Chapter 2 - The First Crack in Serena’s Story
By 9 the next morning, Gabriel had ordered every Mercer account searched.
Every shipment.
Every vehicle.
Every employee.
Every phone number connected to his organization.
The numbers pointed in 3 different directions.
Victor Kovalenko.
An offshore company.
And a private foundation.
The foundation belonged to Gabriel.
Naomi had been right.
Someone had been moving money through it.
Gabriel sat in his office reading the transactions when Serena entered.
“You found something?”
“Maybe.”
She placed a folder on his desk.
“What?”
“Naomi’s bank records.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Why did you pull those?”
“You asked me to prove what happened.”
Gabriel opened the folder.
Small transfers appeared over the last 6 months.
Some to charities.
Some to private accounts.
One to a company called Vale Harbor Consulting.
“What's this?”
Serena shrugged.
“Victor’s people use it.”
Gabriel stared.
“How much?”
“Almost 800,000.”
His face hardened.
“Why didn't you show me this last night?”
“I was trying to verify it.”
He looked at her.
“Who verified it?”
“A contact inside Victor’s organization.”
Gabriel leaned back.
“That sounds convenient.”
Serena's mouth tightened.
“You're doubting me now?”
“I’m questioning everything.”
She smiled sadly.
“You should.”
Gabriel looked down again.
The account had Naomi's authorization signature.
But something bothered him.
Her signature was wrong.
Not obviously wrong.
The letters were correct.
The slant was correct.
But Naomi always crossed her lowercase t with an exaggerated stroke.
This one did not.
Gabriel's eyes narrowed.
“Who signed this?”
“Naomi.”
“No.”
Serena looked surprised.
“Yes.”
“She doesn't sign like this.”
Serena hesitated.
Gabriel saw it.
“You know she doesn't.”
“I may have been mistaken.”
“Get me the original.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
She left.
Gabriel picked up the phone.
“Marcus.”
His chief accountant answered.
“Boss?”
“Freeze the Vale Harbor transfers.”
“Already done.”
“By whom?”
There was a pause.
“Your sister.”
Gabriel's eyes narrowed.
“Who gave her authority?”
“You did.”
“When?”
“Yesterday afternoon.”
Gabriel remembered.
He had authorized Serena to examine the accounts.
But not to freeze them.
“Send me the authorization log.”
Minutes later, the log arrived.
Gabriel's signature appeared.
Digital.
Perfect.
Too perfect.
Because Gabriel had been in a board meeting when that authorization supposedly occurred.
He had never signed it.
Someone had cloned his credentials.
His suspicion deepened.
He called Rafael, his security chief.
“I need every access attempt from yesterday.”
Rafael brought the report personally.
“Three unauthorized entries.”
“Where?”
“Your office.”
“Who?”
The first badge belonged to Naomi.
The second to Serena.
The third was unregistered.
Gabriel stared.
“Show me the camera.”
Rafael activated the footage.
Naomi entered at 3:14.
She carried documents.
She left at 3:27.
Serena entered at 3:41.
She left at 3:58.
Then, at 4:13, someone entered wearing a maintenance uniform.
His face was covered.
Gabriel leaned forward.
“Freeze it.”
The man passed directly beneath the camera.
His left wrist was visible.
A black watch.
Gabriel recognized it.
“That's Victor's head of security.”
Rafael nodded.
“But Victor wasn't in the building.”
“Then someone let his man in.”
Gabriel looked at the first footage again.
Naomi.
Then Serena.
Then the unknown man.
One question formed.
What did Serena find?
He ordered the hotel logs from the night before.
The camera showed Naomi leaving the dining room after the argument.
She never returned to his office.
Serena did.
Gabriel watched.
Again.
And again.
Then he noticed something.
Serena was carrying the same folder she had given him that morning.
Meaning the evidence against Naomi had been in Serena's possession before the confrontation.
Gabriel felt something cold settle into his chest.
He called her.
“Come downstairs.”
She entered ten minutes later.
“What happened?”
Gabriel placed the folder on the table.
“Where did you get this?”
“I told you.”
“Try again.”
“Gabriel…”
“You had this yesterday.”
“Yes.”
“Before the confrontation.”
“Yes.”
“Before you played the audio.”
She nodded.
“Then explain why you waited.”
Serena looked at him.
“Because I needed certainty.”
He stared.
“That isn't an answer.”
“It is.”
“Where did the recording come from?”
“I told you.”
“Who gave it to you?”
She went silent.
Gabriel stood.
“Serena.”
Her face hardened.
“A source.”
“Name.”
“I won't expose them.”
“Then you're protecting someone.”
“No.”
“You're lying.”
She looked wounded.
“You think I'd betray you?”
“I don't know.”
She stepped closer.
“You're becoming paranoid.”
Gabriel said nothing.
She reached for his hand.
He withdrew.
The movement hurt her.
But something else bothered him.
Serena's fingers were trembling.
Fear.
Not anger.
Fear.
“Leave.”
She turned.
“Gabriel.”
“Leave.”
When she was gone, Rafael spoke.
“You believe Naomi?”
Gabriel stared at the floor.
“I don't know.”
“Then why question Serena?”
“Because Naomi's evidence is too perfect.”
Rafael nodded.
“Someone wanted you to see it.”
Gabriel looked toward the nursery.
“And they knew exactly what would make me doubt her.”
That afternoon, Gabriel went to the apartment where Naomi was staying.
She opened the door.
For a moment, neither spoke.
He saw her hand instinctively settle beneath her stomach.
“You shouldn't be here.”
“I know.”
“Why did you come?”
“To apologize.”
She laughed bitterly.
“You're sorry?”
“Yes.”
“For believing your sister?”
He swallowed.
“Yes.”
Naomi looked at him for a long time.
“Why now?”
“Because some of the evidence doesn't match.”
Her eyes hardened.
“So I'm innocent because you found paperwork that doesn't line up?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Because I found something else.”
He showed her the authorization log.
She stared.
“I didn't do that.”
“I know.”
She looked up.
“You do?”
“I believe you didn't.”
The words nearly broke her.
Tears filled her eyes.
“You have no idea what that means to me.”
Gabriel stepped closer.
“Naomi…”
She took 1 step back.
He stopped immediately.
“I need time.”
“I'll give you time.”
“And space.”
“Yes.”
“And Gabriel…”
“What?”
“If you're serious about finding the truth, don't protect me.”
He frowned.
“Don't hide evidence because it hurts me.”
He nodded.
“Show me everything.”
“I will.”
She closed the door.
Gabriel walked away.
For the first time, he realized something important.
Winning Naomi back would not come from promising love.
It would come from proving truth.
That night, Gabriel entered his private vault.
He removed an old file from his father's collection.
Inside was a handwritten warning.
Trust no one who uses family against you.
At the bottom, 1 name had been written.
Serena Mercer.
Gabriel stared at it for a long time.
Then someone entered behind him.
“Looking for me?”
May you like
Serena's voice.
Gabriel slowly turned.
