Chapter 6: The Room Where Deals Were Made
The old Moretti conference building had not been used for years.
That was intentional.
Fabian preferred keeping certain places untouched.
Rooms held memories.
And some memories were better left buried.
But that night, the abandoned conference room became the place where the truth waited.
The security lights flickered on as Fabian entered.
Marcus followed behind him.
No employees.
No assistants.
No distractions.
Only answers.
The large table in the center of the room looked exactly as Fabian remembered.
Long.
Dark.
Imposing.
A place where powerful people made decisions that affected hundreds of lives.
Tonight, it was where Fabian planned to discover who had been making decisions about his own.
Marcus checked his phone.
“The meeting was scheduled for nine.””
Fabian looked at the clock.
Eight fifty-eight.
“They’ll come.””
Marcus glanced at him.
“You sound certain.””
“I know people like this.””
“Like Daniel?””
Fabian didn’t answer.
Because the truth was, he didn’t know Daniel anymore.
That bothered him.
A few minutes later, footsteps echoed outside.
The door opened.
Daniel Voss walked in.
Fifty years old.
Perfect suit.
Controlled expression.
The same man Fabian had trusted with his company’s future.
Daniel stopped when he saw him.
“Fabian.””
No surprise.
No panic.
Just disappointment.
That was worse.
Fabian stood.
“You expected someone else.””
Daniel looked around.
“I expected Ophelia.””
“Why?””
A pause.
Daniel placed his briefcase on the table.
“Because she told me she would handle it.””
Fabian felt his stomach tighten.
“Handle what?””
Daniel looked at him.
Then slowly sat down.
“The transition.””
The word was deliberate.
Careful.
A business word.
A word designed to hide something ugly.
Fabian walked closer.
“You helped her take control of my family.””
Daniel sighed.
“No.””
Fabian stopped.
“I helped prevent your family from collapsing.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“That’s a convenient explanation.””
Daniel looked at him.
“You don’t know what was happening.””
Fabian’s eyes narrowed.
“Then tell me.””
Silence.
Daniel looked down at the table.
“When your health scare happened last year, the board became concerned.””
Fabian’s expression changed.
“What health scare?””
Marcus looked confused.
Daniel noticed.
“You didn’t tell him?””
The room went still.
Fabian stared.
“Tell me what?””
Daniel’s face changed.
For the first time, he looked uncertain.
“Ophelia said you knew.””
“Knew what?””
Daniel leaned back.
“She said your condition was worse than you admitted.””
Fabian felt the air leave the room.
Because suddenly, this was bigger than Lucy.
Bigger than the contract.
Bigger than Ophelia.
Someone had been building an entire story around him.
A story he had never heard.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Daniel, be very careful.””
But Daniel continued.
“She told me you needed someone prepared to take over.””
Fabian’s voice was quiet.
“She lied.””
Daniel looked at him.
And that was when Fabian saw it.
Not guilt.
Not confidence.
Regret.
“You really didn’t know.””
It wasn’t a question.
Fabian didn’t respond.
Because he didn’t trust his own anger yet.
Daniel opened his briefcase.
Inside were copies of emails.
Documents.
Messages.
“I thought I was helping protect the company.””
Fabian looked at the papers.
“And Lucy?””
Daniel lowered his eyes.
“I didn’t know about that.””
Marcus immediately picked up one document.
“This is dated two months ago.””
Daniel looked confused.
“What?””
Marcus handed it to Fabian.
A communication between Daniel and Ophelia.
A line highlighted.
Fabian read it.
His expression changed.
The words were simple.
But the meaning was clear.
*Once the child’s dependency is reduced, the household transition will proceed smoothly.*
Fabian looked up.
Daniel went pale.
“I never wrote that.””
“But you signed the documents.””
Daniel stared at the page.
“No.””
He shook his head slowly.
“I didn’t approve this.””
The room went silent.
Because now the question was no longer whether someone was planning against Fabian.
The question was who had been controlling the plan from the beginning.
Marcus looked toward the door.
“We need to leave.””
Fabian didn’t move.
“Why?””
Marcus pointed.
“The cameras.””
Fabian looked up.
The security monitor in the corner was blinking.
Someone was watching.
And then Fabian’s phone buzzed.
A message.
No number.
No name.
Just one sentence.
*You were never supposed to find the first layer.*
Fabian stared at the screen.
For the first time in years, he felt something he hated.
Not fear.
Uncertainty.
May you like
Because Ophelia was not the entire plan.
She was only part of it.
