Chapter 2 - The Secret Her Father Left Behind Made Roman Question Everything He Knew About HerKhloe didn't sleep that night.
Neither did Roman.
By two in the morning, the penthouse had been emptied of all unnecessary staff.
By three, every security camera had been checked.
By four, Roman had learned that Oliver Harrington had vanished from every known address.
By five, someone had tried to access the household archives.
By six, Khloe had finally admitted the truth.
“My father hated your family.”
Roman sat across from her in his private office.
“So you've known about the Gallaghers for years.”
“I knew the name.”
“You work for me.”
“I didn't know who you were when I applied.”
“You knew afterward.”
“Yes.”
“And you stayed.”
Khloe swallowed.
“My mother needed the money.”
Roman studied her.
He had expected manipulation.
Instead, he saw shame.
“What did your father do?”
“Nothing illegal.”
Roman raised an eyebrow.
Khloe almost laughed.
“He was a mechanic.”
Roman blinked.
“A mechanic?”
“Yes.”
“Then why would my family care about him?”
“Because he fixed cars for people who did illegal things.”
Roman leaned back.
“And what did he find?”
Khloe looked down at her hands.
“Something.”
“What?”
“I don't know.”
“Then how do you know about it?”
“He told me once.”
“How old were you?”
“Eighteen.”
“And you remember the exact words?”
“I remember enough.”
Roman's voice softened.
“What did he say?”
Khloe closed her eyes.
“He said there was a ledger.”
Roman went completely still.
“What kind?”
“Names.”
“Whose names?”
“Everyone who owed someone.”
Roman stared.
The hidden Crown ledger.
He had spent years hearing rumors that such a thing existed.
A record of favors.
Payments.
Deals.
Secrets.
But he'd never seen it.
His father had always called it a myth.
“What else?”
Khloe continued.
“My father said several powerful families were fighting over it.”
“And the Gallaghers?”
“They wanted it.”
Roman rose.
“My family never had it.”
Khloe looked at him.
“My father said they did.”
“Who told him?”
“He didn't say.”
Roman paced.
Then stopped.
“Why did your father die?”
Khloe's face hardened.
“Car accident.”
“You don't believe that.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because he knew the brakes had been cut.”
Roman stared.
She finally looked at him.
“And before he died, he told me something else.”
“What?”
“Don't trust powerful men who say they can protect you.”
Roman's mouth tightened.
“That's unfortunately specific.”
Khloe looked down.
“He said one day someone would try to find me because I was the only person who knew where he hid the ledger.”
Roman took a breath.
“Do you know where it is?”
“No.”
“You're sure?”
“Yes.”
“Then why are they coming after you?”
Khloe looked at him.
“Maybe because they think I know.”
Silence.
Roman walked to the window.
For the first time, the danger around her became personal.
Not because of his empire.
Not because she lived in his home.
Because someone had been hunting her long before they met.
And now she was standing in the middle of his war.
Roman turned.
“You're leaving.”
Khloe stared.
“What?”
“You're leaving the penthouse.”
She laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means the minute I become a problem, you remove me.”
“You are not a problem.”
“Then what am I?”
Roman froze.
The question was too dangerous.
He had never allowed himself to answer it.
Before he could speak, the office door opened.
Adrienne Gallagher entered.
Roman's younger sister.
Elegant.
Confident.
And apparently furious.
“Tell me I heard this wrong.”
Roman sighed.
“Good morning to you too.”
“You're moving her?”
“Temporarily.”
Adrienne looked at Khloe.
“You don't have to go.”
Roman frowned.
“Adrienne.”
“She has nowhere safe to go.”
“I can arrange somewhere.”
“You mean somewhere you'll secretly monitor.”
Roman glared.
Adrienne smiled.
“You're predictable.”
Khloe almost smiled.
Then Adrienne walked toward her.
“Do you trust him?”
Khloe hesitated.
“Sometimes.”
Adrienne laughed.
“That's better than most people manage.”
Roman crossed his arms.
“Why are you here?”
“Because Oliver's not working alone.”
Roman's attention sharpened.
“What did you find?”
Adrienne placed a tablet on his desk.
“Three shell companies.”
Roman opened the file.
“All connected to one person.”
He frowned.
“Marcus Bell.”
Adrienne nodded.
“But there's another name.”
Roman looked.
His face changed.
Edward Carmichael.
Khloe went pale.
“That was my father.”
Roman stared at her.
His sister looked between them.
“Apparently your father was working for my family.”
Khloe whispered:
“No.”
Adrienne nodded.
“And apparently he stole something.”
The room became silent.
Roman looked at Khloe.
“What?”
She shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Adrienne's eyes narrowed.
“Maybe someone should finally ask what your father was stealing.”
Khloe looked toward the floor.
Her voice broke.
“He wasn't stealing.”
“Then what?”
“He was hiding it.”
Roman stared.
“From whom?”
May you like
Khloe finally answered.
“From your father.”
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