Chapter 3: The Secret He Was Searching For
"I came here because I was looking for you.""
Those words followed me long after Walter Madden left.
I stood beneath the restaurant’s entrance, watching the black SUV disappear into the rainy street.
The city continued moving around me.
Cars passed.
People walked by.
The restaurant doors opened and closed behind me.
But everything felt strangely quiet.
Because one question kept repeating in my mind.
Why me?
I wasn’t a business executive.
I wasn’t someone important.
I wasn’t connected to Walter Madden’s world.
I was just Emily Carter.
A waitress who worked double shifts, counted every dollar before payday, and sometimes ate instant noodles three nights in a row to save money.
So why would a billionaire come looking for me?
"Emily.""
Daniel’s voice pulled me back.
I turned.
He was standing near the entrance.
The same man who had threatened my job minutes earlier now looked like someone who had lost control of the situation.
His perfect suit was still pressed.
His expensive watch was still shining.
But his confidence was gone.
"What?"" I asked.
He glanced toward the street where Walter had disappeared.
"How long have you known him?""
I almost laughed.
"I didn't.""
Daniel narrowed his eyes.
"Don't play games with me.""
"I'm not.""
I looked at him.
"I met him tonight.""
The manager studied my face.
Trying to find a lie.
But there wasn’t one.
For once, Daniel Cross had no idea what to do.
Then his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
The color drained from his face.
I noticed.
"Who is it?""
He ignored me.
After a few seconds, he answered.
"Hello?""
A pause.
Then his expression changed.
"Yes, Mr. Madden.""
My stomach tightened.
Even over the phone, Walter had power.
Daniel listened silently.
"No, sir. I understand.""
Another pause.
"Yes, sir. I'll be there tomorrow morning.""
He ended the call.
Neither of us spoke.
Finally, I asked:
"What did he say?""
Daniel looked at me.
And for the first time, I saw something I had never seen before.
Fear.
"Nothing.""
I knew that was a lie.
But before I could respond, the restaurant owner walked out from the dining room.
His name was Richard Hale.
Unlike Daniel, Richard rarely interacted with employees.
He was the type of person who walked through the restaurant like everyone around him was furniture.
But tonight, he looked nervous.
"Emily.""
I turned.
"Yes?""
He looked uncomfortable.
"Go home.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"Your shift is over.""
I glanced at the clock.
It was true.
But the way he said it felt different.
Not like an order.
Like he wanted me away from the conversation that was coming.
"Is everything okay?""
Richard forced a smile.
"Everything is fine.""
I looked between him and Daniel.
Neither one looked fine.
I grabbed my coat.
But before leaving, I stopped.
"Daniel.""
He looked at me.
"I hope tomorrow you remember something.""
His eyebrows moved slightly.
"What?""
"That you didn't know who Walter was when you decided how he deserved to be treated.""
Then I walked away.
The rain had slowed by the time I reached the bus stop.
I stood beneath the shelter, holding my bag close.
My mind was full of questions.
Walter Madden.
The will.
The restaurant.
Why he had been looking for me.
I replayed every moment from that evening.
The way he held the food container.
The way he looked surprised when I sat beside him.
The way he said nobody had treated him like a person.
Then my phone buzzed.
I looked down.
Unknown number.
For a moment, I almost ignored it.
But something told me not to.
"Hello?""
A calm voice answered.
"Miss Carter?""
"Yes?""
"This is James Whitmore. I'm Mr. Madden's assistant.""
I stood straighter.
"Is something wrong?""
"No. Mr. Madden asked me to make sure you arrived home safely.""
I was confused.
"Why?""
There was a short pause.
Then James said:
"Because he believes people who show kindness deserve to know someone is looking out for them.""
I didn’t know how to respond.
Nobody had ever said something like that to me.
Not because I was special.
But because most people didn’t notice.
"Thank you," I finally said.
"Miss Carter?""
"Yes?""
"There is something else.""
My grip tightened around the phone.
"What?""
"Mr. Madden wants to meet with you tomorrow.""
"I know.""
"No," James said carefully.
"You don't understand.""
The seriousness in his voice made me nervous.
"He didn't ask to meet with you because of what happened tonight.""
I frowned.
"Then why?""
Another pause.
"Because he believes you may be connected to something that happened twenty years ago.""
The noise of the city seemed to disappear.
"Twenty years?""
"Yes.""
"What does that have to do with me?""
James lowered his voice.
"I don't know all the details.""
That answer bothered me.
Because people like James usually knew everything.
"But Mr. Madden was very clear about one thing.""
"What?""
"He said you deserve to hear the truth from him.""
The call ended a few seconds later.
I stood there frozen.
Twenty years ago.
I was barely a child.
What could I possibly have to do with Walter Madden?
The next morning, I arrived at a building I had only seen in magazines.
Madden Tower.
The glass structure stretched high above the city, reflecting the morning sunlight.
I almost turned around twice before entering.
I didn’t belong there.
That thought repeated in my head.
People in expensive suits walked past me.
Nobody knew I was there because of Walter Madden.
Nobody knew I was the waitress who had sat beside him in the rain.
At the reception desk, a woman smiled.
"Can I help you?""
"I’m here to see Walter Madden.""
Her smile remained professional.
"Your name?""
"Emily Carter.""
The woman typed something.
Then her expression changed.
Not dramatically.
Just enough.
"Mr. Madden is expecting you.""
Expecting me.
Not a visitor.
Not an appointment.
Me.
A few minutes later, I entered a private office on the top floor.
It was enormous.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the entire city.
Bookshelves covered one wall.
Paintings hung everywhere.
But what surprised me most was Walter.
He wasn’t wearing the old coat.
He wore a simple dark suit.
Yet he looked less intimidating than I expected.
More human.
He stood near the window.
"Emily.""
I smiled nervously.
"Mr. Madden.""
He shook his head.
"Please. Walter.""
I sat down.
He remained standing.
"I owe you an explanation.""
"I think I have a lot of questions.""
He smiled slightly.
"I imagine you do.""
I looked around.
"Why was I the person you were looking for?""
Walter walked to his desk.
He opened a drawer.
Inside was a small wooden box.
Old.
Worn.
Carefully preserved.
He placed it in front of me.
"I found this three weeks ago.""
I looked at him.
"What is it?""
"Something that belonged to someone important.""
He opened the box.
Inside was a faded photograph.
My breath stopped.
Because I recognized the person in it immediately.
A young woman.
Standing beside Walter.
Holding a little girl’s hand.
My hands began shaking.
I picked up the photo.
"Who is she?""
Walter looked at the picture.
His eyes became filled with sadness.
"Her name was Sarah Carter.""
The room suddenly felt colder.
My fingers tightened around the photograph.
"My mother?""
Walter nodded slowly.
"Yes.""
I stared at him.
That was impossible.
My mother had died when I was eight years old.
She was just a regular woman.
At least, that was what I believed.
"How did you know my mother?""
Walter took a deep breath.
"Because twenty years ago, your mother saved my life.""
I couldn’t speak.
He continued.
"And before she died, she asked me to promise something.""
"What?""
Walter looked directly at me.
His next words changed everything.
"She made me promise that if I ever found you again...""
He paused.
"...I would protect you from the people who took everything from your family.""
My heart stopped.
"The people who took everything?""
Walter nodded.
Then he placed another document on the desk.
A document with a familiar name written across the top.
Madden Global Holdings.
But underneath it was another name.
A name I had seen before.
A name that made my blood run cold.
Because it belonged to someone standing in The Monarch Room every day.
May you like
Someone who knew exactly who I was.
And had been hiding the truth from me for years.
