The black folder remained untouched for several seconds.
Adrian Cross stared at it as if it contained something dangerous.
Daniel noticed.
Marcus noticed too.
Evelyn simply waited.
Finally, Adrian reached for the folder.
"May I?"
"Of course."
He opened it.
The first page contained a formal request for an independent review of Sterling Airways' airport operations.
The second page listed several categories of concern:
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Passenger discrimination and inconsistent treatment.
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Unauthorized reservation access.
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Suppression of customer complaints.
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Improper employee performance incentives.
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Potential manipulation of internal customer-service statistics.
Adrian turned another page.
His expression grew increasingly serious.
There were dates.
There were department names.
There were references to archived complaint records.
And there were several handwritten notes.
At the bottom of one page appeared a name.
Richard Hale.
Adrian closed the folder.
"Where did you get this?"
Evelyn answered calmly.
"From information provided to me over the past three years."
"By whom?"
"People who were afraid to report what they had witnessed."
Adrian looked toward Daniel.
"Did you know about this?"
"No."
"Then why is it in the airport?"
"Because today's incident confirmed that the problem may still be continuing."
Adrian shook his head.
"This is a serious allegation."
"Yes."
"You cannot make accusations without evidence."
"That's why I requested an independent review."
Adrian walked toward the glass wall.
Below them, passengers continued moving through the terminal.
Flight announcements echoed across the departure hall.
For a moment, the CEO looked like a man trying to calculate how many problems could be contained before they became public.
Then his phone vibrated.
He glanced at the screen.
The message was from Richard Hale.
"Have you spoken to the former executive? Do not let her access the old files."
Adrian quickly turned the phone face down.
But Evelyn had already noticed his reaction.
"Something wrong?"
"No."
"Who was that?"
"An internal matter."
Evelyn nodded.
"Of course."
Marcus received another message.
He read it twice.
"Mr. Whitmore?"
Daniel turned.
"What is it?"
"I've received the preliminary reservation access report."
"And?"
Marcus hesitated.
"Richard Hale accessed more than three premium passenger accounts today. But there's something else."
"What?"
"The same employee account accessed the reservation system belonging to Miss Riley yesterday evening."
Evelyn raised an eyebrow.
"Yesterday?"
"Yes. At 8:14 p.m."
Daniel looked at Adrian.
"Why would Richard be reviewing her reservation before she arrived at the airport?"
Adrian remained silent.
Marcus continued.
"There was also an attempt to access an archived corporate file associated with Miss Riley. The request was denied because the account lacked authorization."
Evelyn slowly closed her handbag.
"That is interesting."
Adrian turned.
"Marcus, stop reviewing those files until the legal department has approved the process."
Marcus looked uncertain.
"Sir, the evidence is already preserved."
"Then leave it."
Daniel stood.
"With respect, we cannot stop an investigation simply because it has become uncomfortable."
Adrian's face darkened.
"Daniel, remember who you're speaking to."
Daniel swallowed.
But he did not sit down.
Miss Riley looked at him.
For the first time that afternoon, she saw the young manager she had once mentored.
He was frightened.
But he was finally standing his ground.
"Mr. Cross," Daniel said, "the incident has already been documented. We have a destroyed boarding pass, witness statements, camera footage, and system records. We need to follow the evidence."
Adrian stared at him.
"You may regret this."
"Perhaps."
Daniel took a breath.
"But I would regret doing nothing even more."
The room fell silent.
Then Marcus's phone rang.
It was a call from airport security.
He answered.
"Marcus Bennett."
He listened.
His expression changed.
"Are you certain?"
Another pause.
"Secure the room. Don't let anyone remove anything."
He ended the call.
Daniel looked worried.
"What happened?"
Marcus slowly turned toward Evelyn.
"We've found something in the airport's restricted records archive."
"What?"
"An instruction sent to several gate supervisors. It was issued yesterday."
He glanced at Adrian.
"The instruction specifically mentions passengers traveling under your former executive authorization."
Evelyn remained still.
"Who signed it?"
Marcus looked down at his phone.
Then he answered.
"Richard Hale."
Adrian immediately stepped forward.
"That's impossible."
Marcus looked at him.
"There's one more thing."
"What?"
"The instruction was approved using an executive authorization code."
Daniel's face went pale.
"Whose code?"
Marcus hesitated.
Then he said the words that changed everything.
"Adrian Cross."
Nobody moved.
The CEO stared at the security supervisor.
"That's a lie."
Marcus kept his voice steady.
"The system records show your authorization credentials."
Adrian turned toward Evelyn.
"This is being manipulated."
Evelyn looked at him for a long moment.
Then she quietly closed the black folder.
"Adrian, I came here today expecting to catch a flight."
She stood.
"Instead, I may have discovered why you were so desperate to stop me from seeing the records."
Outside the conference room, another security officer approached with a sealed evidence envelope.
Inside was a printed copy of the original instruction.
But the most disturbing detail was not the signature.
It was the final sentence:
"If Evelyn Riley appears at any Sterling Airways facility, notify Richard Hale immediately. Do not allow her access to executive personnel or archived operational records."
And beneath that sentence was a handwritten addition.
"If necessary, make her departure impossible."
Miss Riley read it twice.
Then she looked at Daniel.
"Now we know this wasn't an accident."