Chapter Sixty Two

Damian had sought the person responsible for his father's death for many years, but he never expected the truth to lead him back to Emily.

As the weight of the consequences settled in, he stood alone in the empty boardroom, staring hard at the security director. Someone had tried to access records concerning both families. Victor had known about the investigation long enough to interfere with it, and now he was actively working against the evidence.

Damian issued the order to "safeguard every remaining copy." "Protect the archive from unauthorized access and save the login information. I want to know who approved that request and who assisted them."

The security chief answered, "Yes, sir."

"And do not confront Victor just yet. If he knows that we have found his office, he will start destroying whatever remains."

As soon as the call had ended, Damian stared at his phone. Emily's name was still showing on the screen from their last conversation. He wanted to call her and tell her about the threat, but he didn't know what to say. Is he going to tell her that he was afraid of losing her? That his mounting doubts about the baby's paternity had become hard to separate from his fear of trusting the wrong person?

He had asked for her trust even though he struggled to give her that same reassurance.

At last, Damian decided to make the call.

After several rings, Emily picked up. "Is everything all right?" She asked.

Damian answered, "No." "But I'm handling it."

She stayed quiet for a short time. "You always say that whenever you want to hide something from me," she said.

"I'm trying to protect you," Damian replied.

"I'm already involved in it, Damian." She answered.

Because of what she said, he had nothing worthwhile to contribute. He wanted her to come closer to him. He was hoping to hear that she still believed they could get past their separation. Instead, he asked whether she had eaten.

Emily almost laughed, but no sound came out. "Did you call to ask me if I've had lunch?"

Damian confessed, "I called because I wanted to hear your voice."

For a moment, neither of them said anything.

She wanted to learn whether he still believed their child was his. Damian wanted to ask whether she could forgive him for doubting her judgment. Neither was willing to risk the answer.

"Be careful," Damian warned.

Emily replied, "You too."

The conversation ended without either of them saying what mattered most.

___

As Sophia got ready for Margaret's statement, Emily watched the rain build up on the window of Sophia's office. Ryan had promised to come back before the meeting, after he left to get additional documents from a former Carter Holdings executive.

Emily was no longer certain she trusted his promises. Still, she couldn't overlook the fact that he was ultimately helping to uncover the truth instead of asking her to protect his name.

"Margaret has confirmed the meeting," Sophia said as she closed her laptop. "She's bringing a written report of the transfers she permitted and the pressure Victor's associates put on her," she added.

"Will she tell us what happened to my parents?" Emily asked.

"We will ask her if she knows. But we can't assume that she does," Sophia replied.

Emily nodded. She had learned how easily hope could turn an unanswered question into a certainty.

They were interrupted by Ryan's knock. He entered carrying a small document folder. His face suggested he had found something he had hoped to avoid.

"What went wrong?" Emily asked.

"The former executive gave me copies of records that my father kept separate from the company archives," Ryan said. "There's some concern that payments were made right before your parents died."

Emily stared at him. "And what about your father?" She asked.

"I remember that he was talking with someone on the phone that evening," Ryan said in a manner that suggested he was certain.

 "I was younger then, but I remember him saying that a problem had to be sorted out before morning," he added.

"Did he say anything about my parents?" "I'm confused," Emily said.

"No. I had no clue what the argument was about," he said.

As she turned away, Emily tried to imagine her parents' final moments. For years she had believed their deaths were a terrible accident. Now every new detail seemed to rip that belief apart without offering her anything solid to replace it.

Sophia opened the folder and stopped on a page near the back.

Sophia said, "Look at this, Ryan."

On the page was a list of payments along with handwritten initials. An admission from the day before Emily's parents died had been marked for immediate approval. Beside it was a reference to a security assessment.

At the very bottom, three words had been inscribed:

Reed has to go.

Emily observed that the space was growing tighter.

"Does this prove that your father sent Thomas away?" Emily asked.

Ryan shifted his head slowly from side to side. "Not on its own. We need the original report and someone who can explain these initials."

Sophia said, "Then we should meet Thomas Reed."

"If he is still willing to talk," he said with his gaze still fixed on the page.

Before anyone could answer, Sophia's work phone rang. She answered it, listened, and went completely still.

"What is it?" Emily asked as soon as she hung up.

Sophia looked from Ryan to Emily and said, "Margaret isn't coming." "Someone reported her to the authorities for the financial transfers." Investigators have paid a visit to her house."

Ryan's expression grew tense. "Victor," he said.

"We don't know that yet," Sophia warned.

Nevertheless, Emily noticed that Ryan was gradually beginning to understand the truth. Before Margaret could speak, someone had silenced her now that she had agreed to tell the truth.

Ryan's phone began to ring.

He gripped the edge of Sophia's desk as he listened for a few seconds before he answered.

"What happened?" Emily asked.

Ryan slowly lowered the phone and said, "Margaret has been taken in for questioning." "Before leaving her residence, she told the officers there was someone who could shed light on what happened the night your parents died."

As soon as he said that, Emily's heart raced.

"Who?" she asked.

Ryan looked at her briefly and said,

Victor Knight.