Chapter Two — The File
813 Words
Serena didn’t sleep.
She sat on the floor of Adrian’s study until nearly four in the morning, surrounded by documents she wasn’t supposed to see.
Every piece of paper made her question the last three years of her life.
Her father’s death had always been described as an unfortunate accident.
A wet road.
A failed brake system.
A car that lost control on a mountain highway.
The police had ruled it accidental.
Serena had believed them.
She had been twenty-two at the time.
Young.
Grieving.
Completely dependent on the adults around her to tell her the truth.
And then Adrian had entered her life.
He had been twenty-eight, already one of the most powerful businessmen in the country.
He had helped her through the funeral.
He had protected her from reporters.
He had made sure she never had to worry about money.
Then, six months later, he proposed.
Serena had thought it was love.
Now she wondered whether it had been calculated from the beginning.
She continued reading.
One document contained a transaction between Blackwood Industries and Vale Holdings.
Another showed a payment made to a private security company two days before her father’s death.
Then she found something that made her stomach twist.
A handwritten note.
Victor discovered the transfer.
Below it was another sentence.
If he talks, everything collapses.
Serena’s hands shook.
Who had written it?
She heard footsteps outside.
She immediately put everything back.
The study door opened.
Adrian stood there.
He looked at her.
Then at the drawer.
Then back at her.
“What are you doing?”
Serena smiled.
“Looking for you.”
“At four in the morning?”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
Adrian walked toward her.
“You were in my desk.”
“No.”
His eyes hardened.
“Serena.”
She held his gaze.
“I said no.”
For a moment neither spoke.
Adrian stepped closer.
“You’re lying.”
“So are you.”
His expression changed.
Serena’s heart pounded.
She expected him to demand an explanation.
Instead, he reached past her and closed the drawer.
“Go to bed.”
She stared at him.
“That easy?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re not going to ask me what I saw?”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re my wife.”
Serena almost laughed.
Your wife.
The words sounded different now.
She walked past him.
“Good night, Adrian.”
He caught her arm.
“Serena.”
She stopped.
“What?”
His eyes searched hers.
“Is there something you want to tell me?”
For one dangerous second, she almost did.
She almost asked him about the file.
About her father.
About the shares.
About Victoria.
Instead, she smiled.
“No.”
She pulled her arm free.
Adrian watched her leave.
Something was wrong.
He could feel it.
The woman who had once told him everything was suddenly hiding something.
And Adrian Blackwood hated secrets.
⸻
The next morning, Serena woke before him.
She dressed quietly and left the penthouse.
Her first stop was Vale Holdings.
The company was technically hers.
But Adrian had gradually taken over its management after their marriage.
She had trusted him.
That was her first mistake.
Her second was believing that the financial reports he gave her were complete.
She requested the original records.
The accountant hesitated.
“Mrs. Blackwood, Mr. Blackwood normally handles—”
“I’m the majority shareholder.”
The room went silent.
“Give me everything.”
Two hours later, Serena sat in a private conference room surrounded by financial documents.
There were irregularities.
Millions had been transferred from Vale Holdings into companies she had never heard of.
And every transfer had been approved by a director appointed by Adrian.
Her stomach twisted.
Someone had been draining her father’s company.
She was still examining the documents when her phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
Stop digging.
Serena stared at the message.
Another arrived.
Your father should have stopped too.
Her blood ran cold.
She immediately called the number.
It was disconnected.
She looked around the room.
Someone knew what she was doing.
Someone was watching her.
Then another message appeared.
If you want to know who killed Victor Vale, come to the old railway station tomorrow at midnight. Come alone.
Serena’s heart hammered.
She should have ignored it.
She knew that.
But this was about her father.
She couldn’t ignore it.
She deleted the messages.
Then she looked through the glass wall.
Across the street, a black car was parked.
Its windows were tinted.
She couldn’t see who was inside.
But she had the strange feeling someone was watching her.
Her phone buzzed again.
This time it was Adrian.
Where are you?
Serena stared at the message.
For the first time, she wondered whether Adrian was protecting her…
Or monitoring her.
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