Chapter 13 - The Choice Nathan Made
Pike had understood the trap.
Elena heard rage in his breathing.
“You think you’re clever?” he said.
“No,” Elena replied. “I think I’m done being useful to people who mistake kindness for weakness.”
Pike shouted something away from the phone.
Then the line cut.
Detective Alvarez spoke into her radio. Officers were already moving.
Nathan grabbed his jacket.
“You’re not going,” Elena said.
“Yes, I am.”
“You’ll make it worse.”
“That is my mother.”
Elena looked him directly in the eyes. “And I am your wife. Or I was. For one hour. And every time there is a crisis, you run toward your mother and expect everyone else to survive the damage.”
His face tightened.
“That isn’t fair.”
“No. None of this is fair.”
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he did something Elena had not seen him do all night.
He made a decision without looking to his mother, his family, or anyone else.
He handed his car keys to Alvarez.
“What can I do that actually helps?”
The detective pointed to a conference room. “Stay available. Pike may call you.”
Nathan nodded.
It was a small choice.
But Elena noticed.
Twenty-three minutes later, Alvarez received confirmation.
Victoria had been recovered from a locked rooftop maintenance room.
Pike had escaped through a service stairwell.
Nathan closed his eyes in relief.
“Is she hurt?”
“Minor injuries.”
“Can I see her?”
“Soon.”
Elena asked, “What about my laptop?”
“Missing.”
Walter cursed.
Then Sophie entered with Elena’s phone charger in one hand.
“Elena, your client portal just sent a security alert.”
Elena took the phone.
Someone had logged in using her laptop.
Three confidential files had been downloaded.
One was the hotel contract.
One was a list of Marlowe Events’ largest clients.
The third file made Elena’s stomach drop.
It was called PERSONAL_SETTLEMENT_ARCHIVE.
Nathan frowned. “What is that?”
Elena stared at the screen.
Only two people knew the archive existed.
Elena.
And her late father’s former attorney.
Inside were documents proving that, years ago, Elena’s father had received a secret settlement from Hale Meridian after a workplace accident.
May you like
Nathan looked at her.
“Elena… your father worked for my family?”
