The Billionaire's Forgotten Wife
Chapter 99: Covered Tracks

Chapter 99: Covered Tracks

Cassidy feels like she and Zeke can be friends. Especially now that they have to co-parent Claire together. So there’s nothing wrong with starting over and turning a new page as friends.

Cassidy suddenly remembered something. "By the way, I want to take Claire to the dentist. I started doing it six months ago in Switzerland, and she’s due for another checkup this month. Do you know a good dentist for kids?"

Zeke nodded slightly. "I’ll find one. I’ll ask Andrew to help. When are you thinking of taking her?"

"Maybe this week or next," Cassidy said.

"Can I come with you?" Zeke asked.

Cassidy smiled. "Of course. You can come."

"Thanks," Zeke said.

Their conversation grew more relaxed.

Starting over as friends seemed to make things easier between them.

About an hour later, Claire woke up from her nap. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Zeke drove them back to the apartment. He stayed for about thirty minutes, chatting with Claire.

Before leaving, he stood by the door and smiled.

"I’ll see you soon, okay?"

Cassidy nodded, her voice gentle. "Drive safe."

Zeke glanced once more at Claire, gave a small wave, then stepped out. The door closed softly behind him.

On his way back to the villa, Zeke received a call.

He connected his earpiece before answering.

"Boss," Blake’s voice came through the line. "We have a lead."

Zeke’s jaw tightened. "I’m heading there now."

He immediately changed direction, driving toward the building where Salvador’s bodyguards operated when not on active duty.

By the time he arrived, Blake was already standing at the entrance, waiting for him.

"Sir," Blake greeted with a slight bow of respect.

Zeke gave a firm nod, his expression serious. "What did you find?" he asked, striding toward their usual meeting room.

Blake followed closely. "We reviewed all available surveillance footage, public street cameras, storefront CCTV, and traffic monitors around the area where the shooter met with the masked individual but most of them were either damaged or malfunctioning. The exact spot they met had no CCTV coverage at all," he said.

"Interestingly, every single CCTV that might’ve captured any of their previous meetings was also either broken or showed corrupted data. Someone clearly went to great lengths to cover their tracks."

He added, "But we got lucky. A dashcam from a parked car farther down the street captured part of their interaction."

He handed Zeke an iPad, already queued to a specific video clip.

"This is from the dashcam footage," Blake explained, tapping the screen to play it. "It also gave us a clear view of the car’s license plate, the black sedan the masked individual got into after the meeting. We’ve already traced it to a registered owner."

Zeke narrowed his eyes. "Who is it?"

Blake reached over and swiped the screen of the iPad Zeke was holding. The video shifted, pausing on a still image of a man’s face.

"The vehicle is registered under the name Dominic Lee," Blake explained. "But when we followed up with him directly, he claimed the car had been stolen about a month ago. He filed a police report, but there’s been no update or action taken on the case."

Zeke’s hand clenching slightly.

Blake continued, his voice lower. "I have reason to believe someone inside the police department might be involved, sir. Either they’re helping cover this up, or they’re deliberately stalling the investigation."

Zeke set the iPad down, clearly displeased. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and made a call.

The call connected after just a few rings.

"Ezekiel?" a man’s voice answered. "What can I do for you?"

Zeke didn’t waste time. "Levi, I need your help. There’s a report about a stolen car from a month ago. And it looks like the police haven’t done anything about it."

On the other end, Levi frowned.

He and Zeke had known each other since high school, rivals back then, though time had turned that rivalry into a strange kind of friendship. If Zeke was calling for help, it meant something. He never asked unless it was serious.

"A stolen car?" Levi asked, skeptical. "Since when do you care about petty theft?"

"Because this one’s connected to something bigger," Zeke replied. "The car belongs to Dominic Lee."

Levi paused, his curiosity piqued. "Alright. I’ll check who handled the report and get back to you."

Zeke let out a quiet breath. "Thank you."

Zeke tapped his fingers against the table as he waited for Levi to call back. Blake stood nearby, silent, watching him.

Ten minutes later, Zeke’s phone lit up.

He answered immediately. "How is it?"

Levi’s voice came through. "There’s no stolen car report under Dominic Lee’s name in our system. It’s like the local police never submitted it to the database."

Zeke frowned, his jaw tightening. Blake’s suspicion was right, someone in the police force was helping cover this up.

Levi continued, "But I called the local police state where Dominic claimed he made the report. The officer assigned to the case was Detective Adam Baker."

Zeke didn’t say anything, but his eyes narrowed.

"I checked his record," Levi added. "Baker was once under internal investigation for bribery. Nothing stuck, but it’s on file."

Zeke’s voice turned cold. "Send me everything you have on him."

"You got it," Levi said. "I’ll forward the files in a few minutes. And Zeke, if this goes deeper, you’ll want someone watching your back."

"I already do," Zeke replied, his eyes meeting Blake’s for a brief second.

Then he ended the call.

Blake stepped closer. "What’s our next move, sir?"

Zeke didn’t hesitate. "We dig deeper. I want to know every person that Adam Baker’s been in contact with in the last six months. And find out who gave the order to bury Dominic’s report."

Blake nodded. "On it."

Zeke turns to Blake, his voice low but firm. "Starting today, I want more eyes on Cassidy and Claire. Double the security around them. And make sure Cassidy doesn’t find out."

Blake bows his head slightly. "Yes, sir."

Since the shooting incident with Claire, Zeke had already told Blake to secretly watch over Cassidy and Claire. But now, he wanted the protection even tighter.

Blake doesn’t leave. He stays rooted to the spot, hesitation written all over his face.

Zeke notices. "What is it, Blake?"

Blake swallows hard before speaking again, his voice softer this time. "Sir... I need to tell you something. It’s about Madam Cassidy."

Zeke frowns, his full attention now on Blake.

Blake takes a breath, silently praying that what he’s about to say won’t cost him his job or worse.

"Before Madam left the States, Marcus told me she had gone to a women’s hospital. One that specializes in maternal and child care."

Zeke’s aura turns dark. There’s something dangerous in the way he looks now. His eyes sharpen as they lock onto Blake.

Blake knows. His decision back then had led to Zeke’s separation from Claire. And the moment he realized Claire was Madam Cassidy and his boss’s daughter, regret hit him hard. He knew he had made the wrong call.

Blake pushes forward, sensing the weight of his next words. "Marcus wanted to tell you right away, sir. But I stopped him. I thought maybe Madam was just sick, something minor. And if Marcus was right, if she really was pregnant, I didn’t think it was my place to say anything. I didn’t know she had already planned to leave the country. I didn’t think—"

He pauses, eyes dropping.

"I didn’t think she’d be carrying your child. I’m sorry, sir. I should’ve told you. I truly am."

Zeke’s voice drops, low and cold. "Blake, you’re the best I’ve got. The one I trust most. If anything happens to Cassidy or Claire, even a scratch, you tell me. No delays. No excuses. Got it?"

"Understood, sir."

***