Chapter 3 - The Woman Who Knew Harrison’s Real Secret
We didn't sleep that night.
At 3:17 a.m., Roman received a call.
He listened without speaking.
Then he looked at me.
“Someone broke into one of Harrison’s storage facilities.”
“Did they find anything?”
“No.”
“Then why do you look worried?”
“Because they knew exactly where to look.”
I followed him downstairs.
A large map covered one wall of the security room.
Red markers covered New York.
I stared.
“What's all this?”
“Every place Harrison used.”
Roman placed another marker.
“This one was hit tonight.”
“Why?”
“They were looking for the same thing we are.”
“What?”
“The original ledger.”
I frowned.
“What ledger?”
Roman looked at me.
“The ledger that can destroy a network worth billions.”
I suddenly understood.
“And Harrison had it?”
“We believe so.”
“Does anyone else know?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Roman hesitated.
“Your husband’s former chief financial officer.”
We found her at dawn.
Her name was Evelyn Shaw.
She was staying in a hotel under a fake name.
When she saw me, she nearly cried.
“Chloe.”
“You know me?”
“I knew you were alive.”
I frowned.
“Alive?”
Evelyn looked at Roman.
“You haven't told her.”
“Told me what?”
Evelyn's hands trembled.
“Harrison told me not to say anything unless he disappeared.”
“He disappeared.”
She swallowed.
“Yes.”
“What did he tell you?”
“That you weren't his wife.”
I stared at her.
“What?”
She closed her eyes.
“Not at first.”
Roman stepped closer.
“Tell her.”
Evelyn nodded.
“When Harrison met you, he had already been investigating the Costa organization.”
Roman’s face remained unreadable.
“He was trying to steal information.”
“Why?”
“To protect himself.”
“From who?”
“His father.”
I froze.
“Harrison’s father?”
Evelyn nodded.
“Daniel Cole was supposed to be a businessman.”
“What do you mean supposed to be?”
“He built Cole Logistics using stolen shipping contracts.”
Roman's expression darkened.
“I knew Daniel.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“So did everyone.”
I stared between them.
“You knew my father-in-law?”
Roman nodded once.
“Years ago.”
“What happened?”
“He betrayed me.”
Evelyn continued.
“Daniel was involved in an alliance with several criminal families. When Harrison inherited the company, he tried to escape that world.”
I laughed bitterly.
“By creating another criminal empire?”
“He didn't have a choice.”
“There’s always a choice.”
Evelyn looked down.
“Not when they have someone you love.”
I went still.
“Who?”
She looked at my stomach.
“His younger sister.”
I stared.
“Harrison has no sister.”
“That's what you were told.”
A chill spread through me.
“Who is she?”
Evelyn whispered her name.
“Amelia.”
Roman suddenly turned.
“Amelia Cole died twelve years ago.”
“She didn't.”
Silence.
Evelyn pulled a photograph from her purse.
A teenage girl smiled at the camera.
I recognized the face.
Not because I'd met her.
Because Harrison had shown me that exact photograph.
It had always been tucked inside his wallet.
He called her his cousin.
My heart sank.
“That girl is alive?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“Harrison doesn't know.”
Then she gave us the truth.
Amelia had been taken by Daniel's former partners after Daniel tried to leave the criminal network.
For years, Harrison paid them.
Every transfer.
Every secret payment.
Every unexplained withdrawal.
My husband wasn't simply stealing money.
He was buying time.
But that didn't explain me.
“So why did Harrison marry me?”
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“Because they came for you.”
“Who?”
“The people who have Amelia.”
I felt cold.
“They knew Harrison loved you.”
I shook my head.
“He did love me.”
Evelyn's expression broke.
“He did.”
Roman stared at the floor.
“What did they demand?”
Evelyn took a breath.
“They wanted the ledger.”
“What ledger?”
“The one Harrison stole.”
I looked at Roman.
“Then why didn't he give it to them?”
“Because the ledger contains the names of the people who ordered Amelia’s kidnapping.”
“And?”
“He wanted to free her.”
My anger tangled with grief.
“So he used me.”
“Yes.”
“He lied to me.”
“Yes.”
“He put my name on illegal transactions.”
Evelyn lowered her eyes.
“Yes.”
“He offered me to Roman.”
Evelyn started crying.
“Yes.”
I stood.
“I don't care why.”
Roman watched me.
I turned to him.
“I want to find Amelia.”
“We will.”
“And Harrison.”
“We will.”
“And the people behind this.”
Roman nodded.
“But there's something you need to know.”
“What?”
“The ledger may not be the only evidence.”
“What is?”
Roman looked toward my belly.
“Your medical records.”
I frowned.
“My medical records?”
“The hospital where you were treated after the accident.”
“What about them?”
“There was a blood test.”
“What did it show?”
Roman's voice was low.
“It showed a genetic match.”
“To whom?”
He stared at me.
“Harrison.”
I blinked.
“That makes sense. He's the father.”
“No.”
Roman stepped closer.
“The match wasn't between you and Harrison.”
May you like
I felt my breath catch.
“It was between you and Amelia.”
