Chapter 10 - The Truth Henry Bought
Olivia did not remember sitting down.
One moment she was standing.
The next she was in a chair with Malcolm beside her and Mercer across the table.
Julian placed water nearby.
Olivia ignored it.
"Start at the beginning."
Mercer removed his coat.
"Eleanor Vale worked for Charles Reed."
"I know."
"She became close to someone in one of Charles's companies."
"Who?"
"A man named Thomas Avery."
Olivia's eyes moved toward Julian.
His surname was Avery.
He noticed too.
"Any relation?" Olivia asked.
Julian shook his head.
"Not that I know."
Mercer continued.
"Thomas was a corporate attorney. Brilliant. Difficult. Charles trusted him."
"And Eleanor?"
"They were involved."
"Was Thomas my father?"
"Yes."
Olivia waited for emotion.
Nothing came at first.
Only a strange emptiness.
"Where is he?"
"Dead."
"When?"
"1991."
"How?"
"Car crash."
Julian leaned forward.
"Accident?"
Mercer looked at him.
"Officially."
Olivia's voice hardened.
"And unofficially?"
"No proof."
"What happened to me?"
"Eleanor was struggling after Thomas died. Financially. Emotionally."
Mercer folded his hands.
"Henry and Margaret had recently lost a child."
Olivia closed her eyes.
She had known.
A baby girl.
Stillborn.
Never discussed.
"Eleanor knew Margaret through Charles."
Mercer continued.
"An arrangement was proposed."
"What arrangement?"
"Temporary guardianship."
Olivia opened her eyes.
"Henry and Margaret took me?"
"Yes."
"For how long?"
"Originally six months."
Olivia laughed.
There was nothing humorous in it.
"Six months became thirty-six years."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Mercer looked ashamed.
"Because Eleanor changed her mind."
"When?"
"Within weeks."
"And?"
"Henry refused."
Olivia stared.
"He kidnapped me."
"Legally it became complicated."
"Don't."
Her voice cut through him.
"Do not explain kidnapping to a lawyer using the word complicated."
Mercer lowered his eyes.
"Henry used Eleanor's instability against her."
"Was she unstable?"
"Grieving. Poor. Frightened."
"So Henry bought better lawyers."
"Yes."
"Grandpa knew?"
"Eventually."
"Eventually?"
"Charles believed the guardianship was legitimate at first."
"When did he learn otherwise?"
"1994."
Olivia felt sick.
"What did he do?"
"Forced Henry to establish financial protections for you."
"Why not return me?"
Mercer looked at her.
"Because by then you were four."
Olivia's hands curled into fists.
"That was not his decision to make."
"No."
"Did Eleanor keep trying?"
"For years."
The hospital.
April 2004.
Olivia whispered:
"She tried to take me."
"She arranged to meet you."
"Then what was the van?"
Mercer hesitated.
"Henry learned about the meeting. He believed Eleanor planned to remove you from the state."
"Was she?"
"Possibly."
"What happened?"
"Henry hired North Harbor Security to stop her."
Olivia remembered the ledger.
Two hundred thousand dollars.
Prevent transfer of OR.
"The van belonged to them."
Mercer nodded.
"They intercepted you first."
"That doesn't make sense."
"They were supposed to retrieve you quietly."
"From where?"
"Your school."
Olivia felt nauseated.
"They caused the accident?"
"They panicked when Malcolm followed them."
"Then Grandpa covered everything."
"Partly."
"Why?"
"To protect you from publicity."
Olivia stood.
"No. To protect Henry."
Mercer did not argue.
She paced.
"And the trust?"
Mercer exhaled.
"Charles spent the next five years restructuring assets."
"For me?"
"For the person he believed had been harmed most by Henry's actions."
"What assets?"
Mercer looked at Malcolm.
Malcolm shook his head slightly.
Olivia caught it.
"You both know."
Mercer reached into his briefcase.
He removed a sealed envelope.
"This document activates only if Henry attempts to seize, encumber, or financially control a business independently created by you."
Olivia stared.
"My firm."
"Yes."
"What happens when it activates?"
Mercer placed the envelope down.
"Ownership shifts."
"Of what?"
"Several things."
"What things?"
"Debt."
Olivia remembered Charles's instruction.
Follow ownership. Follow debt.
Her pulse quickened.
"Does the trust own Westridge?"
Mercer looked at her.
"Not yet."
"Then who does?"
Mercer swallowed.
"Henry."
Olivia frowned.
"Why would Henry secretly buy his own debt?"
"He didn't."
"Then?"
"He believes he controls Westridge."
"Who controls it?"
Mercer stared at the sealed envelope.
"The person who holds the conversion instrument."
"And who is that?"
May you like
Mercer pushed the envelope toward Olivia.
"You are."
