Chapter 3: The File Marcus Forgot
The next morning, Marcus woke up to a world he no longer controlled.
His assistant called before sunrise.
His lawyers called before breakfast.
His investors demanded explanations before lunch.
And every conversation ended with the same question.
“What is happening with Rhodes Capital?””
Marcus sat in his office staring at the city.
The office that once represented everything he had achieved.
The glass walls.
The expensive furniture.
The awards displayed perfectly behind his desk.
A monument to his success.
Except now it felt fragile.
His assistant, Rachel, entered holding a folder.
“Marcus?””
He looked up.
“What?””
She hesitated.
“That financial review team from Rhodes requested additional documents.””
“Which documents?””
She swallowed.
“Five years of internal transfers.””
Marcus froze.
Five years.
Exactly the period he thought he had buried.
“No.””
Rachel looked confused.
“No?””
“Nothing. I’ll handle it.””
After she left, Marcus locked the door.
Then he opened the drawer where he kept old divorce papers.
He didn’t know why.
Maybe because some part of him already knew.
He searched through the documents.
Then he found it.
A letter from his attorney.
A warning he ignored.
“Your wife appears to have retained copies of several company records.””
Marcus stopped breathing.
Evelyn.
He remembered that month.
She had been quiet.
Too quiet.
At the time, he thought she was broken.
Now he wondered if she had been watching.
That evening, Marcus found me outside Emma’s school.
He looked different.
Less powerful.
More desperate.
“Evelyn.””
I turned.
“What are you doing here?””
He glanced around.
“I need to talk.””
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.””
“Please.””
The word surprised me.
Marcus Mercer rarely said please.
Emma was holding my hand.
She looked at him curiously.
“Mommy, who is he?””
Marcus looked at her.
And something strange crossed his face.
Pain.
Not because she was my daughter.
Because she represented a life he was no longer part of.
“I’m someone your mom used to know.””
Emma nodded.
Then looked at me.
“Can we get ice cream?””
I smiled.
“Yes.””
Marcus watched us walk away.
But before I reached the car, he called out.
“Evelyn.””
I stopped.
His voice was quieter.
“What did you give Julian?””
I turned slowly.
“I don’t know what you mean.””
“Yes, you do.””
He stepped closer.
“The investigation. The documents. The acquisition review.””
I stared at him.
“I didn’t give Julian anything.””
That was true.
Because I didn’t need to.
Marcus looked terrified.
“Then how?””
I remembered the encrypted drive sitting untouched for years.
I remembered the person I finally trusted enough to open it.
Not Julian.
Someone else.
Someone Marcus had never considered important.
“I told you once,” I said.
He frowned.
“What?””
“That people underestimate quiet people.””
His expression darkened.
“Who has the files?””
I didn’t answer.
Because at that exact moment, Marcus’s phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His face changed instantly.
The caller ID was visible from where I stood.
And I watched him realize the one person who could destroy him had finally decided to speak.
May you like
The name on the screen was:
*Chloe Vance.*
