Chapter 11 - THE NAME ON THE DOCUMENTS
Adrian returned to the warehouse the next day.
He needed answers.
He searched through every file bearing his name.
Eventually, he found an old incident report.
The date was seven years earlier.
Adrian was nineteen.
The report described an employee named James Carter.
James had worked for Sterling Holdings for fifteen years.
He had discovered a financial irregularity involving one of the company's executives.
Adrian remembered him vaguely.
A quiet man.
Always polite.
The report stated that James had attempted to speak with Adrian about the issue.
Adrian had dismissed him.
Then something happened.
The executive involved threatened James.
James lost his position.
Adrian had never known why.
But the file contained an email from Richard.
“Why did you refuse to hear James?”
Adrian remembered.
He had been busy planning a party.
He had told James:
“Talk to my father's people.”
James had never gotten another chance.
Adrian kept reading.
James had later sued the company.
The investigation revealed that he had been telling the truth.
The executive had stolen millions.
Richard had fired him.
But James's career had already been destroyed.
At the bottom of the file was a note from Richard.
“Adrian chose convenience over responsibility.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
That was the moment.
His father hadn't lost faith because Adrian bought cars.
He had lost faith because Adrian had shown him what kind of man he was becoming.
Adrian sat alone in the dusty office.
For the first time, he felt ashamed.
Not because he had lost money.
Because someone had suffered while he had been too selfish to care.
His phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
Unknown number.
“You finally found the file.”
Adrian froze.
He stared at the screen.
Another message appeared.
“Now find James Carter.”
Adrian's pulse quickened.
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Someone else knew about the files.
Someone who wanted him to keep digging.
