Chapter 2 - THE DIAGNOSIS
Adrian had faced armed men without blinking.
He had negotiated with federal investigators.
He had survived two assassination attempts and one betrayal that had nearly destroyed his organization.
But nothing prepared him for the sight of his wife sitting on the edge of their bed with tears silently running down her face.
"Start at the beginning," he said.
Claire stared at the torn divorce papers on the floor.
"You really aren't leaving?"
"Not tonight."
"You were going to."
"Yes."
She nodded.
"I knew."
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"How?"
"You stopped touching me."
The answer silenced him.
Claire wiped her cheek.
"You stopped asking where I was. You stopped noticing when I didn't eat. You stopped coming upstairs."
Adrian swallowed.
"I thought you hated me."
"I did."
She looked at him.
"For a while."
He sat across from her.
"Then what changed?"
"You did."
"I don't understand."
"Neither do I."
Thunder rolled outside.
Claire looked toward the hospital bag.
"I was diagnosed after I collapsed at work."
Adrian's expression hardened.
"You were working?"
"At the foundation."
"You told me you were volunteering."
"I was."
She gave him a tired smile.
"You don't know much about your own foundation, Adrian."
That stung.
She continued.
"At first they thought it was stress. Then lupus was considered. Then another connective tissue disorder. My kidneys started showing abnormalities."
Adrian stared.
"Your kidneys?"
"They're stable now."
"Now?"
"I've been receiving treatment."
"Without me."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Claire's eyes hardened.
"Because every time I tried to tell you something important, someone interrupted."
"Who?"
She hesitated.
"People around you."
Adrian's mind immediately went to his organization.
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Claire."
"I don't know their names."
She reached into the bag and pulled out a small envelope.
"I started noticing things."
She handed it to him.
Inside were photocopies.
Bank transfers.
Warehouse manifests.
Hospital records.
Adrian studied them.
His eyes stopped on one name.
MERCER LOGISTICS.
His attorney Daniel Mercer owned the company.
Adrian's face changed.
"Why do you have this?"
"I didn't collect it."
"Then who did?"
Claire looked toward the bedroom door.
"A man came to see me six months ago."
"Who?"
"He called himself Michael."
Adrian stood.
"Michael what?"
"I never learned."
"What did he want?"
"To know whether you had told me about the Harbor Project."
Adrian went completely still.
Nobody outside a very small circle knew that name.
The Harbor Project was not a criminal operation.
It was worse.
It was an internal investigation Adrian had secretly commissioned after discovering money disappearing from three legitimate companies.
He had trusted only four people.
Daniel.
His security chief Marcus Vale.
His CFO Victor Hale.
And Claire.
Because the foundation's accounts had been used to hide some of the transactions.
"Did you tell him anything?"
"No."
"Did you tell me?"
"No."
"Why?"
Claire looked down.
"Because he threatened you."
Adrian's voice became dangerously calm.
"With what?"
"He said if I told you, they would kill you."
Adrian almost laughed.
"People have threatened me before."
"This was different."
"Why?"
Claire reached into the bag again.
This time she pulled out a photograph.
Adrian took it.
The picture showed him leaving one of his warehouses three months earlier.
Across the street stood a black SUV.
A man watched him from inside.
Adrian recognized him.
His security chief.
Marcus Vale.
Adrian's fingers tightened around the photograph.
"Where did you get this?"
"The man named Michael gave it to me."
"Why?"
"He said Marcus wasn't protecting you."
Adrian stared at the picture.
"He was watching you."
Claire nodded.
"That's what Michael said."
Adrian's phone rang.
Marcus.
He answered.
"What?"
"Boss, where are you?"
"Home."
A pause.
"Is Claire with you?"
Adrian's eyes moved toward his wife.
"Why?"
"Because I need to know."
Adrian smiled without humor.
"You need to know?"
"Adrian—"
"Where are you?"
"Outside."
Adrian walked toward the window.
Below, through the rain, two black SUVs sat near the gate.
Marcus stood beside one.
He was looking directly at the house.
Adrian lowered the phone.
"How long has he been there?"
Claire whispered,
"Since I came home."
Adrian looked at her.
"You knew?"
She nodded.
"I knew someone was watching."
His jaw clenched.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because every time I tried, someone was already listening."
Adrian looked around the room.
The vents.
The lamps.
The smoke detector.
His eyes narrowed.
He walked to the bedside table.
The small clock sat there.
He picked it up.
Nothing.
Then he noticed the charger.
He unplugged it.
A tiny red light blinked beneath the outlet.
A listening device.
Adrian's face became expressionless.
Claire watched him.
"Now do you believe me?"
He crushed the device in his palm.
"Yes."
Then the lights went out.
The mansion fell into darkness.
Claire gasped.
Adrian immediately moved in front of her.
Outside, tires screamed.
A gunshot cracked through the storm.
Then another.
Adrian pulled Claire to the floor.
"Stay down."
"Adrian—"
"Don't move."
His phone rang again.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A distorted voice spoke.
"You should have signed the divorce papers."
Adrian's blood went cold.
The voice continued.
"Now you and your wife are both going to regret it."
The call ended.
Adrian looked at Claire.
She was trembling.
He reached for her hand.
May you like
This time she didn't pull away.
And Adrian realized the marriage he had come home to destroy might be the only thing keeping both of them alive.
