Chapter 3 - The Ghost in the Ledger
Dorian stood up slowly, keeping his eyes fixed on Marin.
Titan rested his chin on Marin’s uninjured knee, whining softly as if sensing the sudden tension in the room.
"Daniel Caldwell worked for me," Dorian stated, watching her reaction closely.
Marin’s head snapped up in surprise.
"He worked for Vance Holdings," she corrected.
"He was just a numbers guy on the seventh floor."
"He never mentioned meeting the owner."
"We never met," Dorian lied smoothly.
He knew exactly who Daniel was.
Daniel had been a brilliant, quiet man who worked late hours and never asked for promotions.
Twenty-two months ago, Daniel had requested an urgent, private meeting with Dorian regarding a massive financial discrepancy.
Daniel never made it to that meeting.
His car was forced off a bridge into the icy river later that same night.
The police called it black ice.
Dorian had believed them, until tonight.
Garrett Boyd's stolen millions lined up perfectly with the exact accounts Daniel had been auditing just before his death.
"How have you been surviving since the accident?" Dorian asked gently.
Marin looked away, shame coloring her pale cheeks.
"The life insurance policy was denied," she admitted.
"They claimed Daniel missed a premium payment."
"The hospital bills from my leg injury took the rest of our savings."
Dorian felt a cold, violent rage building in his chest.
Garrett Boyd and his hidden partner had not just killed an innocent man.
They had systematically ruined his widow to ensure she could never afford lawyers to investigate the crash.
"Mr. Vance, I really need to get back to work," Marin said, trying to adjust her brace.
"If I don't finish my shift, the contracting company will fire me."
"You are already fired," Dorian said bluntly.
Marin stopped breathing.
"What?"
"I am hiring you as my personal archivist, starting immediately," Dorian continued, walking back to his desk.
"Your salary will be ten times what the cleaning company paid you."
"You will have full medical benefits, and you will work directly on this floor."
Marin stared at him as if he had lost his mind.
"I don't know anything about archiving, Mr. Vance."
"You know how to read, do you not?"
"Yes, but—"
"Then you are qualified," Dorian interrupted.
The private elevator chimed, and a gray-haired man carrying a black leather bag stepped into the office.
It was Dr. Aris, Dorian's personal physician.
"Examine her leg," Dorian ordered the doctor.
"Order whatever scans she needs and bill it to my private account."
Dorian grabbed his overcoat and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" Marin asked, bewildered by the sudden hurricane that had become her life.
May you like
Dorian paused at the elevator doors, his eyes completely devoid of mercy.
"I have to ask a dead man a few questions."
