Chapter 5 - The Friend Beside Me
Daniel called eleven times before eight o’clock.
I ignored every call.
At eight twelve, he texted.
We need to talk before you destroy something you don’t understand.
I showed Laura.
She photographed the message.
“Do not respond yet.”
Marcus was already coordinating with our internal cybersecurity team.
We could not accuse Daniel without proof.
But his access explained too much.
Deleted emails.
Modified camera permissions.
Blocked alerts.
Perhaps even Isabella’s confidence that I would never discover anything.
At nine, Daniel appeared at the hospital.
He arrived alone.
Marcus stopped him near the elevators.
I watched from the end of the corridor.
Daniel raised both hands.
“Nathan, five minutes.”
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“I came because you’re about to make the biggest mistake of your life.”
I almost laughed.
Instead, I walked toward him.
“Did you block Elena Vargas’s emails?”
His expression shifted for less than a second.
It was enough.
“That’s what this is about?”
“Answer me.”
“I manage thousands of security filters.”
“You personally had administrator access.”
“So did Marcus.”
Marcus stepped forward.
Daniel ignored him.
“Nathan, Isabella is unstable.”
My jaw tightened.
“You knew?”
Daniel exhaled.
“I knew the marriage was difficult.”
“You visited my house when I was overseas.”
“Business.”
“At my house?”
“She handled charitable foundation paperwork.”
That was true.
Isabella had chaired one of our company foundations.
It had given her access to donors, executives, and financial advisers.
I had considered it harmless.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“She was trying to help you.”
“With what?”
“The acquisition.”
I stared at him.
“She was carrying six hundred thousand dollars through shell companies.”
His face hardened.
“Who told you that?”
There it was.
Not denial.
Concern about the source.
Laura stepped from Maya’s doorway.
“Mr. Mercer, you should leave.”
Daniel looked at her.
“I’m not speaking to you.”
“You will be.”
She held up her phone.
“Our forensic accountants are reviewing every company connected to Mrs. Cole.”
Daniel looked back at me.
“You don’t know how complicated this deal became.”
“Then explain.”
He hesitated.
“You needed the acquisition.”
“My daughter needed food.”
His face tightened.
“That has nothing to do with me.”
“Doesn’t it?”
For the first time, anger slipped through his controlled expression.
“I spent fourteen months keeping your company alive while you played visionary.”
I stared at him.
“You think that justifies entering my house?”
“I entered your house because Isabella had documents you refused to read.”
“What documents?”
“The revised acquisition structure.”
I looked at Laura.
She seemed equally confused.
Daniel realized he had said too much.
He stepped backward.
“This conversation is over.”
Marcus blocked the elevator.
“No, it isn’t.”
Daniel smiled coldly.
“You’re security, Marcus.”
“Yes.”
“And right now I’m securing Mr. Cole’s family and company.”
Two corporate investigators appeared behind him.
Daniel’s face changed again.
Laura spoke calmly.
“Your administrative credentials were suspended thirty minutes ago.”
Daniel reached for his phone.
Marcus continued.
“So were your building permissions.”
“You can’t remove me.”
I finally answered.
“I just did.”
Daniel stared at me.
Twenty years of friendship sat between us.
College.
Our first office.
Our first failed product.
Our first million-dollar contract.
He had stood beside me at Rachel’s funeral.
He had carried Maya when she was four years old and too tired to walk.
And now I did not recognize him.
Daniel leaned closer.
“You think Isabella is the problem?”
I said nothing.
He smiled without warmth.
“She’s the weak link.”
Laura’s eyes narrowed.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel pressed the elevator button.
This time Marcus allowed him through.
As the doors closed, Daniel looked directly at me.
May you like
“You should be asking what she was afraid of.”
Then the doors sealed between us.
