Chapter 5 - THE CALL HOME
Elena drove for nearly an hour before pulling into an empty parking lot.
She had not spoken to her parents in seven months.
Her last conversation with Margaret had ended badly. Daniel had told Elena that Robert was trying to interfere with their marriage. When Margaret denied it, Elena accused her mother of manipulation.
Now Elena understood that Daniel had repeated the same strategy for years. He created conflict, then offered himself as the only person Elena could trust.
She called her mother.
Margaret answered before the second ring.
“Elena?”
Her voice contained no anger.
Only fear.
Elena tried to speak, but nothing came out.
Margaret waited.
Finally, Elena whispered, “I think Daniel stole from me.”
Her mother did not ask why Elena had ignored her warnings. She did not mention the unanswered messages or forgotten birthdays.
She said, “Tell me where you are.”
Two hours later, Margaret and Robert arrived.
Robert looked older than Elena remembered. His silver hair was thinner, and deep lines surrounded his eyes. Yet when he saw his daughter, he opened his arms without hesitation.
Elena stepped into them and began to cry.
They listened as she explained the transfer, the shell company, the wedding expenses, and the agreement the Mercers wanted her to sign.
Robert examined the photograph of the transfer form.
“This may be larger than one stolen payment,” he said.
Margaret frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Daniel approached Vale Medical six months ago. He proposed that our company invest in Westbridge.”
Elena stared at him.
“He told me you contacted him.”
“No. He claimed you supported the deal.”
Robert opened a folder from his briefcase.
Inside were copies of emails apparently written by Elena.
She had never sent them.
Daniel had not only forged her signature.
He had used her name to convince her father to invest millions in a failing real estate project.
Robert had refused because the financial statements appeared suspicious. Afterward, Daniel told Elena that her parents were trying to destroy his career.
Margaret took Elena’s hand.
“We need an attorney.”
Robert shook his head.
“We need more than an attorney.”
May you like
He looked at the forged emails again.
“We need federal investigators.”
