Chapter 154: Miles Knows

Chapter 154: Chapter 154: Miles Knows

The clerk at the Calloway Football Group records department typed slowly on her keyboard. She shook her head.

"I am sorry," the clerk said flatly. "The referenced file does not exist in the current inventory."

Audrey stared across the front counter. She knew exactly what that meant. Someone removed it. Again.

Daisy crossed her arms. "How many times can one company lose the same evidence?"

Ben adjusted his glasses. "Apparently we’re about to find out."

Audrey leaned closer to the glass partition. "Can you pull the historical transfer record for that specific reference number?"

The clerk sighed and typed again. A single line of text appeared on her monitor. She turned the screen slightly so they could see it.

The record did not simply say removed.

It said TRANSFERRED BY EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATION.

Audrey froze. It was the exact same department. Again.

"We need to see the restricted executive archive," Ben instructed smoothly.

"We have a formal request from the newspaper regarding historical compliance records," Ben said, sliding his credentials across the counter.

It took twenty minutes of arguing their case and three phone calls, but they finally got into the restricted records room. It was a cold, windowless space lined with metal filing cabinets.

They started digging through the old transfer logs. They pushed through several layers of heavily redacted records.

Finally, Audrey pulled out a thick transfer authorization form.

She read the signature at the very bottom. Miles Calloway.

This was their first direct documentary connection between Miles and the Kessler-related material. It was significant, but Audrey knew better than to call it proof.

"There it is," Audrey said softly.

Ben looked at the paper. He did not celebrate.

"It’s a connection," Ben noted cautiously.

Audrey looked at him. "A very specific one."

Ben nodded slowly. "Still not enough by itself."

Daisy pulled a secondary document from the exact same transfer batch. She laid it flat on the metal table.

"This one is worse," Daisy announced.

Audrey and Ben leaned over the paper. It contained Miles’s formal approval for the movement of financial documents directly connected to Kessler Sports Consulting.

The puzzle pieces were finally touching. Miles had access to Daniel Mercer’s original complaint. Miles approved the changes involving Mason’s records. Miles’s department controlled the hidden Calloway file. Miles authorized the transfer of the Kessler-related financial material.

Daisy flipped to the next page. She found an internal communication attached to the transfer.

It contained a short, handwritten instruction from Miles.

"Keep this outside the standard review process."

Audrey read the sentence twice. Her heart hammered against her ribs.

Ben stared at the document. This wasn’t merely evidence that Miles knew about the discrepancy. It showed that he was actively controlling where the material went. He was burying it.

"That’s enough to ask some very serious questions," Audrey said quietly.

Ben nodded in total agreement.

But Daisy suddenly frowned. She pointed to a digital stamp in the top corner of the printed log.

The document had already been accessed recently. Yesterday.

Daisy checked the timestamp against the time they had discovered the reference number at the newspaper.

"Someone opened it after we found the reference," she whispered.

Audrey’s expression changed instantly.

"Someone knows we’re looking," Audrey realized.

Miles Calloway sat behind his immaculate desk. His office was completely silent.

A member of Executive Administration stood nervously in front of him. The employee held a tablet tightly against his chest.

"Three newspaper investigators accessed the restricted historical records an hour ago," the employee informed him.

Miles held his hand out. The employee handed over the tablet.

Miles looked at the access request. He saw Audrey’s name instantly. He recognized her surname from the recent sports features. Then he scrolled down and saw the investigation topics.

Daniel Mercer. 2019 financial discrepancies. Kessler Sports Consulting.

His expression changed entirely. He did not panic. He did not raise his voice. He simply closed the file and handed the tablet back.

"How much do they have?" Miles asked calmly.

The employee hesitated. "We don’t know exactly."

Miles stood up. He walked toward the massive window overlooking the city.

"Find out," Miles ordered.

He turned his head slightly.

"Quietly."

This was no longer a game of hidden paperwork. Miles was actively moving pieces on the board.

Back at the newspaper, Audrey sat at her desk. Her computer pinged with a new email. It was marked urgent from the Editor in Chief.

She opened the message. Her blood ran completely cold.

There was a formal complaint about her investigation. Someone alleged that Audrey improperly accessed confidential corporate records under false pretenses.

Ben walked over and read the screen over her shoulder. He immediately recognized what was happening.

"They’re trying to make the investigation look illegal," Ben stated angrily.

Daisy rolled her chair over. "Who complained?"

Audrey pointed at the sender information. The complaint came through a legal representative directly connected to Calloway Football Group.

