Chapter 2: The Man Behind the Lie
The hospital corridor smelled like antiseptic, burnt coffee, and fear.
I ran through the automatic doors so fast that a nurse nearly dropped a stack of charts.
"Mr. Vance?""
"Where is my wife?""
The nurse pointed toward the maternity wing.
"Room 614.""
I didn't wait.
I reached the elevator and hit the button repeatedly.
When the doors opened, I nearly collided with Dr. Harris.
He grabbed my shoulder.
"Mr. Vance.""
"How is she?""
His expression stopped me cold.
"She's awake.""
Relief hit me so hard my knees almost buckled.
"But?""
Dr. Harris looked at me for a long second.
"The baby survived the delivery.""
I swallowed.
"Survived?""
"Your wife went into premature labor after the fall.""
I closed my eyes.
"Is our daughter alive?""
"She's alive. She's extremely premature, but she's fighting.""
I exhaled shakily.
"Can I see Meline?""
Dr. Harris stepped aside.
"She asked for you.""
That sentence hurt more than anything else.
She asked for me.
After everything I had done.
After leaving her alone.
After believing Elena's lies.
I opened the door.
Meline was lying beneath a white hospital blanket.
Her face looked smaller than I remembered.
There was a bruise along her temple.
A thin line of dried blood remained near her hairline.
Her eyes opened when she heard the door.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then she whispered my name.
"Damen.""
I stopped near the doorway.
"Meline.""
She looked at me.
Not with anger.
That would have been easier.
She looked exhausted.
Heartbroken.
Almost relieved.
"You came back.""
I couldn't answer.
She glanced at my hands.
"You still have the hat.""
I looked down.
The tiny blue hat was crushed inside my fist.
"I found it beside the incubator.""
A faint smile touched her lips.
"She needs it.""
I walked toward the bed.
"Elena pushed you.""
Meline's smile disappeared.
"You know?""
"I saw the footage.""
Her fingers tightened around the blanket.
"How?""
"Someone sent me a drive.""
She looked toward the door.
"Who?""
"I don't know.""
Meline closed her eyes.
"Damen, you need to listen to me.""
"I'm listening.""
"She didn't come there to hurt me.""
My stomach dropped.
"What?""
"She came for the documents.""
"What documents?""
Meline looked at me.
"The ones you accused me of stealing.""
The room seemed to tilt.
Months earlier, several confidential files from Vance Holdings had appeared on Meline's personal cloud account.
Elena had shown me screenshots.
She told me Meline was preparing to sell company information.
I had confronted Meline.
She had denied everything.
I hadn't believed her.
Instead, I'd walked out.
Straight into Elena's waiting arms.
"What documents?"" I asked.
"The acquisition files.""
My pulse quickened.
"Those were in the penthouse?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because your father asked me to hide them.""
I stared at her.
"My father?""
Meline nodded.
"Before he died, he discovered someone inside the company was transferring assets through shell corporations.""
I stepped closer.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"I tried.""
"When?""
"That night.""
Her voice cracked.
"I called you twenty-three times.""
The number hit me like a physical blow.
Twenty-three.
I had ignored every single call.
Meline looked away.
"I knew you were angry. But I thought if you saw the files, you'd understand.""
"Why did Elena want them?""
"Because the shell companies belonged to Courtland Capital.""
I froze.
Elena's father's consortium.
The same consortium she had mentioned in the video.
My heart began pounding.
"So she was trying to take the company.""
"Not just the company.""
Meline's eyes filled with tears.
"She wanted control of your father's trust.""
I sat down.
My father's trust contained nearly half a billion dollars in voting assets.
"If Elena had the acquisition documents...""
"She could trigger the transfer.""
"How?""
"Your signature.""
I stared at her.
"What about it?""
"She needed your authorization.""
A cold sensation spread through my body.
"She had my signature.""
Meline nodded.
"I saw it.""
"When?""
"The night before you left.""
She swallowed.
"She showed me a copy.""
I stood abruptly.
"Where is it?""
"I don't know.""
"Meline, where is it?""
"She took the folder.""
I stared at her.
Then the door opened.
Thomas stood outside.
His face was pale.
"Mr. Vance.""
"What?""
"Your office called.""
"Who?""
"Bernard.""
Every muscle in my body tightened.
"What did he say?""
Thomas hesitated.
"He said Elena was with him.""
Meline's eyes widened.
"She's here?""
"No.""
Thomas shook his head.
"He said she went to your office.""
My phone rang.
Bernard.
I answered.
"Where are you?""
Bernard's breathing sounded uneven.
"Mr. Vance, you need to come to the office.""
"Why?""
"I found something.""
"What?""
A pause.
Then Bernard whispered:
"Your father's original will.""
My blood went cold.
"Where?""
"In the old executive vault.""
"Stay there.""
"I can't.""
"Why not?""
Another pause.
"Because someone just unlocked the vault from inside.""
The line went dead.
I looked at Meline.
She was staring at me.
"Damen.""
"I have to go.""
"No.""
I stopped.
Her voice was weak but firm.
"You can't.""
"Bernard has my father's will.""
"No, Damen.""
She reached for my wrist.
Her fingers were ice-cold.
"That's exactly what Elena wants.""
I looked at her.
"What do you mean?""
Meline's eyes filled with fear.
"Because your father didn't leave the company to you.""
May you like
She swallowed.
"He left it to someone else.""
