THE TRUTH BURIED IN THE PAST
992 Words
Chapter Eight
Garrett Hayes had spent years building his empire on one simple belief.
The past was meant to stay buried.
Some memories were too painful to revisit.
Some truths were too dangerous to uncover.
And some wounds never truly healed, no matter how much time passed.
But now, the past he had tried so hard to escape was finding its way back to him.
The investigation into the leaked documents continued.
For days, Garrett barely slept.
He went through every report, every transaction, and every person connected to the information leak.
He searched for answers.
But the more he looked, the more questions appeared.
Someone wanted him to believe the betrayal came from inside his company.
But Garrett knew there was something bigger happening.
Something connected to a part of his life he had tried to forget.
Nora noticed the change in him.
Garrett had always been reserved, but this was different.
He seemed distant.
Not because he didn't care.
Because he was fighting something silently.
And Nora was beginning to understand that Garrett's silence was not emptiness.
It was a place where he kept everything he refused to say.
"You haven't been sleeping."
Garrett looked up from his laptop.
Nora stood at the door of his office.
He checked the time.
"It is late."
"So you noticed."
A small smile almost appeared on his face.
Almost.
"You should go home."
Nora walked inside.
"You say that every time I come here."
"Because you should rest."
"And you should too."
Garrett looked away.
"I have work."
Nora sighed.
"Garrett."
The way she said his name made him stop.
"What?"
"You don't always have to be the strongest person in the room."
The words stayed with him.
Because deep down, he was tired of pretending.
For a moment, Garrett considered telling her.
Everything.
The truth about his family.
The reason he became the man he was.
The reason trust was so difficult for him.
But fear stopped him.
Not fear of judgment.
Fear of being understood.
Because once someone knew the truth, they could hurt you with it.
"I had a brother."
The words surprised Nora.
She didn't interrupt.
Garrett looked out of the window.
"My family never talked about him."
Nora remained quiet.
She understood that he was sharing something he rarely spoke about.
"He was supposed to inherit the company before me."
Garrett paused.
"But something happened."
Years ago, before Garrett became the face of Hayes Global Holdings, his family had been different.
His father believed in reputation above everything.
His mother believed in keeping peace.
And his older brother had been the person Garrett trusted most.
They were different.
Garrett was disciplined.
His brother was more open.
More emotional.
More willing to take risks.
But they shared one thing.
They wanted to protect the family name.
Until one decision changed everything.
"My brother was blamed for a financial mistake."
Nora listened carefully.
"What happened?"
Garrett's expression darkened.
"The company lost a major deal. Evidence pointed toward him."
"Did he do it?"
Garrett was silent.
Then he answered:
"No."
The certainty in his voice surprised her.
"How do you know?"
"Because I knew him."
His voice became softer.
"And because I found evidence years later that proved he was set up."
Nora felt a sadness she couldn't explain.
Garrett had spent years carrying that pain alone.
"The person who did it was never found?"
"No."
"Is that why you don't trust people?"
Garrett looked at her.
"Partly."
He looked back at the city.
"I learned that the people closest to you can hurt you the most."
Nora understood then.
Garrett's walls were not built because he didn't have feelings.
They were built because he had too many.
The next morning, Garrett received new information from the investigation.
Michael entered his office quickly.
"We found something."
Garrett looked up.
"What?"
Michael placed a document on the desk.
"The leaked files were connected to an old company account."
Garrett frowned.
"How old?"
"From before you became CEO."
A cold feeling moved through him.
Before he became CEO.
Before everything changed.
Garrett opened the document.
There was a name attached to the account.
A name he recognized.
A name connected to his past.
His expression changed.
"This is impossible."
Michael looked concerned.
"What is it?"
Garrett didn't answer immediately.
Because the evidence suggested something he never wanted to believe.
The betrayal that damaged his family years ago...
Was connected to the betrayal happening now.
Later that day, Nora found Garrett in his office.
She immediately noticed something was wrong.
"You found something."
It wasn't a question.
Garrett looked at her.
"I did."
"And?"
He hesitated.
For the first time, Nora saw uncertainty in his eyes.
"I don't know who I can trust anymore."
The honesty in his voice hurt more than anger would have.
Nora stepped closer.
"Then start with one person."
Garrett looked at her.
"Who?"
"Me."
Silence filled the room.
Because Nora wasn't promising to solve everything.
She wasn't promising to save him.
She was simply offering him something he rarely received.
Trust.
Garrett looked at her for a long moment.
"You make it difficult to keep my distance."
Nora's heart skipped slightly.
"Is that a bad thing?"
He didn't answer.
Because he didn't know.
For years, distance had protected him.
But now, the one person he wanted to keep away was the one person he wanted close.
That evening, Garrett stood in his office holding the evidence from the investigation.
The past had returned.
The truth he had searched for was finally within reach.
But he knew one thing.
Finding the truth could destroy everything.
Including the fragile connection growing between him and Nora.
Because sometimes the secrets buried in the past were not buried because they were forgotten.
They were buried because someone was afraid of what would happen when they were finally revealed.
And Garrett Hayes was about to discover that the truth always finds its way back.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD