Chapter 5: The Letter Sarah Left Behind

I didn’t sleep that night.

Not because of Caleb.

Because of Sarah.

I returned to the resort after midnight.

The halls were empty.

Quiet.

Exactly how I remembered them before they became famous.

I walked to the old office.

The one Sarah used before we expanded.

The one she called “the little room where everything started.””

I opened drawers.

Old papers.

Old photos.

Memories.

Then I found something hidden beneath the bottom drawer.

A small wooden box.

My heart stopped.

Because I knew it immediately.

Sarah’s handwriting was on the top.

Ethan.

I sat down slowly.

My hands shook as I opened it.

Inside was a letter.

And a flash drive.

The letter was dated three weeks before she died.

My eyes moved across the page.

Ethan,

If you’re reading this, something happened before I could explain everything.

I stopped.

My vision blurred.

I continued.

I need you to know something.

The company is not being damaged by competitors.

The danger is inside.

I looked up.

Inside.

The word echoed.

The letter continued.

Someone has been changing reports.

Moving money.

Making decisions without approval.

I felt sick.

Because Sarah knew.

And she was fighting alone.

I kept reading.

I didn’t tell you because I knew you would confront them.

And I couldn’t let you lose everything while I was sick.

A tear dropped onto the paper.

Even at the end, Sarah was protecting me.

A sound came from behind me.

I turned.

Daniel stood in the doorway.

“Mr. Vance?””

I quickly folded the letter.

“How long have you been there?””

“Only a moment.””

He looked concerned.

“What happened?””

I held up the flash drive.

“Sarah found something.””

Daniel’s face changed.

“About the company?””

“Yes.””

He stepped inside.

“Sir…”

“What?””

“There’s something I never told you.””

I stared at him.

“What?””

He looked ashamed.

“When Sarah was sick, she asked me to investigate financial records.””

I froze.

“You knew?””

“I suspected something.””

“Why didn’t you tell me?””

His eyes dropped.

“Because she made me promise.””

I closed my eyes.

Of course.

Sarah.

Always thinking five steps ahead.

“What did you find?””

Daniel hesitated.

“A pattern.””

“What pattern?””

“Payments.””

“To who?””

He looked at me.

And before he answered, my phone rang.

Unknown number.

I almost ignored it.

But something told me not to.

I answered.

“Hello?””

A woman’s voice whispered.

“Mr. Vance?””

“Yes.””

“You found Sarah’s letter.””

My body went still.

“Who is this?””

The woman breathed heavily.

“You don’t have much time.””

“Who are you?””

“I was Sarah’s assistant.””

I gripped the phone.

“Where are you?””

Before she answered, the line went silent.

Then one final message appeared on my screen.

A text.

A photo.

A document.

And the name at the bottom made my blood run cold.

Because the person stealing from my company…

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Was not Caleb.

It was someone I trusted even more.