Chapter 7: The Paper Trail
The steady, rhythmic hiss of the ventilator was the only sound in the ICU. Harry sat beside Chloe’s bed, holding her hand. Her skin was warm, a stark contrast to the terrifying cold he had felt on the marble stairs. The bruising on her face was blossoming into angry shades of purple and blue, but to Harry, she was still the most beautiful woman in the world.
He leaned in, his lips brushing her ear. "Lily opened her eyes today," he whispered, his voice thick with unshed tears. "Just for a second. They’re blue, Chloe. Just like yours. She’s getting stronger every hour. Now we just need you to do the same."
He kissed her forehead, lingering for a moment before his phone vibrated in his jacket pocket. He stepped out into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind him.
"What do you have, Frank?" Harry asked.
"You were right on the money. Literally," Frank’s gravelly voice came through the speaker. "I started digging into Arthur's offshore accounts. He’s been bleeding cash for three years. Bad real estate investments, a massive gambling habit in Macau, and some very questionable loans."
Harry rubbed the bridge of his nose. "How much is he in the hole for?"
"Close to fifteen million. And the people he borrowed from aren't the type to send a polite collection letter," Frank explained. "He’s been moving money around to cover the interest, but the well has run dry. His trust fund is tapped out."
"He was banking on his inheritance," Harry realized, the pieces snapping together with sickening clarity. "With me gone—or with me having no direct heirs—he could leverage his position at the Foundation to cover his debts."
"Exactly. But Chloe getting pregnant threw a massive wrench in that plan. Suddenly, Arthur isn't the heir apparent anymore. Lily is." Frank paused. "But that's not all. While you were doing your little song and dance in the boardroom yesterday, I had one of my guys slip into Arthur’s private office. We planted a bug under his desk."
A dark smile finally touched Harry’s lips. "Tell me you got something."
May you like
"Oh, I got something. I’m sending you the audio file now. You're going to want to sit down for this, Harry."
Harry opened the encrypted file Frank sent, pressing the phone to his ear. The audio was slightly muffled, but the voices were unmistakable.
