He was the only one who could help me prove the truth before Samantha destroyed my reputation.

My fingers shook slightly as I dialed his number.

The line rang once, twice.

On the third ring, a voice answered, but it wasn’t Daniel.

“Claire?” a woman’s voice asked on the other end.

It was a voice I didn’t recognize, sharp, fast, and urgent.

“Who is this?” I asked, my heart hammering.

“You don’t know me,” the woman said.

“But Samantha Mercer is about to ruin your life, and I have the files you need to stop her.”

I gripped the phone tighter, my eyes wide.

“Why are you helping me?” I whispered.

“Because she did the exact same thing to me,” the voice replied.

The line went silent for a second, then a quiet beep signaled an incoming text message.

I pulled the phone away from my ear and looked at the screen.

An encrypted attachment was downloading.

The progress bar crept slowly toward one hundred percent.

Mia watched me, her breath held.

The door to the outer office suddenly rattled.

Someone was trying the brass lock from the outside.