Chapter 7: Digging Up Ghosts
Lila Harper's sneakers pounded the pavement as she ran through the city's drizzle, her heart racing faster than her feet. Maya's text—Found something on Holt. It's big—burned in her mind, drowning out the echo of the press conference's chaos.
Just an hour ago, X had exploded with a photo suggesting her mom, Angela, was James Kane's mistress, hinting that Ethan's dad could be her own. Richard Holt, the board member pulling Derek Voss's strings, had already threatened her baby and claimed to know her father's identity. Now, Lila, 28, pregnant, and alone, was sprinting to Maya's bar, desperate for a way to fight back before Holt's next move crushed her.
The Rusty Anchor was a dive, all sticky floors and neon buzz, tucked in a grimy corner of the city. Lila pushed through the door, spotting Maya behind the bar, pouring shots for a couple of regulars. Her friend's dark hair was pulled back, her eyes sharp with worry.
"Lila, you look like shit," Maya said, sliding a water across the counter. "What happened at the press conference?"
Lila's hands shook as she took the glass. "It was a disaster. They leaked a photo of my mom with Ethan's dad, saying she was his mistress. Holt's behind it, Maya. He knows something about my dad—said it's worse than the shoplifting video."
Maya's jaw dropped. "Your mom and James Kane? That's… messed up. You think he's your dad?"
"I don't know," Lila said, her voice cracking. "My mom never talked about him. Just said he was gone before I was born. But Holt's using it to scare me, and I'm done running." She leaned closer. "What'd you find?"
Maya glanced around, then pulled a manila envelope from under the bar. "One of my regulars, Tommy, used to run with some shady types back in the day. He recognized Holt's name when I asked around. Gave me this." She slid the envelope to Lila.
"It's a file on a deal Holt made with your mom twenty years ago. Sounds like she was his runner—moving cash, maybe worse."
Lila's stomach twisted as she opened the envelope. Inside were grainy photocopies: invoices, bank slips, and a handwritten note in her mom's scrawl, signing off on a payment from Holt's company. The amounts were small but frequent, tied to "consulting" for a shell corporation. Lila's mom, Angela, had been a junkie, in and out of trouble, but this was new—organized, dirty money.
"This ties Holt to my mom," Lila said, her voice low. "But how do I use it? He's already got me on a leash with that threat about my dad."
Maya leaned in, her voice fierce. "You don't use it alone. Take it to Claire. She's a lawyer—she'll know how to hit him. But Lila, if your mom was working for Holt, and he's hinting at James Kane… you need to talk to Ethan."
"No," Lila said, her jaw tight. "He's barely handling his own past. You saw the X post about Sarah, his college girlfriend. He's a mess, Maya. I can't trust him with this."
Maya grabbed her arm. "You're pregnant with his kid. You don't get to do this solo. Holt's not just throwing bricks—he's dangerous. And if James Kane was your dad…"
Lila pulled away, her eyes burning. "Don't. I can't deal with that yet." She stuffed the envelope in her bag. "I need to see my mom. She's the only one who can tell me the truth."
"Your mom's been off the grid for years," Maya said. "You sure you want to dig her up?"
"I have to," Lila said, heading for the door. "Holt's got me cornered. I'm not letting him win.
Across town, Ethan Kane sat in his penthouse, the city skyline a blur through the rain-streaked windows. The press conference had been a shitshow—the photo of his dad with Lila's mom had blindsided him, and the reporters' questions still rang in his ears: Is Lila your sister? His hands clenched around a whiskey glass, his mind on Sarah, the college girlfriend he'd abandoned, now dragged back into the light by X leaks. He wasn't that scared kid anymore, but the guilt still ate at him. And now Lila, pregnant with his child, was caught in the same storm, and he'd let her walk out alone.
His phone buzzed—Claire. He answered, his voice rough. "What now?"
"You need to get your head out of your ass," Claire said, her tone sharp. "I just got a tip from a contact at the board. Holt's been digging into Dad's old files, looking for dirt to sink you. That photo of him with Lila's mom? It's real, Ethan. I found a letter in Dad's records—Angela Harper was more than a fling. They were close, right before you were born."
Ethan's grip tightened, the glass nearly cracking. "You're saying Lila could be my sister?"
"No," Claire said. "The timeline doesn't add up. Lila's younger than you. But Dad was involved with Angela around the time Lila was conceived. Holt's using it to mess with you both."
Ethan's head spun. His dad, James Kane, had been a ruthless CEO, cutting corners and breaking hearts, but a secret like this? It changed everything. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Because you were too busy running from Lila's kid," Claire snapped. "Holt's playing you, Ethan. He wants the merger dead and you out. I'm working on the legal angle, but you need to find Lila. She's not safe."
Ethan hung up, his pulse racing. Lila hadn't answered his texts since she bolted from the press conference. He grabbed his keys, heading for her apartment. If Holt was targeting her—and their baby—he wasn't letting her face it alone, no matter how much his past screamed at him to run.
Lila took a bus to the edge of the city, where her mom's last known address—a rundown trailer park—sat under flickering streetlights. Angela Harper had been a ghost since Lila was a teenager, leaving her to fend for herself. The idea of facing her now, after years of silence, made Lila's skin crawl, but Holt's threat and the file in her bag left her no choice.
The trailer was a rusted heap, the door creaking as Lila knocked. Angela answered, her face gaunt, her eyes cloudy but sharp. "Lila?" she rasped, cigarette dangling. "What the hell you doing here?"
Lila held up the envelope, her voice hard. "You worked for Richard Holt. Ran his dirty money. And now he's saying he knows who my dad was. Start talking, Mom."
Angela's laugh was bitter, her hands shaking as she lit another cigarette. "Holt's a snake. Always was. Yeah, I ran errands for him—cash, packages, whatever. Kept me afloat. But your dad? That's none of your business."
"It's my business when Holt's threatening my kid," Lila snapped, stepping closer. "Was it James Kane? Were you sleeping with Ethan's dad?"
Angela's eyes widened, then narrowed. "You're in deep, aren't you? James was… complicated. We had a thing, yeah, but it wasn't what you think. Holt's got his own reasons for dragging this up. He's after more than just you."
"Tell me," Lila said, her voice breaking. "I need the truth."
Before Angela could answer, headlights swept across the trailer. A black SUV screeched to a stop, and Ethan jumped out, his face tight with worry. "Lila, what the hell are you doing here?"
She spun, her heart pounding. "How did you find me?"
"Maya," he said, stepping closer. "She told me you were chasing your mom. You can't do this alone—Holt's dangerous."
Angela snorted from the doorway. "Kane's kid. Figures. You're just like your dad, sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."
Ethan froze, his eyes on Angela. "You knew my dad. What's Holt got on you?"
Angela smirked, but her eyes were scared. "Ask Holt yourself. He's coming for you both."
Lila's phone buzzed—a new X post, this time a photo of her standing outside Holt's office earlier that day, captioned: Lila Harper's playing a dangerous game. Who's next? Her blood ran cold. Holt wasn't just watching—he was one step ahead, and the next leak could end her fight before she even understood the truth about her own past.