Chapter 8 - The Partner Daniel Never Mentioned

Rachel turned toward Daniel.

"Former business partner?"

Daniel's eyes stayed on Evan.

"Marcus left Westbridge before the divorce."

"You never mentioned him."

"Because he was out of my life before I met you."

Evan gave a humorless laugh. "He wasn't out of Vanessa's."

At the police station, Evan handed over the flash drive. He refused witness protection but agreed to make a statement.

He told them Peter had discovered Marcus and Vanessa were moving money through several small companies. When Peter threatened to report them, the records disappeared.

Three weeks later, Peter's car went off a rural road.

"The report said he fell asleep," Daniel said.

"He didn't," Evan replied. "He called me ten minutes before the crash. He said somebody was following him."

Rachel watched Daniel's face.

The shock looked real.

But she had learned that real shock did not mean complete innocence.

Back home, she locked herself in the bedroom and searched old public records.

Marcus Vale had been co-founder of Westbridge.

There were photos of him beside Daniel at charity events.

Beside Vanessa too.

Then Rachel found an article from six years ago.

MORGAN CLINICAL SYSTEMS ANNOUNCES DATA SECURITY INVESTIGATION.

No suspects were named.

The article quoted Thomas Morgan.

"We believe access came through a third-party vendor relationship."

Rachel stared at the sentence.

Daniel came in quietly.

"I should have told you about Marcus."

"Yes."

"I didn't know he was connected to your father's company."

"What did he do for Westbridge?"

Daniel sat on the edge of the chair, not the bed.

"He brought investors. Found deals. Knew people I didn't know."

"And Vanessa?"

Daniel hesitated.

Rachel's stomach dropped.

"Daniel."

"I suspected they were sleeping together."

"During your marriage?"

"Yes."

Rachel looked away.

"Did you confront them?"

"I confronted Vanessa. She denied it. Marcus vanished from the company a month later."

"And you just let him go?"

"I was trying to save a collapsing business and a collapsing marriage."

His phone rang.

Unknown number.

Daniel answered on speaker.

Vanessa's voice came through, shaking.

"Daniel, don't hang up. Marcus knows Rachel has Peter's files."

A man's voice spoke in the background.

"Tell him where you are."

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Vanessa began to cry.

Then the line cut out.