Chapter 4 - Rosa's Secret
"Rosa."
She didn't answer.
"Rosa."
Her hands began shaking.
"Mr. Harrington..."
"What do you know about my mother?"
Rosa looked toward Isabella.
"Not here."
Marcus understood immediately.
He took them into the private study.
Isabella sat beside her mother.
Marcus locked the door.
"Talk."
Rosa swallowed.
"Your mother helped me."
"How?"
"Years ago."
"How many?"
"About eight."
Marcus frowned.
"My mother died four years ago."
"I know."
"Then explain."
Rosa looked down.
"Before I worked for you, I worked for an accounting company."
Marcus's expression hardened.
"Which one?"
"Kane Financial."
Marcus froze.
Victor Kane's firm.
"What did you do there?"
"I processed documents."
"What documents?"
"Your company accounts."
Marcus stared at her.
Rosa continued.
"I found something."
"What?"
"Money being moved."
"By whom?"
She shook her head.
"I don't know."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"I'm not asking you to believe me."
She reached into her bag.
And pulled out a small envelope.
"I kept this."
Marcus opened it.
Inside was a handwritten note.
He recognized the handwriting instantly.
His mother's.
Marcus, if anything happens to me, don't trust the people closest to you.
His hands went cold.
"Where did you get this?"
"Your mother gave it to me."
"Why?"
"Because she knew someone was stealing from your company."
Marcus stared at her.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Rosa's eyes filled with tears.
"Because after she died, someone threatened me."
"Who?"
"I never saw his face."
"What did he say?"
Rosa whispered:
"He said if I ever contacted you, my daughter would disappear."
Marcus looked at Isabella.
Something inside him broke.
The little girl was quietly drawing.
Unaware that the conversation happening around her could destroy everything.
Marcus stood.
"You're not going anywhere."
Rosa looked at him.
"What?"
"From now on, you and Isabella stay here."
"I can't."
"You can."
"I don't want charity."
"This isn't charity."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"It's protection."
That night, Marcus hired private security.
But before dawn, one of the guards found something disturbing.
A small pink stuffed rabbit had been placed outside the penthouse door.
Isabella's rabbit.
The one she had been holding all day.
May you like
Except Isabella was asleep.
And the rabbit was still in her arms.
