The answer came far too quickly, and it was devastating: Veronica.
Henry felt a cold rage take over. Veronica had stolen the dossier, copied everything, and leaked it to the press. And when he confronted her, she didn't even try to deny it.
"I did what I had to do," she said coldly. "That waitress was using you, Henry. She just wanted your money, your fame. I protected you."
Henry stared at her, stunned. "You destroyed her life. You exposed secrets she didn't even know about."
"So what?" Veronica snapped, her eyes shining with something dangerous. "She didn't deserve you. I do. I've always been here, always supported you, but you never saw me."
Henry took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "You're fired. Get your things and get out of my office now."
Veronica went pale. "Henry, you can't—"
"I can. And if you ever try to contact me again, I'll make sure you never work anywhere again. Understood?"
She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She just grabbed her bag and left, slamming the door behind her.
Henry sank into his chair, exhausted. Everything was falling apart, and the one person he wanted by his side was far away, probably hating him more than ever. But he wasn't going to give up, not this time.
He hired another investigator—not to spy on Cali, but to find her. And 3 days later, he got the answer: Cape Haven, a cafe called Sunset Brew.
Henry didn't think twice. He got in the car and drove for 4 straight hours, stopping only for gas.
When he reached the small town, it was late afternoon. The sun was starting to set over the ocean, painting the sky orange and pink. He found the cafe easily: it was small and cozy, with wooden tables and floral curtains.
And there she was. Cali was wiping down a table, her red hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, wearing a simple apron. She looked tired, but also lighter, like she had finally found a place where she could breathe.
Henry walked in slowly, and when the bell above the door rang, Cali looked up and froze.
"You," she said, her voice filled with restrained anger.
"Hi," said Henry, unsure what else to say.
Cali dropped the cloth on the table and walked over, her eyes blazing. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to find you. I need to talk to you."
"There's nothing to talk about," she replied coldly. "You've said enough. Or better yet, your dossier said it all."
"Cali, I didn't leak that. It was my secretary. I fired her the moment I found out."
She crossed her arms. "And does that change anything? You investigated me, Henry. You invaded my privacy, uncovered things I didn't even know, and stored it all in a file like I was a problem to be solved."
"I know. I made a mistake, a huge one. But I came here because you need to know something."
"I don't want to hear anything from you."
"Cali, your father... he's in New York. He's one of the investors in my company."
The silence was deafening. Cali blinked, trying to process. "What?"
"Richard Palmer. He's one of my biggest investors, and I found out he's your father. I was trying to tell you when everything blew up."
Cali sat down on a chair, her legs suddenly weak. "My father is in New York. And you work with him."
"Yes."
She looked at Henry, her eyes filled with tears. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Because I found out the same day you walked out of my apartment. And after that, you blocked me. I tried to warn you, Cali. I swear I did."
She covered her face with her hands, trying to process everything. Henry took a step forward, hesitant.
"Cali, I know you don't trust me anymore, and I get it. But I came here because... because I care about you. I really do. And I want to fix this. Please let me try."
Cali looked at him, tears running down her face. She wanted to scream, to yell, to tell him to leave. But at the same time, she saw something in his eyes—something that felt real: regret, and maybe something more.
Before she could answer, Henry's phone rang. He looked at the screen and went pale.
"What is it?" Cali asked.
Henry answered the call, and what he heard made his world fall apart: "Mr. Scott, it's urgent. Richard Palmer is gathering the other investors. He's trying to force you out of the company, and it looks like he has the votes."
Henry hung up, stunned. He looked at Cali, who was still waiting for an answer. "Your father," he muttered, "he's trying to destroy me."
Cali looked at Henry, seeing the panic in his eyes. Part of her wanted to say he deserved it, that it was karma. But another part, one she was trying to ignore, felt something else: concern.
"When's the meeting?" she asked, her voice softer than she meant it to be.
"Tomorrow morning, 9:00," Henry replied, running a hand through his hair. "If I don't show up, they'll vote without me, and I lose everything."
Cali crossed her arms, thinking. She had every reason to let him deal with it on his own, but something in her just couldn't do that. "You've got a 4-hour drive ahead of you," she said, checking the time. "If you leave now, you'll get to New York before midnight."
Henry looked at her, surprised. "You're helping me?"
"No. I'm just being practical. Now go before I change my mind."
He hesitated, then stepped closer. "Come with me."
"What?"
"Come with me to New York. I need you, Cali. Not just for the company—for me."
Cali laughed, but without humor. "Henry, are you serious? Why would I go back to that mess?"