Chapter 3 - The Missing Drive Revealed Why Sonia’s Father Had Been Lying About Daniel for Five YearsThe next morning, Sonia was sitting in a hotel suite with her father's attorney.
Joseph had been awake all night.
The lawyer arrived at eight.
His name was Alan Reed.
He looked at Sonia.
Then at Joe.
“We have a problem.”
Sonia almost laughed.
“That seems to be the family theme.”
Alan opened a folder.
“Your father's trust becomes fully activated when you turn thirty-five.”
Sonia frowned.
“I'm thirty-one.”
“Yes.”
“Then why does everyone suddenly care?”
“Because someone believes you can trigger a provision early.”
“What provision?”
Alan looked at Joe.
“Control.”
“Of what?”
“Everything.”
Sonia stared.
Her father's companies.
His properties.
His investments.
His private holdings.
The trust was worth more than fifty million dollars.
But money wasn't the reason someone wanted it.
The trust controlled voting shares in a company called Lane Global.
And Lane Global controlled access to a private logistics network.
That network had contracts with ports.
Warehouses.
Shipping companies.
Government contractors.
It was valuable because it connected people.
Information.
Money.
Assets.
Sonia whispered,
“Daniel found it.”
“Yes.”
“What did he do?”
“He tried to expose the corruption.”
“And Dad?”
“He tried to stop him.”
“Why?”
Alan sighed.
“Because your father was afraid.”
“Of who?”
“Richard Mercer.”
Sonia knew the name.
A powerful investor.
The man behind Mercer Holdings.
The same man connected to the old warehouse.
She turned toward Joe.
“Your enemy.”
“Yes.”
“What does he want?”
“He wants your signature.”
Sonia looked down.
“Why?”
“Because if you sign away your voting rights, he controls the trust.”
“What happens to my father?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“Whether he survives the scandal.”
The words stopped her.
“What scandal?”
Alan placed a newspaper on the table.
ROBERT LANE ACCUSED OF FINANCIAL FRAUD.
Sonia stared.
The article claimed Robert had manipulated property valuations.
Used shell companies.
Hidden assets.
Everything her father had spent decades avoiding publicly.
She shook her head.
“It's fake.”
Alan didn't answer.
Joe did.
“Some of it isn't.”
Sonia looked at him.
“You believe my father committed fraud?”
“I believe someone used your father's name to do things.”
“That doesn't answer me.”
Joe's voice softened.
“Your father made mistakes.”
“What mistakes?”
“He trusted the wrong people.”
Sonia looked at the photograph on the table.
Robert.
Daniel.
Herself.
A family.
A lie.
That afternoon, Robert finally agreed to speak to her.
He was sitting alone in the company's private conference room.
He looked older than yesterday.
“Sonia.”
“Dad.”
He looked at Joe.
“Leave us.”
Joe did.
Sonia sat across from him.
“Did you sign those documents?”
Robert sighed.
“Some.”
“Were they yours?”
“No.”
She closed her eyes.
“Who forged them?”
“Richard.”
“Why?”
“Because I refused to give him control.”
“Then why did Daniel disappear?”
Robert looked away.
“I thought I could handle it.”
“Handle what?”
“The threat.”
“What threat?”
“Daniel found evidence.”
“What evidence?”
“Enough to put powerful people in prison.”
“Then why not take it to the police?”
Robert laughed bitterly.
“You think powerful people can't reach the police?”
Sonia stared.
“You should have told me.”
“I was protecting you.”
“You've been saying that for five years.”
“I know.”
“Where is Daniel?”
Robert's eyes filled.
“I don't know.”
“You haven't seen him?”
“I saw him once.”
“When?”
“Six months after he disappeared.”
Sonia froze.
“What?”
Robert nodded.
“Someone sent me a video.”
“Was he alive?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
“Dad.”
“He said one thing.”
“What?”
“Tell Sonia not to trust the man with the scar.”
Sonia went cold.
She looked toward the door.
Joe's scar.
The same shoulder.
The man who had found her.
The man who had brought her here.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Robert's face crumpled.
“Because I didn't know if he was the man Daniel meant.”
Sonia stood.
Her father whispered,
“Don't leave.”
She looked at him.
“What am I supposed to do?”
“Stay away from him.”
She walked out.
Joe was waiting.
She stopped.
“My father says Daniel told him not to trust the man with the scar.”
Joe went completely still.
Then he rolled down his sleeve.
A second scar was visible.
Older.
Deep.
Sonia stared.
“What happened?”
Joe looked at her.
“I have two scars.”
“One is from Daniel's kidnapping.”
“And the other?”
Joe hesitated.
“My brother.”
“Why?”
“Because he was working for Mercer.”
Sonia's heart sank.
“You were connected to them.”
“I was.”
“Were you?”
“No.”
“Joe.”
He reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a photograph.
His younger brother stood beside Richard Mercer.
And Daniel.
Sonia stared.
“My brother knew them.”
“Yes.”
“Then why should I trust you?”
“You shouldn't.”
He looked directly at her.
“But if you don't, Daniel dies.”
She froze.
“What?”
Joe took out his phone.
A message had arrived.
She's asking the right questions. Bring her to the warehouse tomorrow.
Below it was a photograph.
Daniel.
Alive.
Older.
Thin.
But unmistakable.
Sonia dropped the phone.
May you like
Her brother was alive.
And someone wanted her to know.
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