Chapter 3 - The Call Lucas Could Not Hide
Lucas pushed the phone into his pocket.
Daniel held out his hand again.
“Answer it.”
“It’s private.”
“You were recording my wife ten minutes ago. Don’t talk to me about privacy.”
Margaret stepped between them.
“Daniel, this has gone far enough.”
“No. It has gone on far too long.”
The phone stopped ringing.
A message arrived almost immediately.
Lucas glanced down before he could stop himself.
Daniel saw the fear in his eyes.
“What does it say?”
“Nothing.”
“Show me.”
Lucas walked backward.
Daniel followed him.
Elena remained near the silver basin, one hand pressed to her lower back. The child shifted inside her, and she winced.
Daniel noticed.
He stopped immediately.
“Elena?”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re in pain.”
“It’s just pressure.”
Margaret rolled her eyes.
“She has been using the pregnancy to manipulate everyone for months.”
Daniel looked at his mother with such fury that she fell silent.
He guided Elena toward a nearby chair.
“Sit down. I’m calling Dr. Warren.”
“No hospital,” Elena whispered.
“Why?”
Her gaze moved toward Margaret.
Daniel understood.
His mother had made even medical help feel dangerous.
He crouched in front of Elena.
“She cannot stop you anymore.”
Elena’s eyes filled with tears.
“You don’t know what she can do.”
“Then tell me.”
Before Elena could answer, the front doors opened.
A man in a gray suit entered without knocking.
He was in his early sixties, tall and thin, with silver hair and a leather briefcase.
Daniel recognized him immediately.
Richard Vale.
The family attorney.
Richard stopped when he saw the spilled water, the silver basin and Elena’s wet dress.
Then his eyes moved to the black folder in Daniel’s hand.
His face changed.
“Where did you find that?”
Daniel stood.
“Inside my father’s cabinet.”
Richard looked at Margaret.
“You left the key?”
Margaret did not answer.
Daniel’s grip tightened around the folder.
“You knew about these transfers.”
Richard placed his briefcase on a table.
“I know about many aspects of the family business.”
“Did you authorize my forged signature?”
“No.”
“Who owns Ashcroft Consulting?”
Richard hesitated.
Lucas moved toward the stairs.
Daniel pointed at him.
“Stay.”
Lucas froze.
Richard removed his glasses and cleaned them slowly.
“Ashcroft Consulting was established as a private advisory entity.”
“Owned by whom?”
“That information is protected.”
“Protected from the chief executive of the company paying it?”
Richard looked uncomfortable.
Margaret spoke.
“Your father created Ashcroft.”
Daniel stared at her.
“My father?”
“He used it for sensitive transactions.”
“Why didn’t I know?”
“Because he did not trust you with everything.”
The insult struck harder than Daniel expected.
For most of his life, he had tried to become the son his father could respect. He had worked weekends, canceled holidays and learned every part of the business.
His father had died before ever telling him he was proud.
Margaret knew exactly where to place the knife.
Elena stood despite Daniel’s concern.
“She’s lying.”
Everyone turned.
Margaret’s eyes narrowed.
Elena looked frightened, but she continued.
“I heard her speaking to Mr. Vale two nights ago.”
Richard’s face lost color.
Elena pointed toward the office hallway.
“They were arguing. Mr. Vale said Daniel’s father never approved Ashcroft.”
Margaret stepped forward.
“You were listening outside my door?”
“You were discussing my husband.”
“You had no right.”
Elena’s voice grew stronger.
“You had no right to steal from him.”
Lucas cursed quietly.
Richard picked up his briefcase.
“I should leave.”
Daniel blocked his path.
“No one leaves.”
Richard looked at him.
“You cannot hold me here.”
“No. But I can call the police and tell them my signature was forged.”
Margaret scoffed.
“Do that and the board will remove you before sunset.”
“Why?”
“Because the money was not stolen.”
“Then where did it go?”
No one answered.
Daniel opened the folder again.
Behind the transfer statements was a sealed envelope.
His name was written across the front in his father’s handwriting.
Daniel stopped breathing.
He recognized every line.
Every stroke of the pen.
The envelope had been sealed years ago.
Margaret’s face went white.
Daniel looked at her.
“You said these were irrelevant records.”
She whispered,
“Do not open that.”
Daniel tore the envelope open.
Inside was a single page.
He unfolded it.
May you like
The first sentence read:
Daniel, if you are reading this, your mother has already broken the promise she made beside my hospital bed.
