CHAPTER 3 – The Husband Who Was Hired
Emma did not run.
She sat in the darkness, staring at the glowing sentence on her laptop.
“Now you know why Daniel married you.”
Her fingers moved before her mind could catch up. She grabbed the flash drive hidden in her jewelry box—the one her late father had given her years ago and told her never to open unless she felt “watched.”
Back then, she thought grief had made him paranoid.
Now, she wasn’t so sure.
The moment she plugged it in, a video file appeared.
Her father’s face filled the screen.
He looked sick, exhausted, and terrified.
“Emma,” he whispered, “if you’re watching this, it means they finally reached you.”
Her throat tightened.
Then he said the words that shattered her entire life.
“Daniel Lawson is not your husband by accident. He was sent to get close to you.”
Emma covered her mouth.
Her father continued, “Before I died, I discovered money missing from the company. Not millions, Emma. Billions. I hid the evidence where no one would ever think to look…”
The video glitched.
Then came the final sentence.
“Inside your wedding ring.”
Emma slowly looked down at her hand.
The ring Daniel had chosen.
The ring she had worn for twelve years.
The ring he had begged her never to remove.
Suddenly, the apartment door unlocked.
Daniel walked in.
His voice was gentle.
May you like
Too gentle.
“Emma… give me the ring.”
