When she arrived, she noticed her mother-in-law Margaret Hayes’ car parked outside, alongside Daniel’s sports car and a smaller sedan she recognized immediately. It belonged to Chloe, Daniel’s 24-year-old assistant—someone Olivia herself had recommended hiring just eight months earlier.
Olivia entered quietly through the service door, intending to surprise them. But voices drifting from the terrace stopped her cold. She remained hidden behind a heavy wooden door, the air around her suddenly suffocating.
“You need to be more careful, Daniel,” Margaret’s sharp voice cut through the air. “If Olivia finds out before you finalize those loans, we’re finished. The investors trust her reputation, not yours.”
“Relax, Mom,” Daniel replied casually, his tone making Olivia’s stomach twist. “I already forged her signature on the latest documents. By the time she realizes everything is mortgaged for eighty million dollars, she won’t even be able to afford a lawyer.”
Olivia clamped her hands over her mouth. Her heart pounded so loudly she thought they might hear it. But the next words shattered her completely.