The Billionaire's Mistake

MISTAKE 134

Chapter 134: Evidence

His looked casual and was slightly disheveled; she was not sure why, but she suddenly wanted to ask about Mercy. She had heard that Justin had her in hiding. But as the thought crossed her mind, she threw it away. "You are back," Justin greeted Daniel when he saw them enter. "I heard you were in a bit of a pinch."

Daniel sighed as he entered. "a little one. The president made his move, but nothing special," Daniel said.

eeves flickered at Anya. "I also heard someone

capture a few heirs and torture them."

Anya looked away but said nothing.

"It seems I should be careful not to provoke her, Daniel said with a fond smile at Anya.

Anya knew that after that incident, she was never going to live it down.

"Of course." Justin produced a small leather file from his briefcase. "I retrieved from her mother's safe, as requested. I haven't opened it yet."

Daniel took the file, feeling its weight in his hands. Such a small thing actually caused so much trouble. "Let's take this to my study. Whatever's in here, I have a feeling we'll want privacy."

The three of them made their way through the mansion up the stairs to Daniel's private study. As the heavy oak door closed behind them, shutting out the rest of the world, Daniel placed the file on his desk. For a moment, they all stared at it in silence. This leather container potentially held the key to the president's secrets. People had died for this. Many had fought to get it and had nearly cost Daniel his life. "Well," Anya said softly, "shall we?"

This was the reason her father had died. She had wanted to know so badly why.

Daniel nodded, carefully opening the file. As he began to remove its contents, a look of confusion crossed his face. "What the hell...?"

Spread out on the polished surface of the desk were a collection of items that, at first glance, seemed utterly simple: several sheets of paper with hand-drawn sketches, an old, leather-bound diary, and a small stack of photographs. Justin leaned in, examining the sketches. "These appear to be technical drawings. This one... I think it's a ring of some kind. And this larger one looks like architectural plans. A building. What building is it?"

on the diary. He opened it carefully, mindful of its age. "This is in your father's handwriting,

took the small diary and started reading. It

1985: Another meeting with M. He's getting nervous, wants assurances. I told him as long as he plays ball, the evidence stays hidden. The ring is the key-as long as I have it, we're all safe. Or so I thought..."" Anya's eyes

herself somewhat. From what she had seen, heard, and experienced just by being her father's daughter,

read like the journal of a spy.

coming up. Is it the same ring in the drawing? Listen: "The microdot technology is a miracle. All that damning evidence, hidden in plain sight. As long

pour

serious government-issue spyware. Microscopic dots containing text or images, often hidden

the President-the president must be the 'M' in the diary-is hidden in this ring. No wonder he's so desperate to find

"Daniel," she said, her voice

at her, surprise evident on

mean, you've seen it?"

apo now. I

odd, and it looked like he had dropped the ring on purpose. When I got home, I just kept it. I wasn't sure, but the encounter has been stuck in my head. I kept feeling it was on purpose,

Justin exchanged

you saying you have this ring? The one we've been searching for, the one people have

all the searching, she had

tension on her face. "I think so. It's upstairs, in my jewelry box. I kept meaning to

study. Daniel and Justin were left

a moment, "if this is true. If we have the

by the balls," Daniel finished, a predatory grin spreading across his face. "And he doesn't

hurried footsteps announced Anya's return. She burst back into the study, slightly out of breath, clutching something small in

asked, holding out a ring for their

design, the same unusual

it," Daniel said, his voice filled with a mixture of awe and triumph. "The key to