Chapter 4: The Voice in the Recording
“Once Ethan signs, we can finally take everything from him. The company, the properties, even his mother's remaining estate. He won't remember a thing.””
The woman's voice echoed through the ballroom.
Nobody moved.
Brooke sat frozen in her chair, her hands gripping the edges of the table. Chad stared at the recording device as though it were a ticking bomb.
Victoria Reynolds was the first to react.
“Turn that off!””
Dr. Melissa Grant didn't touch the device.
The recording continued.
A man's voice followed.
“Are you sure the medication will keep him confused long enough?””
The ballroom seemed to lose its air.
Ethan recognized the voice immediately.
Chad.
Brooke shook her head.
“No. No, that's not what it sounds like.””
The recording played on.
The woman spoke again.
“Ethan trusts Brooke. If she tells him the documents are temporary, he'll sign them without questioning anything.””
Chad looked toward the exit.
Ethan noticed.
“So familiar, isn't it, Chad?””
“That's fabricated!”” Chad shouted.
“Anyone can edit a recording!””
Melissa calmly stopped the device.
“That's a serious accusation. Fortunately, we anticipated it.””
She removed a second folder from her briefcase.
“I'm not presenting this recording as the only evidence. The original file was preserved by the hospital's legal department. Its metadata, timestamps, and chain of custody have been independently verified.””
Victoria slapped her palm against the table.
“This is a private family matter!””
Martin Hayes stepped forward.
“No, Mrs. Reynolds. This concerns a multimillion-dollar corporate transaction, several questionable property transfers, and potential financial misconduct.””
Victoria turned on him.
“You have no right to interrogate my son!””
Martin's expression remained cold.
“Then perhaps your son should stop trying to explain away evidence.””
Chad grabbed Brooke's arm.
“We're leaving.””
Ethan stepped into his path.
“Not yet.””
Chad glared at him.
“Move.””
“Fourteen months ago, I couldn't stand without assistance. You stood beside my hospital bed and convinced yourself I was finished.””
“You have no idea what happened back then.””
“Then explain it.””
Chad looked around at the guests.
“I don't owe you an explanation.””
Ethan nodded.
“That's exactly what I expected.””
Melissa approached the microphone.
“There's another portion of the recording.””
Brooke immediately stood.
“Please. Don't.””
Melissa looked at her.
“You knew what was happening, Brooke. You were there.””
“I was frightened!””
“You were discussing how to transfer his assets while he was recovering from surgery.””
Brooke's eyes filled.
“I didn't know they would go this far.””
Ethan looked at her.
“Then how far did you think they would go?””
She couldn't answer.
Melissa pressed play again.
A faint sound of hospital equipment came through the speakers.
Then Brooke's voice.
“Ethan, sweetheart, just sign here. It's only temporary. Chad's lawyers are protecting everything until you get better.””
A weak male voice answered.
“Brooke, I don't understand this section.””
“It's boring legal language. You don't need to worry about it.””
“I want to read it.””
“Ethan, please. I'm exhausted. I've been here all day.””
There was a pause.
Then Ethan's recorded voice spoke again.
“Do you promise this won't affect the company?””
Brooke answered without hesitation.
“I promise.””
The recording stopped.
Ethan closed his eyes.
He remembered that conversation.
He remembered looking at Brooke and believing her.
He remembered signing because he wanted to get back to sleep, because his body hurt, because the woman he intended to marry had told him everything would be fine.
When he opened his eyes, Brooke was crying.
“I loved you,” she whispered.
Ethan stared at her.
“Was that before or after you promised to take everything?””
She covered her face.
“Ethan, I was twenty-nine. I didn't know what I was doing.””
“You knew enough to lie.””
Chad suddenly laughed.
It was a short, bitter sound.
“Congratulations. You've got a recording. What exactly do you think that proves?””
Melissa turned toward him.
“It proves you were involved in arranging a financial transfer while Mr. Cole was medically impaired.””
“That's your interpretation.””
“It's the recording.””
Chad looked at Victoria.
His mother stepped forward.
“My son acted in the company's best interests. Ethan's business was collapsing. Someone had to take responsibility.””
Martin opened another document.
“That's interesting, because the company's financial statements show it was profitable at the time.””
Victoria's face tightened.
Martin continued.
“Within six months of the transfer, several valuable properties were sold below market value. The proceeds went into accounts controlled by Reynolds Development.””
Chad interrupted.
“Those were legitimate transactions!””
“Then you'll have no trouble explaining them to the investigators.””
The word investigators changed the atmosphere.
Several guests lowered their phones.
Others stepped away from Chad.
Victoria leaned toward Martin.
“You wouldn't dare.””
Martin didn't blink.
“The company's board has already requested an independent audit.””
Chad turned toward Ethan.
“You planned this.””
Ethan gave him a quiet look.
“No. You planned it. I simply survived long enough to find out.””
For the first time, Chad looked genuinely uncertain.
But Victoria wasn't finished.
She reached into her handbag and removed a folded sheet of paper.
“You're forgetting something, Ethan.””
He looked at the paper.
“What?””
“Your mother left behind debts. Significant debts. Your family estate wasn't nearly as valuable as you imagine.””
Ethan's expression remained unchanged.
Victoria smiled.
“Even if you challenge the transfer, you may discover there's nothing left to recover.””
Ethan looked toward Martin.
“Would you like to explain that?””
Martin nodded.
“Gladly.””
He placed a sealed envelope on the table.
“Your mother's estate was independently valued before the accident. The properties were not burdened by the debts Mrs. Reynolds is describing.””
Victoria's smile disappeared.
“That's impossible.””
“Furthermore,” Martin continued, “the estate administrator never authorized the transfer of several assets listed in Reynolds Development's records.””
Chad stared at the envelope.
“What assets?””
Martin looked at Ethan.
Ethan answered.
“The properties your company has been collecting rent from for the past fourteen months.””
Chad swallowed.
Martin opened the envelope and removed a single page.
“Those properties never legally belonged to Reynolds Development.””
Victoria stepped backward.
Then she looked at Ethan with something resembling hatred.
“You think you've won?””
Ethan said nothing.
She leaned closer.
“You have no idea what your mother was involved in.””
The words struck him harder than he expected.
“My mother?””
Victoria realized she had said too much.
Ethan stepped toward her.
“What do you know about my mother?””
Victoria pressed her lips together.
“Nothing.””
“Then why bring her into this?””
She looked toward Chad.
He gave her a warning glance.
But Ethan had already noticed the exchange.
“Mrs. Reynolds,” he said quietly, “I think it's time you told everyone why you were so interested in my mother's estate.””
Victoria straightened her shoulders.
“I have nothing to say.””
Melissa closed her briefcase.
“Perhaps someone else does.””
Everyone turned.
At the back of the ballroom, a man in a gray suit had just entered.
He carried an old leather document case.
Ethan recognized him.
His mother's former estate attorney.
May you like
And the man was holding a photograph of Victoria Reynolds standing outside his mother's house three days before the accident.
“Mr. Cole,” the attorney said, “there's something about your mother's final instructions that you were never told.””
