Chapter 9: The Woman Who Knew Too Much
I stared at Margaret’s name.
For a moment, I couldn’t process it.
Not because I trusted everyone.
I didn’t.
But because Margaret had been the one person that night who seemed genuinely ashamed of what happened.
She was the person who defended me.
The person who looked at the staff and saw the problem immediately.
“Daniel?””
Emily’s voice pulled me back.
“I’m fine.””
She looked at the document.
“Are you sure?””
“No.””
That was the truth.
I wasn’t sure about anything anymore.
Robert gathered the papers.
“I should leave.””
“Don’t.””
He stopped.
I looked at him.
“I need every detail.””
He nodded.
“The document was filed three weeks ago.””
“By who?””
“An outside legal firm.””
“Which firm?””
He told me.
I recognized the name.
Thomas had used them before.
Of course.
Everything led back to him.
But Margaret’s signature still bothered me.
“Did you verify the signature?””
Robert nodded.
“Yes.””
“And?””
“It appears authentic.””
I closed my eyes.
Margaret.
Why?
That question stayed in my head as I drove to Bennett Prime.
I didn’t tell anyone I was coming.
Not Michael.
Not Margaret.
Not the staff.
I wanted to see what people did when they weren’t prepared.
The restaurant was busy when I arrived.
The hostess smiled.
“Mr. Bennett.””
I nodded.
“Is Margaret here?””
Her smile disappeared slightly.
“She’s in the office.””
“Thank you.””
I walked toward the back.
The same hallway where she had rushed out that night.
The same hallway where everything changed.
I knocked.
No answer.
I opened the door.
Margaret was sitting behind her desk.
And she looked like she had been expecting me.
“Daniel.””
I closed the door.
“You knew I would come.””
She looked down.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
She didn’t answer.
I placed the document on her desk.
Her expression changed.
Just slightly.
But enough.
“Explain this.””
She looked at the page.
Then back at me.
“I can.””
“Start.””
She took a deep breath.
“Thomas contacted me.””
I nodded slowly.
“I figured.””
“He said he needed help.””
“With what?””
She looked away.
“With proving he wasn’t pushed out.””
I laughed quietly.
“Is that what everyone believes?””
“No.””
“Then why sign this?””
Her eyes filled with regret.
“I thought I was helping.””
I stared at her.
“You signed a document giving him access to my company.””
“I didn’t know that’s what it would become.””
“Then what did you think it was?””
She was silent.
That was the answer.
“Margaret.””
Her eyes met mine.
“Thomas saved this restaurant before you bought it.””
I frowned.
“What?””
She continued.
“Years ago, Bennett Prime was struggling.””
I listened.
“Thomas invested money. Quietly.””
“That’s impossible.””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“That’s why he’s angry.””
I felt a strange tension in my chest.
“Explain.””
“He believes you forgot everything he sacrificed.””
I looked at her.
“He never told me.””
“Because he wanted you to know without him asking.””
I shook my head.
“That’s not partnership.””
“No.””
Her voice was quiet.
“That was his mistake.””
For the first time, she admitted it.
I sat down.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of Thomas?””
She nodded.
“Of what he would do if he believed I betrayed him.””
I looked at the restaurant through the office window.
The staff.
The customers.
The place I had purchased because I believed it could become something better.
“Margaret, what else don’t I know?””
She looked at me.
And I knew from her face that the answer was worse than anything she had already said.
“There’s someone else.””
“Who?””
She hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Someone close to you.””
I stood.
“Who?””
She looked toward the door.
Then lowered her voice.
“Daniel…”
A knock interrupted us.
We both froze.
Someone was outside.
The door handle slowly moved.
Margaret’s face turned pale.
Because whoever was standing outside wasn’t supposed to hear this conversation.
The door opened.
And the person who walked in made my entire world stop.
It was someone I had known for fifteen years.
Someone who had attended every major company celebration.
Someone who knew every secret.
Someone who should have been impossible.
May you like
Margaret whispered his name.
“Andrew.””
