Probably isn't enough.”
Sebastian stared at her.
“You want certainty.”
“Yes.”
“Then you stay with me.”
She hesitated.
“Why?”
“Because if you're right, the people you're investigating already know about you.”
Elise swallowed.
“Fine.”
The meeting took place at an abandoned office building.
Sebastian and Elise watched from across the street.
Grant arrived first.
Vivian joined him.
They spoke for twenty minutes.
Then a third man entered.
Elise raised the binoculars.
She froze.
“I know him.”
“Who?”
“The man from my apartment.”
Sebastian took the binoculars.
His expression hardened.
“His name is Daniel Cross.”
“Who is he?”
“Vivian's chief security consultant.”
Elise stared.
Then she noticed something.
Daniel handed Grant a black folder.
Grant handed him a flash drive.
Vivian looked around.
Something wasn't right.
Sebastian whispered,
“We're leaving.”
“Why?”
“Because this meeting is bait.”
Too late.
The lights around them switched on.
Cars appeared at both ends of the street.
Sebastian grabbed Elise.
“Run.”
They sprinted toward the alley.
Gunfire cracked behind them.
Elise stumbled.
Sebastian caught her.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
“Keep moving.”
They reached the car.
Sebastian pushed her inside.
He got in after her.
The driver accelerated.
Elise was breathing hard.
Sebastian looked at her.
“Still think Grant might be innocent?”
She stared out the window.
“No.”
Then she whispered,
“I think he knows exactly what he is doing.”
May you like
Sebastian's hand tightened around his phone.
“Then we're going to find out how much.”
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