Chapter 2 - Whispers in the Dark
The master bedroom was larger than the entire apartment Hannah had shared with Aaron. She sat on the edge of a massive, velvet-draped bed, still wrapped in Daniel’s jacket. Dr. Evans had already visited, administering a mild sedative to stop the stress-induced contractions and ordering strict bed rest.
The door clicked open, and Daniel walked in. He had rolled up his sleeves, revealing the dark tattoos of his youth coiling up his forearms. He carried a tray with a bowl of warm soup and a glass of water.
"You should be sleeping," he said softly, setting the tray on the nightstand.
"Mr. Carver, I can't stay here," Hannah said, her voice shaking as she tried to stand. "Miss Whitlock... she’s right. I’m just the maid. If I cause trouble between your families—"
"Sit down, Hannah," Daniel commanded, though his tone wasn't harsh. He pulled up a chair and sat across from her. "Claire is no longer my fiancée. The engagement is nullified."
Hannah’s breath caught. "Because of me? Please, don't do that. You don't know why I’m really here."
Daniel leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I know more than you think. I know your husband didn't owe seventy thousand dollars to the Whitlocks. Aaron Brooks was one of the best mechanics on the eastern seaboard. He didn't take loans from sharks."
Hannah stared at him, tears welling in her eyes. "Then you know they killed him? They said he slipped, but Aaron never slipped. He found something, Mr. Carver. And my brother, Caleb... he’s gone too."
Daniel’s expression darkened. "Your brother is Caleb Monroe?"
Hannah nodded, a tear spilling over. "He was a bookkeeper. He called me before he disappeared. He said someone was skimming millions from your waterfront accounts, hiding the money under the Carver name. He said whoever was doing it was going to frame you, and they were using the Whitlock shipping routes to move the cash out of the country."
Daniel felt a rare surge of cold fury. He had suspected a mole in his organization for months, but he had never connected it to the Whitlocks. They weren't just business partners; they were attempting to orchestrate a hostile takeover of his entire empire while using his name as a shield against the federal government.
"Why didn't you go to the feds, Hannah?" Daniel asked.
"Caleb said some of the local police were on the payroll. I didn't know who to trust. I came here to find proof. I thought if I could find Caleb’s ledger, I could clear Aaron’s name and find out what happened to my brother."
Daniel looked down at her swollen belly. "And you risked your life, and the life of your child, to do this alone?"
May you like
"I have nothing else left," she whispered.
Daniel reached out, his large, calloused hand gently covering hers. "You have me. From this moment on, you and your child are my responsibility. The Whitlocks think they can play in my shadows. They are about to learn what happens when the shadows fight back."
