Chapter 4: Threads That Shouldn’t Connect
721 Words
Mendoza Tower no longer felt like just a building to Olivia Hart.
It felt like a place that remembered her.
And that thought alone made her uncomfortable.
She told herself it was nonsense as she stepped off the bus that morning. Buildings didn’t remember people. Systems didn’t care. Companies didn’t watch individuals.
But still—something about yesterday refused to leave her mind.
The man in the black car.
The voice that sounded like it didn’t need to repeat itself twice.
Adrian Mendoza.
She hadn’t known his name then. Now she did. And somehow, knowing it made everything worse.
“Olivia.”
David Carter’s voice pulled her back.
She turned. He was standing near the entrance of the community center, holding two cups of coffee.
“You look like you didn’t sleep,” he said.
“I slept,” she replied.
“That didn’t answer my concern.”
She took the coffee. “Thanks.”
He watched her carefully. “You went to Mendoza Technologies yesterday.”
It wasn’t a question.
Olivia paused. “Word travels fast.”
“Not that fast. I just know you.”
That made her quiet for a moment.
“It was just a meeting about a complaint.”
“And?”
“And nothing,” she said quickly.
Too quickly.
David noticed, but didn’t push.
“You don’t usually come back from meetings looking like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you’re thinking too much.”
“I always think too much.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Silence stretched.
“I’m fine,” she said.
David nodded, but didn’t fully believe her.
“Just be careful with that company.”
“Why?”
“Because companies like that don’t respond to complaints. They respond to problems.”
“I am a problem?”
“I think they might think so.”
Inside Mendoza Tower, Adrian Mendoza stood in silence.
Sophie stood nearby with a tablet.
“You asked for the archived welfare audit,” she said.
“Summarize.”
“The file is incomplete. Records were sealed or deleted under executive authority.”
“By whom?”
“Board-level authority.”
“Names.”
“Multiple. One appears consistently.”
“Speak.”
“Margaret Mendoza.”
Silence.
Adrian turned slowly.
“There is also an internal auditor—Daniel Hart,” Sophie continued. “He flagged financial irregularities in welfare programs.”
“And?”
“His report was never submitted. Investigation was closed.”
“Why?”
“The system lists misconduct.”
Adrian’s voice lowered. “System says a lot of things.”
Then: “Find everything connected to his family.”
“Olivia Hart.”
“Yes.”
Olivia was at the community center helping children arrange supplies.
Her phone rang. Unknown number.
She answered.
“Hello?”
“Miss Hart.”
“Yes?”
“This is Mendoza Technologies.”
Her expression changed slightly.
“Yes?”
“You are required to attend a follow-up discussion.”
“I already attended a meeting.”
“This is not optional.”
“When?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
Call ended.
Olivia stared at her phone.
David watched her. “What was that?”
“Mendoza Technologies.”
“What do they want now?”
“I don’t know.”
That night, Adrian stayed in his office long after everyone left.
Sophie returned.
“Sir… I found something else.”
“Speak.”
“Daniel Hart’s last records show emergency relocation before disappearance.”
“Disappearance?”
“Yes.”
“And the only family contact listed…”
She hesitated.
“…Olivia Hart.”
Silence.
Adrian didn’t move.
Then quietly:
“Bring me everything from that year.”
“Yes, sir.”
Sophie asked, “Sir… what exactly are you investigating?”
Adrian looked out at the city.
“Something buried.”
A pause.
“And someone who shouldn’t be involved.”
Olivia stood alone at her window that night.
Her phone buzzed.
David: Don’t go alone tomorrow.
She stared at it.
Then replied: I have to.
Adrian stood in front of her file again.
For the first time, he didn’t close it.
Because Olivia Hart was no longer just a name.
She was a question.
And he hated unanswered questions.
Especially ones that started to matter.
- Writer
