Chapter 3 - The Broken LedgerBy the next morning, the rumors of what had occurred at the Carver mansion had spread through the high society of Providence like wildfire. The powerful Daniel Carver had canceled his engagement to Claire Whitlock, throwing her and her father’s guests out of his home to protect a pregnant servant.
In the sunlit morning room of the west wing, Hannah sat at a small table. She was wearing a soft, cream-colored maternity dress that Martin had somehow procured for her overnight. A plate of fresh fruit and pastries sat before her, but she could barely eat.
The door opened, and eight-year-old Ben slipped inside. He looked around cautiously before running over to Hannah’s side.
"Hannah! Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes wide with worry. "The other maids said the bad lady cut your hair."
Hannah smiled warmly, reaching out to ruffle his messy brown hair. "I'm okay, Ben. See? It's just a little shorter on one side. It will grow back."
"Mr. Carver was really mad," Ben whispered conspiratorially. "I saw him talking to his men in the courtyard. He looked like he wanted to break a wall."
"He was just being protective," Hannah said gently, though her heart fluttered at the memory of Daniel carrying her.
Before Ben could say more, Daniel himself entered the room. He had discarded his formal suits for a dark, form-fitting sweater, but his aura of absolute power remained unchanged. He looked at Ben, and a rare, genuine softness appeared on his face.
"Ben," Daniel said. "Go find Martin. He has a new set of books for your tutors."
"Yes, Mr. Carver!" Ben saluted playfully and scampered out of the room, giving Hannah one last bright smile.
Once the boy was gone, Daniel sat opposite Hannah. He placed a thick, leather-bound ledger on the table between them.
"This was recovered from Thomas Whitlock’s private office this morning," Daniel said calmly, though the implication of how he had obtained it so quickly made Hannah’s pulse quicken. "My men paid a quiet visit to his archives."
Hannah stared at the book. "Is this... Caleb’s work?"
"It contains financial entries from the last three years," Daniel explained, opening the book. "And you were right. Millions of dollars have been routed through my shipping manifests, completely bypassing my accountants. It was masked as safety inspections and harbor maintenance—the very department your husband Aaron managed."
Hannah felt a chill run down her spine. "So Aaron was forced to sign off on these dummy shipments."
"Exactly. And when your brother Caleb discovered the discrepancies, he tried to warn you. The Whitlocks realized they had a leak. They silenced Caleb, and when Aaron refused to keep signing the fake manifests without his brother-in-law, they staged his 'accident' on the docks."
Tears spilled over Hannah’s eyelashes, hot and bitter. "They killed him. They killed my husband for their greed."
"And they used a forged debt to keep you terrified, ensuring you wouldn't go to the federal authorities," Daniel added, his eyes burning with a dark, vengeful fire. "But they made a fatal error. They let Claire bring her arrogance into my home."
He reached across the table, his large, warm hand covering hers. The contact sent a jolt of electricity through her.
"I will dismantle the Whitlock family, Hannah," Daniel promised, his voice a dark, solemn vow. "For what they stole from you. For your husband. And for the disrespect they showed under my roof."
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"But what about my brother?" Hannah cried softly. "Is Caleb... is he dead too?"
Daniel looked at her, his gaze steady. "We haven't found a body, Hannah. If they wanted him dead immediately, they would have disposed of him like they did Aaron. But Caleb was the only one who knew the access codes to the offshore accounts where the stolen money is held. I suspect Thomas Whitlock is keeping him alive somewhere. And I am going to find him."
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