Chapter 3 - The File With My Father’s Name
The next morning, Roman had a security vehicle waiting outside my apartment.
“I can walk three blocks to work.”
“No.”
“I can take the train.”
“No.”
“I can take an Uber.”
“No.”
“You seem committed to one syllable.”
He looked at me.
“Get in.”
I got in.
“I don't like being treated like I'm fragile.”
“You're not fragile.”
“Then why am I being escorted?”
“Because you're important.”
The words made me look at him.
He looked straight ahead.
“To the company?”
“To me.”
I didn't answer.
Neither did he.
That silence followed us all the way to the office.
By noon, it had become impossible to ignore the shift between us.
He watched me more.
I noticed.
He noticed me noticing.
Neither commented.
Then an emergency board meeting was called.
I was not supposed to attend.
But Roman walked into my office.
“Bring your laptop.”
“Why?”
“Because I want you there.”
The boardroom was full.
Seven executives.
Two lawyers.
One representative from a private equity group.
And Luca.
The moment Roman entered, conversation stopped.
He sat.
I sat behind him.
The chief financial officer opened a folder.
“We have another discrepancy.”
Roman's expression hardened.
“How much?”
“Eleven million.”
The room went silent.
“From where?”
“Three subsidiary accounts.”
“Who authorized the transfers?”
The CFO swallowed.
“The approvals came from your office.”
Roman turned.
“My office?”
“Yes.”
I looked at the authorization page.
Something seemed wrong.
The signature was close to Roman's.
But not exact.
I leaned forward.
“May I?”
Roman handed me the paper.
I studied it.
Then looked at him.
“This isn't your signature.”
Everyone stared at me.
Luca laughed.
“Are you now a handwriting expert?”
“No.”
I pointed to the final stroke.
“Roman signs downward here.”
I showed them.
“This one curves up.”
The CFO frowned.
“People's signatures change.”
“Not when they use the same digital signature device.”
Roman's eyes sharpened.
“You're saying someone duplicated my authorization?”
“Yes.”
The lawyer looked concerned.
“That would require internal access.”
Roman slowly looked around the room.
Nobody moved.
He closed the folder.
“Meeting over.”
Everyone left except Luca.
Luca smiled.
“You trust her?”
Roman answered without looking at him.
“More than I trust you.”
Luca's smile vanished.
I stared at Roman.
He stood.
“Come with me.”
Back in his office, he closed the door.
“You should not have noticed that.”
“Why?”
“Because now you're involved.”
“I already was.”
He stared at me.
“Why are you protecting me?”
“Why wouldn't I?”
“Because you don't owe me anything.”
I laughed.
“I work for you.”
“That's not what I mean.”
He stepped closer.
“There are things about my world you don't understand.”
“Then explain.”
He looked away.
“I was raised in it.”
“In what?”
“Crime.”
I blinked.
He continued.
“My family built Vale Holdings with legitimate businesses. They also ran operations nobody could put on paper.”
“Are you saying the rumors are true?”
“Yes.”
My heart pounded.
“Are you a mafia boss?”
He did not flinch.
“Yes.”
I sat down slowly.
“I should quit.”
“Yes.”
“Would you let me?”
“No.”
I stared.
“That's not fair.”
“No.”
“You're admitting it?”
“Yes.”
I laughed nervously.
“Why?”
“Because you are the first person in years who talks to me like I'm human.”
The words silenced me.
Then there was a knock.
Arthur, head of security, entered.
“We found the source of the leak.”
Roman stood.
“Who?”
Arthur handed him a file.
Roman opened it.
His face became unreadable.
Then he handed it to me.
I read the page.
My breath stopped.
The name was mine.
Emma Carter.
Under it was my father's name.
Daniel Carter.
My hands began to shake.
“No.”
Roman stared at me.
“You know him?”
“He's my father.”
Arthur looked at Roman.
Roman's expression darkened.
“What did he do?”
“My father worked in finance.”
“For Vale Holdings?”
“I don't know.”
“He disappeared?”
I nodded.
“When I was twenty.”
“Why?”
“They told me he ran away.”
Roman looked at the file again.
“He didn't.”
My heart crashed.
“What?”
“He was investigating missing money in my father's organization.”
I could barely breathe.
“And?”
“He vanished.”
I stared at Roman.
“You think my father was killed?”
“I think he discovered something.”
“What?”
Roman hesitated.
“A ledger.”
The room went silent.
The same ledger Roman had mentioned before.
I stood.
“You think my father had it?”
“I think he may have.”
“Then why hire me?”
“I didn't know.”
“When did you learn?”
“Today.”
I shook my head.
“This is insane.”
Roman moved toward me.
“Emma.”
I backed away.
“Don't.”
He stopped.
“You're scared.”
“Yes.”
“Of me?”
“Of the truth.”
He said nothing.
I wiped my eyes.
“What happened to my father?”
“I don't know.”
“Then find out.”
“I will.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise.”
I looked at him.
For the first time, Roman's eyes looked less like a mafia boss's.
More like a man who had just realized someone had taken something from both of us.
That night, Roman drove me home himself.
When we reached my building, he walked me to the door.
“I can handle myself.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because I don't want you alone.”
I stared at him.
“Roman.”
“Yes?”
“Did you know my father?”
“No.”
“But your family did.”
“Yes.”
“Then I am not just your employee.”
“No.”
“What am I?”
He looked at me.
“I haven't figured that out.”
Before I could respond, the lights in my apartment building went out.
Roman grabbed my hand.
“Stay behind me.”
Three men appeared at the end of the hallway.
Roman's security moved instantly.
The fight was brief.
One attacker was captured.
The others escaped.
When the lights came back, Roman looked at me.
The man on the floor laughed.
“You're too late.”
Roman crouched beside him.
“Where is the ledger?”
The man smiled.
“Your assistant knows.”
I froze.
Roman looked at me.
“Why did he say that?”
The attacker's eyes moved toward me.
“Because her father gave it to her.”
I shook my head.
“I don't have anything.”
The man laughed again.
“You have no idea what your mother hid.”
My blood went cold.
“My mother?”
Then he bit down.
Arthur shouted.
But it was too late.
The man collapsed.
Dead.
Roman stood.
“Take her upstairs.”
I looked at him.
“Roman.”
“We're leaving.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“Who can I trust?”
He looked directly at me.
“For now?”
May you like
He took my hand.
“Me.”
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