Chapter 3: Ghosts of the Past
The silence in the VIP room was heavy enough to suffocate them. Arthur Sterling staggered backward, hitting the edge of the mahogany desk.
"Evelyn..." he whispered, the name tasting like ash in his mouth. "Evelyn Vance didn't have a daughter."
"She hid me," Maya (formerly Chloe) replied, standing up. She wasn't trembling anymore. The frightened waitress act was over. "Because she knew what you were doing. She knew about Project Genesis. And she knew that whoever controlled it would eventually try to kill her."
Arthur’s eyes darted to the locked door, checking if anyone had heard that name. Project Genesis. The foundation of the Sterling Empire. The revolutionary medical AI algorithm that had cured thousands and made Arthur billions.
"You're lying," Arthur said, though his voice lacked its usual thunder. "Evelyn leaped from the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a tragic mental breakdown."
"She was pushed!" Maya snapped, stepping toward the powerful tycoon. "And for five years, I’ve been scrubbing toilets and serving champagne in this godforsaken city just to get close to your family. Julian knew who I was. He found me three months ago."
Arthur processed the information, his brilliant, ruthless mind working in overdrive. Julian. His trusted right hand had found Evelyn's secret daughter, hired her for this exact catering event, and orchestrated a massive betrayal with Eleanor, the bride.
But why frame Maya with the poisoned champagne?
"If Julian brought you here," Arthur murmured, pacing again, "why did he and Eleanor frame you for poisoning the champagne?"
"Because Eleanor didn't know I was working with Julian," Maya revealed, the puzzle pieces finally snapping together in her own mind. "Eleanor and the Maid of Honor wanted to frame a random waitress to cause a distraction. But Julian specifically assigned me to serve that table. He wanted me to be the one accused."
"Why?"
"So I would be brought into this room. With you." Maya pointed to the damaged flash drive. "The drive isn't damaged, Mr. Sterling. I didn't break the scanner. It requires a specific DNA sequence to unlock. Julian didn't steal the data from you... he stole it for me."
Before Arthur could react, his secure earpiece buzzed.
"Sir," his head of security's voice crackled. "We have a situation. The police just breached the lobby. They have a federal warrant."
"A warrant for what?" Arthur barked.
"For your arrest, sir. Murder in the first degree. The victim is Julian."
May you like
Arthur froze. "What are you talking about? Marcus just told me Julian was alive on the scaffolding!"
"He was, sir. But someone just slit his throat in the medical bay."
