Chapter 19 - THE SECOND BETRAYAL The intruder wasn't stealing money.
They were moving evidence.
One file at a time.
Old pension records.
Old trust documents.
Names of witnesses.
Someone was rebuilding the case from the inside.
Then one employee disappeared.
Samuel Ortiz.
He had become a vocal advocate for the pension victims.
His apartment was empty.
His phone was found on a bench.
The police searched everywhere.
I blamed myself.
If I had never exposed the necklace, perhaps none of this would have happened.
Claire took my hands.
“No.”
“This is not your fault.”
“You didn't create the darkness.”
“You turned on the light.”
A message arrived.
ONE TRUTH FOR ONE LIFE.
Attached was a photograph of Samuel.
Alive.
Bound to a chair.
The message demanded one thing.
The Harrington trust must be transferred back to the old board.
We refused.
Then the video began playing.
Samuel looked directly into the camera.
“Emily.”
“Don't give them anything.”
“They're bluffing.”
Then someone struck him.
The screen went black.
Daniel stood beside me.
“We need to find him.”
I nodded.
May you like
“And this time…”
“We don't wait for them to make the first move.”
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