The Hidden Empire of Harvey Kane

Chapter 006: Family Lines And Secrets

Jane shoved the front door open hard enough that it slammed against the stop. She stormed straight into the sitting room, fury still burning in her chest and sharp words already lined up on her tongue.

But the room was empty.

She stopped short, her chest rising and falling as a long, exhausted sigh left her. She dropped heavily into the nearest chair and shut her eyes.

Then a dry, humorless chuckle slipped out of her lips.

This was the exact opposite of everything she had pictured for their anniversary.

Harvey had never been anything but good to her. He had found her at the lowest point of her life—when depression had sunk so deep that she stood on the very edge of ending her life.

But he had pulled her back and given her a love that felt bottomless, steady, and real.

Even as the officers led him away in cuffs, she had still seen that same love looking back at her from his eyes.

“Jane?”

The familiar voice pulled her out of the dark spiral. She opened her eyes slowly to see Elena, the Ross family’s longtime housekeeper, standing a few steps away. Concern etched deep across the older woman's face as she came closer and rested a gentle hand on Jane’s shoulder.

“What’s wrong, child?”

Jane rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hand. “You already know what’s wrong.”

Elena bit her lower lip. “Something went wrong at the company?”

Hearing that, Jane let out another dry and humorless laugh. “At this point I almost wish it was only that. It’s worse. Harvey got arrested.”

Elena’s eyes widened. “What?”

She had barely gotten the word out when another voice cut across the room. “You heard her, Elena."

Elena turned just as Eleanor stepped fully into the sitting room, her posture perfect, and expression cool and satisfied.

“I saw to it myself,” Eleanor continued. “After he dared to raise his filthy hands on my son this morning, I made certain the police were swiftly informed.”

Elena shook her head, voice quiet but a bit hesitant. “With all due respect, ma’am… today is a special day for them. Why today of all days?”

Eleanor’s eyes flashed wide. “What on earth gives you the guts to speak to me that way?” She took a measured step closer. “I know you’re fond of Jane. That much has always been clear. But you will stay the hell out of this. Or better still—advise her to seek a divorce now, before it’s too late.”

“I’ll do no such thing!” Jane retorted, rising to her feet so fast even Eleanor startled.

Eleanor’s lips curved into a thin, cold smile. “Very well then. We shall see about that, after a lawsuit is a slammed against him.”

She turned without another word and walked out of the room, the soft click of her heels fading down the hallway.

Jane watched her mother until she disappear down the hallway. Only then did the stillness of the sitting room press in on her.

She started pacing—slow, restless circuits across the expensive rug, arms folded tight against her chest as if she could hold the day together by force.

Elena watched her for a long moment before speaking in her usual gentle voice. “What are you going to do, Jane?”

Jane stopped mid-stride and slowly turned. Her eyes looked tired, older than they had that morning, the anger still there but dulled by exhaustion.

“I really don't know. I don’t even know how Harvey supposedly hit Kyle… or if this whole thing is just another story my mother cooked up to finally get rid of him.”

Elena stepped closer. The concern on her face hardening into something steadier and almost fierce.

“Then I’ll tell you what to do. You fight for the man you love. Don’t let them tear him down. Not today, and not ever.”

Jane’s shoulders sagged under the weight of it. “But how am I supposed to do that, Elena? They’re already pushing a lawsuit– treating him like he’s disposable.”

Elena held her gaze without flinching. “Have you gone to see him since they took him?”

Jane opened her mouth reply, but her phone vibrated hard in her pocket, cutting the moment short. An unknown number lit the screen.

She frowned, thumb hovering, then answered on the second ring. “Hello?”

A man’s voice came through immediately

“No matter what happens, Harvey must not appear in court.”

His voice was low and urgent, causing Jane to freeze in place. The pacing stopped.

Even her breathing seemed to pause. “Who is this?”

“It doesn’t matter who I am,” the voice replied, steady and absolute. “Just stick to what I said.”

She glanced at Elena who was watching her with open worry, then turned slightly away and lowered her voice.

“I need to know who you are and what the hell is going on. How do you even know Harvey was arrested? Who told you?”

There was a short pause on the other end, the kind that felt deliberate.

“I can’t go into details right now. But if you really want answers, go see him. Talk to him face to face. Right now Harvey is calm because he doesn’t know your mother’s threatening a lawsuit. The second you tell him about it, you’ll see how he reacts. And maybe—just maybe—he’ll finally tell you everything.”

Jane’s grip tightened on the phone until her knuckles whitened. “Everything? What does that even mean?”

She started to speak again, but the line went dead with a soft click.

She stared at the dark screen for a second longer than necessary, pulse ticking hard in her throat, then looked up at Elena.

Elena’s brow furrowed deeper. “What’s wrong? Who was that?”

Jane slipped the phone back into her pocket, already moving toward the side table where her keys still lay.

“I’ll be right back.”

She snatched the keys and strode out of the house without another word.