Chapter 8: The Truth Hidden in His Father's Estate
Ethan turned toward his mother.
“Mom?””
Eleanor didn't answer.
Her face had lost all color.
Richard Vale stood beside the table, watching the confusion spread through the room.
“Ask her,” he said quietly.
“Ask her why Robert created a secret archive.””
Ethan shook his head.
“Don't.””
Richard raised his hands.
“I'm simply telling you what your father told me.””
Eleanor finally spoke.
“Richard, you have spent years twisting everything Robert said.””
Richard laughed.
“Did he tell you about the missing investment accounts?””
“Those accounts were legitimate.””
“Did he tell you about the money transferred to the offshore company?””
Eleanor's voice trembled.
“Stop.””
“Did he tell you that he confronted you three months before he died?””
Ethan stepped between them.
“Enough!””
The detective moved toward Richard.
“Mr. Vale, you'll need to come with us.””
Richard shook his head.
“I haven't finished.””
Ethan looked at him.
“You've had four years to finish. Start making sense.””
Richard stared at him.
“Your father discovered that approximately twelve million dollars had disappeared from the company's reserve accounts over several years. He suspected his wife had authorized the transfers.””
Ethan looked at Eleanor.
“Is that true?””
She closed her eyes.
“Yes.””
The single word struck him harder than anything Brooke had said that evening.
Ethan stepped backward.
“Why?””
Eleanor's eyes filled with tears.
“Because your father asked me to.””
Richard's smile disappeared.
Ethan frowned.
“What?””
Eleanor took a shaky breath.
“Your father discovered that Victor had been using the company to finance private investments. He couldn't remove him without exposing several confidential agreements. So he asked me to move a portion of the money into a protected account.””
Victor immediately interrupted.
“That is a lie!””
Eleanor turned toward him.
“Is it?””
Victor's jaw tightened.
“You were never authorized to move those funds.””
“Robert gave me written authorization.””
Margaret stepped forward.
“I can confirm that.””
Richard looked at her.
“You knew?””
Margaret nodded.
“I handled the legal records.””
Richard shook his head.
“No. That can't be.””
Eleanor continued.
“The twelve million dollars was never stolen. It was transferred into a separate trust to prevent Victor from accessing it.””
Ethan looked at his mother.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because your father believed Victor had someone inside the company monitoring every financial transaction.””
Ethan looked toward Richard.
“And you?””
Richard said nothing.
Eleanor lowered her voice.
“Your father was afraid that if Victor discovered the protected account, he would try to take control of everything.””
Ethan rubbed his forehead.
“So why did he suspect you?””
“Because we arranged it that way.””
Ethan stared at her.
“What?””
Eleanor nodded.
“Your father deliberately created a false trail suggesting I had taken the money. He believed Victor would stop looking once he thought he had found the person responsible.””
Richard's expression changed.
Margaret looked at Ethan.
“The original archive contains the full instructions, including the authorization documents.””
Ethan looked down at the brass key.
“Then we need to go there.””
Daniel nodded.
“I can take you.””
Detective Harris stepped forward.
“Not alone. Mr. Vale and Mr. Reynolds will remain available for questioning.””
Ethan turned toward Brooke.
She was sitting on a chair, staring at the floor.
“Brooke?””
She looked up.
“I'm sorry.””
Ethan waited.
She wiped her cheeks.
“I didn't know about Victor. I swear.””
“Did you know about the twelve million dollars?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“Did you know about the forged financial reports?””
“I knew Chad was involved in some investments. I didn't know they were connected to your company.””
Ethan looked at her for a long moment.
“Then why did you sign the transfer documents?””
Brooke lowered her eyes.
“Because I wanted to leave with something.””
The honesty was almost unbearable.
Ethan nodded.
“At least that's the first truthful thing you've said tonight.””
He turned away.
But Brooke suddenly grabbed his sleeve.
“Ethan, wait.””
He stopped.
“I know I hurt you. I know I don't deserve forgiveness. But there's something else.””
He looked at her.
“What?””
She glanced toward Detective Harris.
“Chad told me that Victor had another plan. Something about the wedding.””
Ethan's expression changed.
“What wedding?””
“Our wedding.””
“Why would Victor care about your wedding?””
Brooke's breathing became uneven.
“Because Chad was supposed to announce a new business partnership during the reception.””
Margaret frowned.
“With whom?””
Brooke hesitated.
“Victor.””
Ethan slowly turned toward the detective.
“Did they intend to announce an acquisition?””
Brooke nodded.
“But there was something else. Chad told me that after the wedding, Victor would have control of the company.””
Margaret looked stunned.
“That's impossible. The trust protections prevent that.””
Brooke shook her head.
“Chad said they had a way around it.””
Ethan stared at her.
“What way?””
She swallowed.
“He said the original document would be replaced before the wedding. Then the new agreement would be presented as your father's final instruction.””
Eleanor gripped Ethan's arm.
“That is why they needed the original.””
Margaret nodded.
“They weren't simply trying to steal the company. They were trying to erase the legal protections.””
Ethan looked toward Richard.
But Richard was no longer standing beside the table.
The detective had turned toward the entrance.
“Where is he?””
Daniel looked around.
“He was right there.””
The ballroom doors were open.
Richard Vale was gone.
Detective Harris immediately spoke into his radio.
“Possible suspect leaving through the east corridor. Check the service exits.””
Ethan looked at Daniel.
“Can you get us to the estate?””
“Yes, sir.””
“Then let's go.””
Eleanor took her coat.
“I'll come with you.””
Ethan shook his head.
“No. You should stay with the detective.””
“Ethan—”
“Mom, I need to know what's in that archive before anyone else gets there.””
She hesitated.
Then she nodded.
“Be careful.””
Ethan turned toward Grace.
She was still standing near the service station.
He approached her.
“Thank you for what you did earlier.””
Grace smiled gently.
“You don't have to thank me.””
“I do.””
She glanced at his wheelchair.
“Please don't hurt yourself trying to prove something to people who don't matter.””
Ethan looked at her.
For the first time that evening, he felt something other than anger.
“That's good advice.””
Daniel opened the ballroom doors.
The three of them headed toward the hotel entrance.
Outside, rain poured over the driveway.
A black sedan waited beneath the canopy.
Ethan stepped into the back seat.
As Daniel started the engine, Ethan looked at the brass key in his palm.
He had spent two years believing the worst thing that had happened to him was Brooke's betrayal.
But now he was beginning to understand that the accident, the missing money, and the attempted takeover might all be connected.
His phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
One message.
Don't go to the estate. Your mother isn't the only person hiding something.
Ethan stared at the screen.
Then another message arrived.
It contained a photograph.
His father standing outside the family estate.
Beside him was a young woman.
A woman Ethan recognized immediately.
Grace.
Ethan looked up sharply.
“Daniel.””
“Yes, sir?””
“Where did you say my father moved the archive?””
Daniel kept his eyes on the road.
“The east wing of the estate.””
Ethan looked at the photograph again.
“Did my father know Grace?””
Daniel's hands tightened around the steering wheel.
Then he whispered:
“That's not the question you should be asking.””
Ethan's stomach dropped.
“What question should I ask?””
May you like
Daniel looked into the rearview mirror.
“Why your father left her the key.””
