The Little Girl Whispered, “Someone Is Poisoning You”… Then the Billionaire Asked His Fiancée to Take the First Bite

Marisol walked forward nervously, keeping six-year-old Annie close to her side.

"Mr. Carter," Marisol whispered, her eyes wide with lingering fear. "Is it over now?"

Daniel looked down at Annie. The little girl looked exhausted, dark circles under her eyes, but she held herself with a quiet dignity that touched something deep inside Daniel’s chest.

"For you and Annie, it is over," Daniel said, dropping to one knee before the child. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, exquisite silver brooch shaped like a tiny bird—an antique piece he had bought in Paris years ago.

He held it out to her.

"Annie," Daniel said softly. "This bird is called a nightingale. It’s a very small bird, but when danger comes, it sings louder than anything else in the forest to warn the other animals."

Annie looked at the shiny silver bird, then up at Daniel. "Is that like me?"

"Yes," Daniel said, pinning the brooch gently to her sweater. "That is exactly like you. You spoke up when everyone else was silent. You saved my life, Annie. And as long as I am alive, no one will ever harm you or your mother again."

Annie reached out and wrapped her tiny arms around Daniel’s neck, hugging him tightly.

Daniel froze for a second. It had been years since anyone had hugged him without wanting something in return—without an agenda, without a corporate contract attached. He slowly wrapped his large arms around the small girl, holding her close as tears prickled at the corners of his eyes.

Marisol wiped her eyes, smiling through her tears.

Sarah Lin re-entered the ballroom, holding her satellite phone.

"Daniel," Sarah called out, her face grim. "The Cambridge team just secured Charles's grandson. The boy is safe and unharmed."

Daniel released Annie, standing up. "And the guards at the safe house?"

"Two operatives working for Apex Global," Sarah said. "They’re in custody. But we just pulled the phone records from their encrypted device."

"And?"

"The orders didn't originate from Switzerland or Zurich, Daniel," Sarah revealed, dropping her voice so the staff couldn't hear. "The final authorization for the poison deployment came from a local server located inside the Mason & Carter Building in Manhattan."

Daniel’s eyes narrowed. The Mason & Carter Building was his corporate headquarters—and the home of his senior partner, Marcus Mason.

Marcus Mason was the man who had co-founded Carter Enterprises twenty years ago. He was Daniel’s oldest business partner, his confidant, and the godfather to his late wife.

"Marcus," Daniel whispered, the ultimate betrayal hitting him harder than Helena’s poison or Charles’s compromised loyalty.

"Marcus holds sixteen percent of the voting shares," Sarah pointed out. "If you died, and Helena’s proxy took twenty-two percent, Marcus would have had complete, unchallengeable control of the board."

Daniel turned toward the large glass windows. The first light of dawn was beginning to streak across the eastern sky, painting the clouds in brilliant shades of amber and blood-red.

"Sarah," Daniel said, his voice turning into sheer steel. "Call a special board meeting at Manhattan headquarters for nine o'clock this morning."