CHAPTER 3 — The Video They Would Kill to Hide
Emily didn't open the vault door.
She stepped backward, clutching Daniel's binder against her chest while Lily hid behind her legs.
Arthur quietly reached inside his jacket.
Not for a weapon.
For a phone.
He pressed one button.
"If I don't cancel the emergency alert in thirty seconds," he said calmly, "private security will lock this entire building."
Silence.
Then the woman outside laughed softly.
"Daniel always said you were impossible to intimidate."
Arthur frowned.
"You knew him?"
"I worked for him."
"Open the door."
"Alone."
Emily's pulse raced.
Arthur looked at her.
"It's your decision."
After several agonizing seconds...
Emily unlocked the vault.
The steel door slowly opened.
Standing outside was a woman in her early thirties wearing a dark business suit, rain still dripping from her coat.
She looked exhausted.
Terrified.
And strangely familiar.
"My name is Claire Benson."
"I was Daniel's executive assistant."
Arthur immediately recognized her.
"I thought you disappeared."
"I did."
"Because someone tried to kill me."
Emily felt the room spin.
Claire reached into her handbag and carefully removed an old flash drive.
"This is why."
She plugged it into the vault's computer.
The screen flickered.
Security camera footage appeared.
Timestamp:
11:43 PM.
Three nights before Daniel died.
The video showed Daniel sitting inside his office.
Across from him sat Ryan.
Margaret entered seconds later.
The argument had no sound...
...until Daniel pressed a recording button on his desk.
The audio suddenly came alive.
"You've stolen from the company for six years."
Daniel's voice was calm.
"I'm reporting everything tomorrow."
Ryan laughed.
"You won't live long enough."
Emily's blood froze.
Margaret leaned across the desk.
"You should remember one thing."
"This family built everything you own."
Daniel looked directly at them.
"No."
"My wife did."
Emily stopped breathing.
Ryan slammed both hands onto the desk.
"Don't bring that waitress into this."
Daniel smiled.
"She was never just a waitress."
"I transferred sixty percent of my shares to Emily two years ago."
Arthur's eyes widened.
Claire slowly looked toward Emily.
"You didn't know..."
Emily shook her head.
"No..."
"No, I didn't."
The recording continued.
Ryan whispered something that changed everything.
"If you don't sign those shares back..."
"...your accident will happen sooner than you think."
The video suddenly ended.
Nobody spoke.
Lily quietly asked,
"Mom..."
"Did Uncle Ryan hurt Daddy?"
Emily couldn't answer.
Because she already knew the truth.
Daniel hadn't predicted his death.
He had predicted his murder.
Just then...
Arthur's phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed instantly.
"They found us."
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Outside the underground bank...
Several black SUVs had just surrounded the building.
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