Chapter 3: The Document He Tried to Hide
For the first time in years, Grant Ashford looked afraid of me.
Not angry.
Not disappointed.
Afraid.
It was subtle enough that most people would have missed it.
The executives probably thought he was simply frustrated.
Sloane probably thought he was irritated because the flight was delayed.
But I knew him.
I knew every version of his face.
I knew what his jaw looked like when he was negotiating a billion-dollar deal.
I knew how his eyes narrowed when he was calculating a response.
I knew the small pause before he lied.
And right now, standing in the middle of our private jet, Grant was searching for the safest lie.
I held the tablet in my hand.
“What did I see?””
I repeated his question softly.
His expression tightened.
“Victoria.””
“No, I want to hear you ask again.””
The executives looked uncomfortable.
Sloane glanced between us.
She had lost the confidence she walked onto the jet with.
The champagne glass sat untouched beside her.
Grant lowered his voice.
“This is not the place.””
I almost smiled.
Because apparently, public humiliation was acceptable.
But accountability was not.
“You’re right,” I said.
“This is not the place.””
I placed the tablet on the table.
“This is the place where your entire executive team can hear why you tried to hide a transaction from me.””
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Grant looked at the document.
Then at me.
“I didn’t hide anything.””
“Really?””
“Yes.””
“Then explain why an emergency clearance request from your office requires my authorization.””
His eyes flickered.
Just once.
But enough.
I saw it.
“You don’t understand the situation.””
“Then explain it.””
He looked toward the executives.
A silent command.
Everyone suddenly found reasons to leave.
The CFO stood first.
“We should probably give you two some privacy.””
Nobody waited for permission.
Within seconds, the executives moved toward the rear lounge area.
Not far enough to avoid hearing.
Just far enough to pretend they weren’t listening.
Sloane remained seated.
Grant looked at her.
“Sloane.””
She immediately understood.
“I’ll give you a minute.””
She stood and walked away.
As she passed me, she avoided eye contact.
Interesting.
A few hours ago, she had looked like she owned my seat.
Now she looked like she wanted to disappear.
When the cabin finally emptied, Grant faced me.
“Tell me what you think you saw.””
I stared at him.
“That’s your question?””
“What?””
“You’re not asking what happened.””
His silence answered.
“You’re asking what I think I saw.””
Grant exhaled.
“Victoria, business documents can look misleading if you don’t know the context.””
I laughed quietly.
“There it is.””
“What?””
“The explanation.””
He frowned.
“You’re twisting my words.””
“No. I’m recognizing them.””
I picked up the tablet.
“Project Orion Holdings.””
His face changed.
Only slightly.
But it changed.
“Victoria.””
“Why does this name appear on a flight manifest?””
“It’s an acquisition.””
“An acquisition you didn’t tell me about.””
“It’s confidential.””
I looked at him.
“Confidential?””
“Yes.””
“From your wife?””
Grant rubbed his forehead.
“It’s not like that.””
“Then what is it like?””
He didn’t answer.
That was when I knew.
Because Grant Ashford was never speechless.
He could negotiate with hostile investors.
He could destroy competitors with three sentences in a boardroom.
He could convince thousands of people that any crisis was temporary.
But he couldn’t explain why his wife wasn’t supposed to know about a company transaction.
“Who owns Orion Holdings?””
He looked away.
“Victoria.””
“Who owns it?””
A pause.
Then:
“An investment group.””
“Which one?””
Another pause.
My stomach tightened.
“Grant.””
He looked at me.
“Why are you interrogating me?””
The question was so absurd that for a second, I simply stared.
“Because you’re on a plane I legally control, carrying documents you didn’t disclose, with a company you secretly planned to meet in Geneva.””
His expression hardened.
“You’re making accusations.””
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“I’m asking questions.””
“And you’re assuming the worst.””
I looked at him.
“Am I?””
Silence.
The engines continued humming beneath us.
A strange thing about private jets is that they are designed to feel peaceful.
Soft seats.
Quiet lighting.
Expensive materials.
A floating luxury room.
But there is nowhere to hide.
Not when you’re trapped thousands of feet above the ground.
Not when the person across from you knows exactly where the cracks are.
Grant walked toward the window.
“You don’t understand what I’m trying to do.””
“Then make me understand.””
“It’s complicated.””
“Everything becomes complicated when you don’t want to answer.””