Audrey understood immediately. Miles wasn’t trying to destroy the evidence. The evidence was already out there. He was trying to discredit the person holding it. If Audrey was framed as an unethical journalist, nobody would believe her story.

Her cell phone started ringing loudly on the desk.

The screen flashed. Mason.

Audrey stared at the phone. She ignored it. It stopped ringing.

Ten seconds later, it started ringing again.

Audrey took a shaky breath. She picked it up and answered.

"Hello?" Audrey said.

His first words were completely sharp.

"Why didn’t you tell me?"

Audrey immediately knew. He found out.

"Tell you what?" Audrey tried carefully.

Mason let out a harsh, frustrated breath. "Someone from the legal department just contacted me regarding the newspaper’s investigation. They wanted my comment on an ethics complaint against you."

Audrey squeezed her eyes shut.

"I have seen enough to understand you aren’t merely investigating financial discrepancies," Mason continued. He sounded deeply hurt. "You told me you were verifying things."

"I was," Audrey insisted.

"You found out Miles was involved."

Audrey went completely silent. She could not lie to him.

Mason realized that heavy silence was his absolute answer.

"You knew," Mason said quietly.

"I knew his name was connected to the records," Audrey finally admitted. "I didn’t know what his role was."

"And you thought you had to protect me from that?" Mason asked.

"I didn’t want to give you something half-proven," Audrey pleaded. "I needed facts first."

Mason’s response was incredibly quiet and weighed down with emotion.

"You don’t get to decide what I can handle."

The words hit her straight in the chest. He was right. She had treated him like fragile glass instead of a partner.

"What exactly did you find?" Mason asked.

Audrey hesitated. She looked at Ben and Daisy, then stood up and walked into a quiet hallway. She told him everything. She listed the altered access record, the hidden Calloway file, Miles’s direct approval, the Kessler Sports Consulting connection, the financial trail, and the restricted documents.

Mason went completely silent for a long time.

Then, he spoke a single word.

"Miles."

Audrey noticed the sharp tone in his voice. It was the first time Mason had reacted strongly to that specific name.

"You know him?" Audrey asked cautiously.

Mason did not answer immediately.

"He’s been around the company for years," Mason finally said.

He didn’t give her the entire truth, but his protective instinct completely took over.

"I don’t want you anywhere near Miles until we understand exactly what we are dealing with," Mason warned her.

Audrey frowned. "You told me not to leave you out."

"I know," Mason replied.

He took a slow breath.

"That’s why I’m telling you now. This just became personal."

The next morning, the investigation hit a massive brick wall.

Audrey discovered that one of her key internal sources had suddenly withdrawn their statement. An hour later, another source completely refused to speak to her. By noon, the newspaper received a formal legal warning threatening a massive defamation lawsuit.

Someone was systematically shutting down every single route Audrey had into the investigation.

Ben tossed a stack of useless papers into the recycling bin.

"He’s cleaning the board," Ben said in frustration.

Audrey crossed her arms. "Because he knows we’re close."

Daisy looked at her with wide eyes. "Then we must be very close."

Miles sat alone in his private study.

He was reviewing a thick background file on Audrey Ellis.

At first glance, she was just an ambitious investigative journalist. She had a solid track record. She broke good stories.

Then he flipped to the section detailing her university history.

He saw her old connection to Westbridge. He saw Mason’s name mentioned in an old campus editorial she had written. At first, Miles completely dismissed it as a boring, old relationship from years ago.

Then he found a recent photograph included in the security report.

It was Audrey and Mason together. They were standing outside the Calloway building.

Miles flipped the page. He found another record. He found another photograph from a recent public appearance. Mason’s expression in the photograph made the nature of their relationship difficult to misunderstand.

This wasn’t an old university relationship. They were together now.

Miles slowly realized the truth. Audrey wasn’t just investigating a random corporate story. She wasn’t just digging into Mason’s past for a headline.

She was Mason’s girlfriend.

His entire expression changed. A dark, cold realization settled over his features.

He looked at Audrey’s photograph for several seconds.

"So that’s why," Miles said quietly.

A security consultant standing near the door shifted uncomfortably.

"Why what, sir?" the consultant asked.

Miles did not answer. He slowly closed the file and placed his hands flat on the desk. His next instruction was chillingly simple.

"Find out everything about Audrey Ellis."

Miles looked at Mason’s name on the printed investigation file. Then he looked at Audrey’s photograph.

For the first time, the investigation was no longer just about Calloway Football Group.

It was about the woman standing beside Mason.