CHAPTER 3 – THE ENEMY INSIDE HARTWELL GROUP
The first thing Vivian Hart did the next morning was fire nobody.
That surprised everyone.
For years, Vivian had earned a reputation for making immediate decisions. If an executive failed, they were replaced. If a partner betrayed her, they were removed. If someone threatened Hartwell Group, she destroyed the threat before it had time to grow.
But this time was different.
Because Daniel’s warning was clear.
There is someone inside.
And Vivian knew something most people didn’t.
The most dangerous enemies were not the ones standing across the battlefield.
They were the ones sitting beside you.
The ones who knew your habits.
Your weaknesses.
Your secrets.
The ones who smiled when they shook your hand.
At nine o’clock sharp, Vivian entered the Hartwell Group executive boardroom.
Twenty people were already waiting.
Senior executives.
Department heads.
Legal advisors.
People who had worked beside her for years.
The atmosphere was uncomfortable.
Everyone knew something was wrong.
Vivian stood at the head of the table.
No presentation.
No documents.
No opening remarks.
Just silence.
Then she spoke.
“Someone in this room betrayed Daniel Hart.”
The reaction was immediate.
Shock.
Confusion.
Fear.
A few people looked at each other.
Others looked away.
Vivian watched every single face.
Every reaction.
Every hesitation.
She wasn’t looking for guilt.
She was looking for discomfort.
Because innocent people were surprised.
Guilty people were afraid.
“Before Daniel died,” Vivian continued, “he discovered financial manipulation connected to this company.”
Nobody spoke.
“He discovered someone was leaking confidential information.”
Still silence.
“He discovered someone was working with outside investors to weaken Hartwell Group.”
A few executives shifted in their seats.
Vivian noticed.
“Today, I’m giving whoever is responsible one opportunity.”
She placed a folder on the table.
“Come forward.”
Nobody moved.
“Tell me the truth.”
Nothing.
“Because if I discover it myself…”
Her voice became colder.
“You will wish you had confessed.”
After the meeting ended, Vivian returned to her office.
Grant Mercer followed.
He closed the door behind him.
“You shouldn’t have announced that.”
Vivian looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because now whoever did this knows you’re investigating.”
“That was the point.”
Grant frowned.
“You wanted them scared?”
“No.”
Vivian looked through the glass walls overlooking Manhattan.
“I wanted them to make a mistake.”
Grant stared at her.
And for the first time in years, he realized something.
Vivian Hart was not just angry.
She was hunting.
Across town, Ethan Cole sat in Vivian’s penthouse kitchen making breakfast.
It was a sight Vivian still couldn’t understand.
A man who had once lived in shadows was now cutting strawberries for a seven-year-old girl.
Amelie sat at the counter, swinging her feet.
“Mommy never eats breakfast.”
Ethan smiled slightly.
“Your mother sounds busy.”
“She says busy means important.”
Ethan looked at her.
“And what do you think?”
Amelie thought for a moment.
“I think busy means lonely.”
The words hit harder than the little girl realized.
Ethan looked down.
Because he understood loneliness.
More than anyone.
“Your mom loves you.”
Amelie looked at him.
“I know.”
“But?”
“She loves me like she loves her company.”
Ethan was quiet.
That answer hurt because it was honest.
Children had a way of saying the truths adults spent years avoiding.
When Vivian entered the kitchen moments later, she stopped.
Amelie was laughing.
Ethan was smiling.
And for a second, Vivian felt like she was looking at a family she had lost.
Not because someone took it away.
Because she had been too afraid to reach for it.
“Mommy.”
Amelie looked up.
Vivian smiled.
“Good morning, sweetheart.”
The little girl hesitated.
Then:
“Are you staying today?”
The question was simple.
But Vivian felt the weight behind it.
She put down her phone.
“Yes.”
Amelie looked surprised.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“No meetings?”
“No.”
“No company?”
Vivian swallowed.
“No.”
Amelie smiled.
And that tiny smile became the most important victory Vivian had achieved in months.
But Vivian knew happiness could not distract her.
Not now.
Not when danger was hiding inside her own company.
By afternoon, Grant had discovered something.
A series of anonymous transfers.
Small amounts.
Carefully hidden.
But connected.
All leading to one account.
Vivian stared at the information.
“Who owns it?”
Grant looked uncomfortable.