He turned.
“You think I’m betraying you.””
I didn’t respond.
Because I didn’t need to.
He already knew.
His shoulders dropped slightly.
“Victoria, this has nothing to do with Sloane.””
I froze.
Interesting.
I hadn’t mentioned her.
Not once.
“Why did you bring up Sloane?””
His face went still.
A mistake.
A tiny one.
But a mistake.
“I’m just saying.””
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“You’re not just saying anything.””
His jaw tightened.
I lowered my voice.
“You knew exactly what I was thinking.””
“Because everyone saw how you reacted.””
“How I reacted?””
“Yes.””
Grant looked frustrated now.
“Victoria, Sloane is my employee.””
“Then why did she sit in my seat?””
“Because she was working.””
“There were twelve other seats.””
“She needed access to the documents.””
“She needed your attention.””
The words came out before I could stop them.
And the worst part was his silence.
Because he didn’t deny it.
He didn’t say, “That’s ridiculous.””
He didn’t say, “You’re imagining things.””
He just looked away.
And somehow that hurt more.
I turned toward the table.
“When did you stop seeing me?””
His expression softened.
“What?””
“When did I become someone you could move to the back of the plane?””
Grant looked down.
For a moment, I saw the man from years ago.
The man who slept beside me on a mattress.
The man who promised me forever.
Then it disappeared.
“Victoria, we’ve both changed.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“That’s not an answer.””
“It’s the truth.””
“No. The truth is that you got everything you wanted.””
He looked at me.
“You wanted success. You wanted power. You wanted the world to know your name.””
“And you think I don’t deserve it?””
“I think you forgot who was standing beside you before anyone knew your name.””
His face hardened.
“That’s unfair.””
“Is it?””
“Yes.””
“Then tell me one thing.””
I waited.
“After everything I did for Ashford Dynamics, when did you decide I was no longer part of it?””
His mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
The silence was devastating.
Because sometimes people don’t hurt you with what they say.
They hurt you with what they cannot deny.
A knock came from the cockpit door.
Captain Ellis appeared.
“Mrs. Ashford?””
I turned.
“Yes?””
“We need your decision.””
Grant immediately stepped forward.
“Victoria, approve the flight.””
I looked at him.
There it was.
The command.
Not please.
Not I need your help.
Approve it.
Like I was still an employee.
I picked up the tablet again.
“Before I approve anything, I need the complete file on Project Orion.””
Grant’s expression changed.
“No.””
The answer came too quickly.
I raised my eyes.
“No?””
“You don’t need every detail.””
“I do if my authorization is required.””
“Victoria.””
His voice sharpened.
“You’re crossing a line.””
I stared at him.
A strange calm came over me.
“Funny.””
“What?””
“That’s exactly what I was about to say to you.””
The cabin fell silent.
Captain Ellis quietly stepped back.
Grant looked at the tablet in my hand.
Then at me.
“Victoria, if you delay this flight, you could damage the company.””
I held his gaze.
“And if I approve something I don’t understand, I could damage it even more.””
“You trust me.””
The words surprised me.
Because they sounded less like confidence.
More like a plea.
I looked at my husband.
The man I had trusted more than anyone.
Then I looked at the document he hid from me.
“No, Grant.””
His face fell slightly.
“Not anymore.””
For the first time, he had no response.
I turned back to Captain Ellis.
“I want the full passenger manifest.””
“Of course.””
“And the cargo declaration.””
“Yes, ma’am.””
“And I want legal confirmation regarding Project Orion before this aircraft leaves.””
Grant’s voice came behind me.
“Victoria.””
I stopped.
“What?””
His next words were quiet.
Almost a whisper.
“You really don’t know what you’re stopping.””
I slowly turned around.
“Then tell me.””
He looked at me.
And for a moment, I thought he would finally tell the truth.
Instead, he said something that made my blood run cold.
“Because if you see who is behind Orion…”
He paused.
His eyes moved toward the document.
“…you’ll understand why I couldn’t tell you.””
I stared at him.
“Who is behind it?””
Grant didn’t answer.
But someone else did.
My phone vibrated.
A new message appeared.
Not from Daniel.
Not from anyone at Ashford Dynamics.
It was from an unknown number.
One sentence.
One name.
May you like
And the moment I read it, I understood why Grant was afraid.
*Victoria, ask your husband why he is buying the company that destroyed your father.*
