Chapter 5: A Family Built on Secrets
I turned so quickly my chair nearly fell backward.
My eyes searched the ballroom.
My mother was standing near the entrance, speaking with several guests.
Beside her was the person from the photograph.
My cousin Adrian.
For years, Adrian had been treated like a brother.
He spent holidays with us.
He attended family meetings.
He knew every weakness of the Hawthorne family because he was part of it.
“Adrian?”” I whispered.
Maya nodded.
“I never wanted to believe it.””
I looked at her.
“You suspected him?””
“Not at first.””
“Then when?””
She looked down.
“When I saw the signature.””
My father stepped closer.
“You recognized his work?””
Maya nodded.
“Adrian helped negotiate one of our previous partnerships. He knew how we structured confidential files.””
Corinne shook her head.
“No.””
Everyone looked at her.
She looked genuinely shocked.
“You’re wrong.””
My father frowned.
“Corinne.””
“No.””
She stood.
“Adrian would never do that.””
I watched her reaction carefully.
Because it wasn’t anger.
It was fear.
“Why are you so sure?”” I asked.
She looked at me.
“Because he told me he was trying to help.””
The room went silent.
My father’s expression hardened.
“Help with what?””
Corinne hesitated.
That hesitation answered before she did.
“With the company.””
My stomach sank.
“What company?””
She looked at Maya.
“I thought he was helping fix the problems after your contract loss.””
Maya stared at her.
“You talked to him about my company?””
Corinne’s face changed.
“I didn’t know it was private.””
Maya laughed once.
Not happily.
“Corinne, everything about my business was private.””
My sister looked embarrassed.
“I thought he was trying to protect the family.””
There it was.
The sentence people used when they wanted to justify crossing a line.
Protecting the family.
My father walked away from the table.
“I need to speak with Adrian.””
“I’ll come with you,” I said.
But Maya grabbed my hand.
“No.””
I looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because if he knows we suspect him, he’ll destroy evidence.””
My father stopped.
“She’s right.””
I hated that she was right.
A few minutes later, we watched Adrian from across the ballroom.
He was laughing.
Shaking hands.
Accepting compliments.
Like nothing had happened.
Like he wasn’t standing in the middle of a storm he created.
Then his phone rang.
He stepped away.
Maya followed him with her eyes.
“He’s going somewhere private.””
My father looked at his assistant.
“Get security footage from the hallway.””
I followed Adrian from a distance.
Not close enough to be noticed.
Close enough to hear.
He entered a quiet corridor near the service entrance.
I stopped behind the wall.
Then I heard his voice.
“I told you the gala would survive.””
A pause.
My blood ran cold.
He wasn’t talking to himself.
“No, she surprised me too.””
Another pause.
“She’s more dangerous than I expected.””
I looked at Maya.
Her face went pale.
Adrian continued.
“But don’t worry. The engagement gives us a perfect opportunity.””
My fists tightened.
An engagement?
A perfect opportunity?
Then Adrian said the one thing that made me step forward.
“Once Jalen signs the final transfer documents…”
I froze.
Transfer documents?
What was he talking about?
May you like
Adrian lowered his voice.
“…everything his family owns will finally be within reach.””
