Conflicted
1027 Words
Chapter 9
Madison’s POV
I was halfway through the Riverside deal file when something stopped me cold.
Most of the papers were routine, contracts, amendments, financial breakdowns, but one folder felt… off. The numbers didn’t add up. There was a clause buried deep inside the appendix, worded so cleverly that at first glance it looked harmless. But the more I read it, the more it bothered me.
It wasn’t just a loophole, but a trap.
If approved, it would quietly funnel profits away from Dalton Hale’s company and into a shell corporation. I almost dismissed it as a typo until I checked the listed signatory.
Mr. Carter.
My boss’s signature was right there, neat and bold, beside the name of a company I had never even heard of.
My pulse quickened. Carter had personally handed me this file this morning, telling me, “Review it quickly and make sure everything looks polished before we present it.” He had said it too smoothly. Too casually.
Now I understood why.
I sat frozen in my chair, fingers tightening around the edge of the document. If Dalton Hale saw this… if he realized…
I shouldn’t have seen it. I knew that instantly. But now I couldn’t unsee it either.
Before I could think any further, my phone buzzed. Carter’s name lit up the screen.
“Madison,” he said sharply, “there’s been a change. Hale called for an impromptu meeting. Fifteen minutes. You’ll need to prepare.”
My stomach dropped. A meeting? Now? With this hanging over me?
“Yes, sir,” I managed to say, though my throat was dry.
When we walked into the meeting hall, I forced myself to breathe evenly. The weight of the folder still clung to me. My boss looked calm, too calm. Meanwhile, my heart thudded like a drum.
And then I saw him.
Dalton Hale.
Sharp suit, sharper eyes. He sat at the head of the table, unreadable but commanding. His presence made the room smaller, heavier. For a moment, I was lost in a flashback our first meeting, the way his gaze had locked onto me like he already knew me.
I quickly looked down at my notes. This wasn’t the time.
Dalton’s voice cut through the silence. “Progress report. Where do we stand on Riverside?”
Before I could breathe, Carter turned to me. “Madison has been handling the main files. She’ll walk you through the details.”
I froze. My eyes flicked to Carter, but his look was steady, almost daring me to speak.
Dalton’s gaze shifted to me, waiting.
My lips parted. For a moment, the truth burned on my tongue. I could tell him everything, about the clause, the shell company, the signature. But I stopped myself.
If I said the wrong thing now, Carter could destroy me. If Dalton misunderstood me, he might think I was involved.
So I forced the words out, steady but careful. “We’ve streamlined the review process,” I said softly. “We’re pushing to resolve the family disputes sooner. That should cut down delays and bring us closer to a finalized agreement.”
Dalton nodded slowly, eyes still on me. His stare was heavy, like he could see through me. I looked away too quickly.
The rest of the meeting passed in a blur. Numbers, deadlines, promises. My pen moved across the page, but my thoughts were spinning.
When it was finally over, I went straight home. I didn’t even change out of my work clothes. I tossed my bag aside, grabbed my laptop, and opened the Riverside files again.
If Carter thought I was going to polish his betrayal and hand it neatly to Dalton Hale, he was wrong.
I dug deeper, following the name of the shell company. Page after page, record after record, until suddenly, I found it tucked into a database of old corporate filings.
The company wasn’t random.
It was tied to The Ashcroft Group.
My chest tightened. Everyone knew the Ashcrofts. They're famous for hostile takeovers.
If Carter finalized this deal, he wouldn’t just betray Dalton. He’d be handing Dalton’s empire to his enemies.
The screen glowed in front of me, my reflection pale in the glass. My hands hovered over the keyboard.
And then I froze.
Because in the corner of the page, I saw something that made my blood run cold.
It was my name.
Not directly, but close enough. Buried in a list of secondary contacts under “junior counsel review,” my initials were right there: M.S. I hadn’t signed or approved anything, but somehow my name had been attached to the very clause Carter had slipped in.
I gasped out loud, clapping my hand over my mouth.
No. No, no, no.
If this went through, it wouldn’t just look like Carter was complicit. It would look like I was complicit too.
I pushed my chair back and paced my small apartment, my bare feet making soft thuds against the carpet. My mind raced. Carter had planned this. He hadn’t just wanted me to polish the file. He wanted me attached to it. A scapegoat.
I pressed my palms to my face. Tears pricked my eyes, not from sadness, but from sheer frustration.
How long had Carter been planning this?
How many others had he set up before me?
I turned back to the laptop and stared at Dalton’s name on the documents.
He had to know.
But how?
If I emailed him from my work account, Carter could track it. If I said anything at the office, Carter would find out before Dalton did. My only option was… personal. Direct.
My fingers trembled as I picked up my phone. Dalton’s contact flashed on the screen.
For a long second, I just stared at it.
Would he even believe me? Would he think I was making things up to cover myself? Worse, what if he thought I was actually involved?
My throat tightened.
But I couldn’t stay silent. Not this time.
Taking a deep breath, I pressed the call button.
The phone rang once.
Twice.
Three times.
My heart pounded so loudly I could barely hear.
- Writer
