Single Dad Accidentally Saw A Billionaire Changing — What She Said Next Ruined His Life… Then Saved
The General Counsel
Minutes or hours later—Ethan had lost all sense of time—the door opened again. He looked up, expecting the security officer.
Instead, a woman in an expensive suit entered, carrying a slim leather portfolio. She had the kind of polished appearance that spoke of corner offices and six-figure salaries, her dark hair pulled back in a style that was both professional and severe.
“Mr. Row, I’m Elizabeth Hail, General Counsel for Hail Industries. I need to ask you some questions.”
A lawyer. They’d sent a lawyer. Ethan’s stomach dropped.
“I should probably have a lawyer too, then.”
“That is absolutely your right. However, I’m not here in an adversarial capacity at the moment. I’m simply trying to establish the facts of what occurred tonight. You’re not under arrest, you’re not being charged with anything, but we do need to understand what happened.”
Ethan searched her face for clues about his fate. She was giving nothing away, her expression neutral and professional.
“The security officer said there was no work order, but I swear dispatch called me. They gave me the suite number, the access code, everything.”
Elizabeth opened her portfolio and pulled out a single sheet of paper.
“This is a transcript of all radio communications from the dispatch station this evening. Your name appears three times. None of those communications involve Suite 457 or the executive level.”
She slid the paper across the table. Ethan stared at it, his eyes scanning the lines of text, searching for the conversation he knew had happened.
But she was right. There was nothing. The last entry with his name was from an hour earlier, confirming completion of the basement electrical inspection.
“That’s impossible,”
he whispered.
“I remember the conversation. I remember every word.”
“Do you use any medications, Mr. Row? Anything that might affect memory or perception?”
“No, I’m not. I didn’t imagine this. Someone called me on that radio. Someone gave me that work order.”
Elizabeth made a note.
“Your badge access shows you entered the executive level elevator at 6:47 p.m. You were granted temporary access credentials at 6:45 p.m. Those credentials were uploaded to your badge from a terminal in the security office.”
Hope flared in Ethan’s chest.
“See? That proves someone authorized me to go up there!”
“It proves someone with access to the security system uploaded credentials to your badge. What it doesn’t prove is who or why.”
Elizabeth’s gaze sharpened.
“Mr. Row, do you have any enemies in this company? Anyone who might want to cause problems for you?”
“Enemies? No. I barely know anyone outside my department. I keep to myself, do my work, go home. That’s it.”
“What about Ms. Hail? Have you had any previous interactions with her? Any reason to seek her attention or wish her harm?”
“I’ve never even seen her before tonight!”
Ethan’s voice rose.
“I mean, I’ve seen her picture in the company newsletter, but that’s it. I don’t travel in the same world as people like her. Why would I?”
Elizabeth studied him for a long moment, her eyes calculating. Then she closed her portfolio with a soft snap.
“Here’s the situation, Mr. Row. Someone orchestrated what happened tonight. Someone with knowledge of security protocols, access to the badge system, and the technical ability to spoof radio communications. That someone created a scenario that placed you in suite 457 at the exact moment Ms. Hail was there. The question is whether that someone was you, or whether you were used as an unwitting instrument.”\
