Chapter 4: The Man Who Abandoned His Daughter
I hadn't heard Ethan's voice in eleven weeks.
Not since the night he stood in my apartment doorway, looked at my swollen stomach, and told me he wasn't ready to be a father.
He hadn't asked whether I needed anything.
He hadn't asked about my appointments.
He hadn't even asked if the baby was healthy.
He had simply placed his apartment key on the kitchen counter and walked away.
Now someone was telling me he had been inside the Grand Meridian Hotel.
My father watched my expression.
"Nia?""
I swallowed.
"Did they say Ethan was there?""
"Yes.""
"Where?""
"The security team is reviewing the footage.""
I stood up carefully.
Grace was still sleeping in my father's arms.
"I need to see it.""
My father frowned.
"You've had a difficult morning.""
"I need to know why he was there.""
He nodded.
"Laura, arrange a private screening.""
Twenty minutes later, we were inside the hotel's security office.
The room was filled with monitors, keyboards, and the low hum of electronic equipment.
A security supervisor named Daniel Price greeted us.
"Mr. Bennett.""
My father nodded.
"Show us the footage.""
Daniel opened the first recording.
The lobby appeared on the screen.
The timestamp read 10:17 a.m.
I recognized myself immediately.
I was standing near the entrance, holding Grace and checking my phone.
Then a man walked into the frame.
Ethan.
He was wearing a navy jacket, dark jeans, and the silver watch I had given him for his thirtieth birthday.
He walked directly toward the reception desk.
I leaned closer.
"That's him.""
Daniel paused the video.
"Would you like us to continue?""
"Yes.""
The footage resumed.
Ethan spoke to a receptionist.
She shook her head.
He showed her something on his phone.
Then he pointed toward the elevators.
A few minutes later, Diane entered the frame.
She approached Ethan.
They greeted each other.
Not like strangers.
Diane touched his arm.
Ethan leaned closer to hear her.
Then he handed her a small white envelope.
My stomach twisted.
"What was that?""
Daniel paused the recording.
"We're not certain yet.""
My father looked at him.
"Continue.""
The footage moved forward.
Diane opened the envelope.
She examined its contents.
Then she looked toward the lobby entrance.
Toward me.
I felt sick.
"Why would he give her something about me?""
Nobody answered.
Daniel opened a second camera angle.
This one showed the reception desk.
Diane approached Marcus.
She handed him the same envelope.
Marcus looked inside.
Then he nodded.
Ethan left the building through the side entrance.
Diane walked toward the lobby.
And twenty minutes later, she slapped me.
I turned toward my father.
"He knew I was coming.""
My father nodded slowly.
"It appears so.""
I sat down.
For a moment, the room seemed too bright.
Ethan had abandoned me.
That was painful enough.
But this?
This meant he had deliberately approached someone at the hotel and given them information about me.
And Diane had used it.
My father placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Don't jump to conclusions until we know what's in that envelope.""
I looked at him.
"How many conclusions do you need?""
He didn't argue.
Daniel opened another file.
"We found the envelope in the administrative office. It was placed in a document disposal bin.""
My father looked up.
"Was it destroyed?""
"No, sir. Our cleaning supervisor noticed it before collection.""
Daniel retrieved a scanned image.
The document inside contained my full name, date of birth, previous address, and details of my reservation.
But there was something else.
A single line highlighted in yellow.
"Subject must not be permitted access to executive floor before 12:00 p.m.""
I read it twice.
"Why twelve?""
My father took the document.
"Because the foundation meeting was scheduled to begin at noon.""
Laura looked at her tablet.
"Actually, the meeting was moved forward to eleven thirty yesterday.""
My father frowned.
"Who approved that?""
"The executive events department.""
He turned to Daniel.
"Find out who had access to the schedule.""
Daniel nodded.
Then I noticed something at the bottom of the document.
A handwritten note.
"Do not allow the baby to be photographed.""
I stared at it.
"Why?""
My father took the page from me.
His expression became unreadable.
"That's what we're going to find out.""
A knock interrupted us.
Laura opened the door.
"Alexander, the woman who recorded the lobby incident is downstairs. She says she has something important to tell you.""
My father nodded.
"Bring her in.""
A few minutes later, the woman in the cream coat entered.
She introduced herself as Margaret Ellis.
She was in her late fifties, with short silver hair and a calm, observant expression.
"I apologize for interrupting," she said.
"But after what happened, I felt I should show you something.""
She opened her phone.
"I started recording when Mrs. Whitmore began shouting. But I accidentally captured something before that.""
She played the video.
The first few seconds showed the hotel entrance.
Then Ethan appeared.
He was speaking to Diane near a decorative column.
The audio was faint, but clear enough.
"She'll arrive before noon," Ethan said.
Diane answered, "And the baby?""
"She'll have it with her.""
"Then make sure Marcus understands.""
Ethan glanced around.
"Alexander can't find out until the paperwork is signed.""
Diane lowered her voice.
"What if he asks about the inheritance?""
Ethan shook his head.
"He won't. Not if we keep her away from the meeting.""
The video ended.
I stared at the screen.
Inheritance?
My father didn't move.
Margaret looked between us.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know what it meant.""
My father nodded.
"You did the right thing.""
When she left, I turned toward him.
"Dad, what inheritance?""
He looked at me for a long time.
Then he sat down.
"Your mother established a trust before she died.""
I frowned.
"I know she left me something.""
"Yes. But you don't know the full arrangement.""
He rubbed his forehead.
"Your mother owned a significant number of shares in Meridian Holdings. Before her death, she placed those shares into a family trust for you.""
I stared at him.
"How many?""
"Thirty-one percent of the voting shares.""
The number seemed impossible.
"What?""
"Your mother wanted you to have a controlling voice in the foundation's future once you became an adult.""
I shook my head.
"But you own the company.""
"I own a significant portion. Your mother's trust holds another significant portion. Together, our interests have protected the company for years.""
I remembered my mother.
Her warm hands.
Her habit of leaving handwritten notes in my school lunch.
Her voice telling me that money was only useful if it helped someone.
I had never imagined she had left me something so important.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I wanted you to build your own life without feeling responsible for my business.""
I looked down.
"And Ethan knows?""
My father nodded.
"He was never supposed to.""
"Then how?""
My father looked at the document.
"That's the question.""
My phone began vibrating.
An unknown number.
I almost ignored it.
Then a message appeared.
*Nia, we need to talk. I can explain everything. Please don't let your father make a mistake.*
Another message followed.
*I know about the trust. And Diane isn't the person you should be worried about.*
My hands went cold.
I typed one sentence.
*Who gave you the information?*
The reply came immediately.
*Your father's chief financial officer.*
I looked up.
My father was already watching me.
He read the message.
Then he slowly stood.
"Call the executive office.""
Laura reached for her phone.
My father shook his head.
"Wait.""
He looked at me.
"There's something else I haven't told you.""
"What?""
He took a deep breath.
"Your mother didn't just leave you shares.""
May you like
He looked toward the security monitors.
"She left you something that could change who controls this entire company.""
