Chapter 4

My phone rang at exactly seven-thirty the next morning, the ringtone cutting through the quiet of my modest apartment. The caller ID made my pulse quicken: Arthur Rogers - Private.

"Good morning, Dad."

"Victoria." His voice carried that familiar blend of warmth and authority that had shaped my childhood. "I trust you slept well despite yesterday's... complications."

I settled into my kitchen chair, cradling my coffee mug. Of course he knew about the HR investigation. Arthur Rogers didn't become CEO of Sterling Holdings by remaining ignorant of his company's internal affairs.

"Daniel Morris is thorough," I replied carefully. "The investigation…