Chapter 2 - The Woman Inside His Fortress
At 2:37 a.m., Cindy entered Andrew Carter’s penthouse for the first time.
She expected luxury.
She did not expect twelve armed security men.
Cindy stopped.
“Absolutely not.”
Andrew removed his wet coat.
“What?”
“This.”
She pointed.
“Half your organization waiting outside the elevator.”
“They’re security.”
“They’re terrifying.”
“They’re supposed to be.”
“Send them away.”
“No.”
Cindy folded her arms.
“Your call. Remember?”
Lucas covered a smile.
Andrew noticed.
“Something amusing?”
“Nothing, boss.”
Andrew looked at Cindy.
“Four.”
“Two.”
“Three.”
“Two.”
“Fine.”
Lucas blinked.
Andrew Carter had just negotiated downward with his own assistant.
Cindy walked inside.
“Medical kit?”
“Kitchen.”
She cleaned the small cut on her temple herself.
Andrew stood nearby.
Watching.
Finally Cindy said, “You’re hovering.”
“I’m standing.”
“You’re aggressively standing.”
Lucas laughed from the doorway.
Andrew pointed toward the elevator.
“Go investigate the login.”
Lucas immediately stopped laughing.
“Yes, boss.”
Cindy opened her laptop backup through Andrew’s computer.
“David contacted me three days ago.”
Andrew’s expression hardened.
“You didn’t tell me.”
“Because my personal life is personal.”
“He threatened you?”
“No. He apologized.”
“Same thing from men like him.”
Cindy looked up.
“That sentence is exactly why I didn’t tell you.”
Andrew leaned against the desk.
“Explain.”
“You solve problems by controlling them.”
“I solve problems by ending them.”
“That’s worse.”
Andrew said nothing.
Cindy opened David’s recent messages.
There were dozens.
Most were pathetic apologies.
Then she found something.
A transfer.
Ten thousand dollars.
Received yesterday.
Sender hidden behind a shell company.
Andrew leaned closer.
“Can you trace it?”
“Eventually.”
“I know someone who can do it in five minutes.”
“Call them.”
Andrew reached for his phone.
Cindy added, “But they report to me.”
He looked at her.
“Excuse me?”
“You said this was my call.”
A pause.
Then Andrew dialed.
“Marcus. Penthouse. Now.”
Twenty minutes later, Carter Logistics cybersecurity director Marcus Bell arrived.
He was nervous before seeing Cindy.
After seeing Andrew beside her, he became terrified.
Cindy turned the laptop around.
“Trace this transfer.”
Marcus studied it.
His face changed.
Andrew noticed.
“You recognize it.”
“No.”
Cindy watched him.
“Marcus.”
“I said no.”
Andrew moved forward.
Cindy raised one hand.
Andrew stopped.
She kept her eyes on Marcus.
“You changed your password three weeks ago.”
Marcus swallowed.
“How do you know?”
“Because I approve executive security resets.”
She turned the screen.
“And this authentication signature belongs to your administrative account.”
Marcus went pale.
Andrew’s voice lowered.
“You have five seconds.”
Cindy looked sharply at him.
Andrew corrected himself.
“She has five questions.”
Lucas coughed to hide another laugh.
Cindy leaned forward.
“Who paid David?”
Marcus shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
“Who ordered the login?”
“I don’t know.”
“Who has your credentials?”
Nobody answered.
Cindy studied him.
Then realization came.
“You didn’t give them away.”
Marcus looked at her.
“They stole them.”
His silence confirmed it.
“When?”
“Two weeks ago.”
“Why didn’t you report it?”
Marcus looked toward Andrew.
“Because whoever did it sent me photographs of my daughter leaving school.”
Andrew went completely still.
Cindy’s anger disappeared.
“Who?”
“I never saw him.”
“Messages?”
“Encrypted.”
“Instructions?”
Marcus nodded.
“Monitor your account.”
“Mine?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“They were waiting for something.”
Andrew spoke.
“What?”
Marcus looked at Cindy.
“For her to access the Black Ledger.”
Silence filled the room.
Cindy frowned.
“I’ve never heard of it.”
Andrew had.
She turned toward him.
“What is the Black Ledger?”
Andrew didn’t answer.
“Andrew.”
Still nothing.
Cindy closed the laptop.
“Then I’m finished.”
“Cindy—”
“You want my help while keeping me blind?”
“It protects you.”
“No.”
She stood.
“It protects your control.”
That landed.
Andrew looked at Marcus.
“Take Lucas. Get your daughter somewhere safe.”
Marcus stared.
“You believe me?”
“Cindy does.”
Marcus left.
Cindy picked up her damaged purse.
“Where are you going?”
“Hotel.”
“No.”
She stared at him.
Andrew realized immediately.
Wrong answer.
He tried again.
“I’d prefer you stay.”
“Better.”
“You’re still angry.”
“Very.”
Andrew exhaled.
“The Black Ledger records every hidden payment made through the criminal side of my organization.”
Cindy slowly lowered her purse.
“Names?”
“Politicians. Contractors. Rivals. Informants.”
“And traitors?”
“Yes.”
“Who can access it?”
“Three people.”
“Who?”
“Me.”
Andrew paused.
“Lucas.”
Another pause.
“And my cousin Nathan Carter.”
From behind them came Lucas’s voice.
“Boss.”
He was staring at his phone.
“Nathan just entered Carter Logistics headquarters.”
Cindy looked at Andrew.
“It’s three in the morning.”
Andrew picked up his coat.
May you like
“Exactly.”
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