Chapter 3 - The Secret Behind The Woman Who Had Nothing To Lose
For the next two weeks, Victor Gallow told himself the same thing.
Harper Davis was just an employee.
Nothing more.
A designer in one of his companies.
A woman who happened to talk too much.
A woman who happened to make his mornings less predictable.
A woman who had somehow turned his private elevator into the only place in Chicago where he didn't feel like a weapon.
That was all.
At least, that was what he told himself.
Until the night she disappeared.
---
The Gallow Holdings annual charity event was held at one of Chicago's most expensive hotels.
Hundreds of executives, politicians, and investors filled the ballroom.
Victor stood near the balcony, watching the crowd.
Everyone smiled.
Everyone shook hands.
Everyone pretended.
Victor understood pretending.
He had built an empire on it.
Arthur approached.
"Your meeting with the council members is ready."
Victor nodded.
Then he noticed something.
A familiar face.
Harper.
She stood near the design team, holding a tablet.
She wasn't wearing the expensive dresses the other women wore.
Just a simple black dress she probably bought because it was practical.
Victor watched as several executives ignored her.
One man walked past and accidentally bumped into her.
Her tablet almost fell.
Victor moved before he thought.
He caught it.
Harper looked up.
Their eyes met.
"Victor?"
He handed her the tablet.
"You should be more careful."
She smiled.
"Interesting."
"What?"
"You sound exactly like someone who cares."
Victor's expression hardened.
"I don't."
"Right."
She nodded.
"That's your favorite sentence."
Before Victor could answer, a voice interrupted.
"Mr. Gallow."
A man in his forties approached.
Daniel Cross.
A businessman.
And someone Victor knew very well.
Someone who had been secretly moving money through Gallow's freight network.
Victor's expression changed instantly.
Cold.
Controlled.
Dangerous.
Daniel smiled.
"I didn't expect to see you socializing."
Victor looked at him.
"Choose your next words carefully."
Daniel laughed.
"You still act like everyone is afraid of you."
A pause.
"They should be."
Victor stepped closer.
The conversation became quieter.
Harper watched from a distance.
She noticed something.
Victor wasn't angry.
He was calculating.
That was worse.
---
Later that night, Harper found Victor alone on the balcony.
The city lights reflected across the glass.
"You looked different tonight."
Victor didn't turn.
"Different how?"
"Like everyone in the room was waiting for you to decide something."
Victor said nothing.
Harper leaned against the railing.
"Can I ask you something?"
"No."
She smiled.
"You always answer questions you don't want to answer."
Victor finally looked at her.
"What do you want to know?"
"Why do people fear you?"
Silence.
A normal person would have changed the subject.
Victor didn't.
"Because fear is useful."
Harper studied him.
"That's a sad answer."
"It is a true one."
She shook her head.
"No."
Victor frowned.
"No?"
"No."
She looked at him.
"People who have everything don't usually look this lonely."
The words hit harder than they should have.
Victor looked away.
Nobody had ever said that.
Not his employees.
Not his enemies.
Not even himself.
Harper continued.
"You don't scare me, Victor."
"You should."
"Maybe."
She smiled slightly.
"But I think the man everyone fears is not the same man standing here."
Victor stared at her.
For a moment, the city disappeared.
Then Arthur's voice came through his earpiece.
"Boss."
Victor answered.
"What?"
"Problem."
His expression changed.
"What happened?"
"We found the person leaking information from the freight division."
Victor's jaw tightened.
"Who?"
A pause.
Arthur answered.
"Someone inside your company."
Victor looked at Harper.
She noticed the change immediately.
"What happened?"
Victor stepped away.
"Nothing."
But Harper knew.
It wasn't nothing.
---
The next morning, Harper arrived at work and found her office empty.
Her computer was gone.
Her files were missing.
She looked confused.
"What happened?"
A security guard approached.
"Ms. Davis, your access has been temporarily suspended."
Her face changed.
"What?"
"I was told to escort you downstairs."
Victor heard about it thirty seconds later.
And for the first time in years...
He ignored protocol.
He walked straight into the security office.
Everyone froze.
"Who suspended her access?"
The manager stood.
"Mr. Gallow, there was suspicious activity connected to her account."
Victor looked at the report.
Then his expression became darker.
"Impossible."
The manager swallowed.
"The evidence—"
"Is fabricated."
Silence.
Arthur looked at Victor.
"You're sure?"
Victor nodded.
"Yes."
Because Victor knew something about lies.
And Harper Davis was many things.
Messy.
Stubborn.
Impossible.
But dishonest?
No.
---
That evening, Victor found Harper outside the building.
She was sitting on a bench.
Her career had just been threatened.
Yet she wasn't crying.
She was angry.
Victor approached.
"Harper."
She looked up.
"You knew?"
"I know someone framed you."
She laughed quietly.
"That's comforting."
Victor frowned.
"Why?"
"Because you say it like it's normal."
She stood.
"My entire career could disappear."
"I won't let that happen."
The words came out instantly.
Too instantly.
Harper noticed.
Victor noticed too.
A silence formed.
Finally she asked:
"Why?"
Victor looked at her.
Because she was the first person who walked into his world without wanting anything.
Because she reminded him that he was still human.
Because losing her suddenly felt impossible.
But he couldn't say that.
So he answered:
"Because you're innocent."
Harper looked at him.
"That's not the whole reason."
Victor stayed silent.
And Harper whispered:
May you like
"I knew it."
---