“Vivian…”
“Who?”
He hesitated.
Then answered.
“Your father’s old foundation.”
The room went silent.
Vivian stepped back.
“My father?”
Her father, Charles Hart.
The man who created Hartwell Group before passing it to her.
A respected businessman.
A family icon.
A man whose portrait hung in the company lobby.
“No.”
Grant looked at her.
“I checked three times.”
“That’s impossible.”
“I thought so too.”
Vivian picked up the file.
The account had been active for six years.
Six years.
Meaning the betrayal started long before Daniel’s death.
Long before the accident.
Long before Vivian knew anything was wrong.
“Who has access?”
Grant looked at the screen.
“One person.”
“Who?”
Grant’s face changed.
And Vivian already knew before he said it.
“Your mother.”
Vivian spent the next hour sitting alone.
Her mother.
Eleanor Hart.
The woman who raised her.
The woman who taught her everything about power.
The woman who always told her:
“Love is dangerous. Trust is expensive.”
Vivian had spent her entire life trying not to become her mother.
And now she wondered if she had missed something.
A knock came at the door.
Ethan entered.
“You look like someone died.”
Vivian looked at him.
“My mother may have been involved.”
Ethan became serious.
“Are you sure?”
“No.”
A pause.
“That’s the worst part.”
Ethan sat across from her.
“Daniel trusted your instincts.”
“My instincts were wrong.”
“No.”
Vivian looked at him.
“I didn’t see my husband was in danger.”
“You were building a company.”
“I was ignoring my family.”
Ethan was silent.
Because he knew there was no argument that could erase that pain.
“I spent years thinking providing was the same as loving.”
Her voice cracked slightly.
“I gave Amelie everything except the one thing she needed.”
“What?”
“My time.”
Ethan looked toward the window.
“Daniel worried about that.”
Vivian froze.
“What?”
“He told me.”
“When?”
“Two months before he died.”
Her expression changed.
“What did he say?”
Ethan looked at her.
“He said, ‘Vivian thinks she has to build a perfect world for Amelie. She doesn’t understand Amelie just needs her mother.’”
The words destroyed her.
Because Daniel had understood.
He had always understood.
And she had been too stubborn to listen.
That night, Vivian went to see her mother.
Eleanor Hart lived in a mansion outside Manhattan.
A place filled with antiques, expensive paintings, and memories Vivian had spent years trying to escape.
When Eleanor opened the door, she was not surprised.
“You finally found out.”
Vivian froze.
Those words.
Not hello.
Not why are you here.
Just:
You finally found out.
“You knew.”
Eleanor sighed.
“Come inside.”
“I asked if you knew.”
Her mother looked tired.
Older than Vivian remembered.
“I knew Daniel was investigating.”
“Were you involved?”
Eleanor looked away.
And that answer was enough.
Vivian felt betrayed.
Not by a stranger.
Not by an enemy.
By family.
“Why?”
Eleanor’s voice became soft.
“Because I was protecting you.”
“By helping destroy my husband?”
“I never wanted Daniel hurt.”
“But he died.”
Silence.
Eleanor closed her eyes.
“Someone else made that decision.”
Vivian stepped closer.
“Who?”
Her mother looked at her.
Fear appeared in her eyes.
Real fear.
“Vivian…”
“Who killed my husband?”
Eleanor whispered:
“The person you trust the most.”
Vivian’s blood ran cold.
“What does that mean?”
But before Eleanor could answer—
The lights went out.
The entire house became dark.
Then a sound.
Glass breaking.
Someone inside.
Eleanor grabbed Vivian’s arm.
“Run.”
For the first time in Vivian’s life…
Her mother sounded afraid.
They escaped through the back entrance.
Security arrived minutes later.
But whoever entered was already gone.
Only one thing remained.
A message left on Eleanor’s desk.
A single envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
Vivian picked it up.
And her entire world stopped.
The picture showed Daniel.
Alive.
Standing beside someone.
Someone Vivian knew.
Someone she trusted.
Someone who had been beside her every day since Daniel died.
On the back of the photograph were six words:
YOU NEVER KNEW WHO YOUR HUSBAND FEARED.
Vivian stared.
Because the person standing beside Daniel was not a stranger.
It was someone inside Hartwell Group.
May you like
Someone she had never suspected.
Someone who had been helping her search for the truth.
