Chapter 3: The Secret Behind the Crash
"They were trying to make sure you never woke up.""
The words stayed in my mind long after the call ended.
I stood in the middle of the ballroom with the phone still pressed against my ear, unable to move.
The music had stopped.
The conversations had stopped.
But inside my head, everything was moving faster than ever.
Six weeks.
Six weeks of believing I was unlucky.
Six weeks of physical therapy.
Six weeks of waking up every morning and wondering if the person I used to be was gone forever.
And now I was being told it was never an accident.
Someone had wanted me dead.
"Who are you?"" I asked the caller.
The man breathed heavily.
"You don't have time for that.""
My grip tightened around the phone.
"Then make time.""
A nervous silence followed.
Finally, he said:
"My name is Marcus Reed.""
The name meant nothing to me.
But the fear in his voice did.
"Marcus, if you know something, tell me.""
"I worked for Whitmore Holdings.""
My eyes immediately moved toward Chad.
He was standing across the room, pretending to listen to a group of investors.
Pretending everything was normal.
Marcus continued.
"I was part of the internal security team.""
"Security?""
"Yes.""
"Then why are you calling me now?""
Another pause.
"Because I should have called you six weeks ago.""
The guilt in his voice was obvious.
"What happened?""
"I saw the report after your crash. The official report was changed.""
My expression hardened.
"Changed by who?""
"I can't say over the phone.""
I looked around the ballroom.
Every person here was connected somehow.
Every person had money.
Power.
Influence.
And maybe secrets.
"Where are you?""
"Daniel, listen to me carefully.""
His voice became urgent.
"Do not trust anyone from the Whitmore family.""
My eyes moved back to Chad.
Then to Brooke.
"Not even Brooke?""
The silence on the other end lasted too long.
That was the answer.
Before I could ask anything else, the call ended.
I lowered the phone slowly.
"Daniel?""
Isabella's voice pulled me back.
She was standing beside me.
Her expression was gentle, but her eyes were worried.
"Are you okay?""
I looked at her.
The strange thing was, everyone else in the room wanted information.
They wanted gossip.
They wanted the next dramatic moment.
Isabella wanted to know if I was okay.
"I don't know," I admitted.
It was the first honest answer I had given all night.
She nodded.
"That's probably the most honest thing anyone has said in this room.""
Despite everything, I almost smiled.
"You always talk like that?""
She looked confused.
"Like what?""
"Like you don't care who is listening.""
She glanced around the ballroom.
"I think people spend too much time worrying about who is watching them.""
Her eyes met mine.
"Sometimes they forget to look at what is actually happening.""
That sentence stayed with me.
Because she was right.
I had spent years looking at what people wanted me to see.
Brooke's smile.
Her promises.
Her love.
I had ignored everything underneath.
A sudden movement caught my attention.
Across the room, Chad was leaving.
Not walking.
Escaping.
I watched him push through the crowd toward the private hallway.
"Excuse me," I said.
Isabella followed my gaze.
"That's the man from the video.""
"Yes.""
"Are you going after him?""
I looked toward the hallway.
"I need answers.""
She hesitated.
Then she grabbed my arm.
Not hard.
Just enough to stop me.
"Daniel.""
I turned.
"Be careful.""
The simple concern in her voice affected me more than it should have.
Because for the first time in weeks, someone was worried about me without wanting something in return.
"I will.""
Then I walked away.
The private hallway behind the ballroom was quieter.
The expensive paintings lining the walls looked down at me as I followed Chad.
I found him near a window overlooking the city.
His back was turned.
"I wondered how long it would take you to follow me.""
I stopped.
"You knew I was coming.""
Chad slowly turned around.
The fake kindness was gone.
The charming smile was gone.
This was the real Chad.
Cold.
Calculating.
"I knew eventually you would want answers.""
"You mean after you got exposed?""
He laughed softly.
"You really think that video changed everything?""
I stared at him.
"What does that mean?""
Chad stepped closer.
"You think you're the hero because you stood up in front of a crowd?""
His smile returned.
"You have no idea what you're involved in.""
I felt anger rise.
"You tried to kill me.""
"No.""
His answer came instantly.
Almost too instantly.
"I tried to stop a problem.""
The hallway became colder.
"A problem?""
"You were going to destroy everything.""
I frowned.
"What are you talking about?""
Chad looked at me like I was stupid.
"Your company.""
My expression changed.
"My company?""
"Did you really think everyone was excited about your success?""
I said nothing.
He continued.
"You built Hayes Global into something powerful. Your grandfather left you control. Investors trusted you.""
He stepped closer.
"But you were about to discover what was happening inside the company.""
My stomach tightened.
"What was happening?""
Chad smiled.
"There it is.""
"What?""
"The question you should have asked six weeks ago.""
I moved toward him.
"Tell me.""
Instead of answering, Chad reached into his pocket.
He pulled out his phone.
For a moment, I thought he was going to show me something.
Instead, he called someone.
"He's here.""
A chill moved through me.
"Who are you calling?""
Chad ignored me.
Then I heard footsteps.
Not one person.
Several.
Men appeared at the end of the hallway.
Security.
But not the gala security.
These men wore dark suits.
No badges.
No identification.
Chad looked satisfied.
"You always were too trusting, Daniel.""
I clenched my fists.
"You brought security?""
"No.""
He smiled.
"I brought the people who have been protecting the truth.""
The men approached.
I looked around.
The hallway was empty.
The ballroom was too far away.
And for the first time that night, I wondered if standing up had been the wrong decision.
Maybe I had revealed too much.
Maybe I had made myself a target again.
One of the men stepped forward.
"Mr. Hayes.""
I recognized his voice.
My blood went cold.
It was the same voice from the phone.
Marcus Reed.
But he wasn't alone.
He looked at Chad.
Then at me.
And his expression was filled with regret.
"Daniel...""
Chad smiled.
"Go ahead, Marcus.""
Marcus swallowed.
"Tell him.""
I looked between them.
"What?""
Marcus lowered his head.
"The accident wasn't planned because of your company.""
I waited.
"Then why?""
He looked at me.
And his next words changed everything.
"Because someone discovered you weren't actually the rightful owner of Hayes Global.""
I froze.
"What?""
Marcus pulled out a folder.
A thin folder.
But somehow it looked heavier than anything I had ever held.
"There was a hidden clause in your grandfather's will.""
Chad watched my reaction carefully.
"A clause that would destroy everything if you ever found out.""
I took the folder.
My hands were steady.
But inside, everything was breaking apart.
I opened the first page.
And the first line made my entire world stop.
*"The inheritance of Daniel Hayes shall remain valid only if Daniel is the biological grandson of Thomas Hayes.""*
I looked up.
"What is this?""
Marcus didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
Because the next page had a photograph attached.
A photograph of my grandfather.
Standing beside a woman I had never seen before.
And underneath the picture was a name.
A name that made me realize the accident wasn't about revenge.
It was about replacing me.
Forever.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message appeared from an unknown number.
One sentence.
May you like
Six words.
*"Ask Brooke who your father is.""*
