Chapter 9 - Sebastian Finally Tells the Truth)
Sebastian came to Nathan's office the following morning without Bianca.
He looked like he had not slept.
Adrian stood behind the desk.
Mara sat near the window.
She had insisted on attending.
"This concerns me," she had said.
No one argued.
Sebastian looked at her first.
"I'm sorry."
Mara replied, "You said that yesterday."
"I know."
"Say something useful."
Adrian glanced at her.
Sebastian almost smiled.
Then his face collapsed back into exhaustion.
"Bianca found out about you before Adrian's accident."
Mara's body went still.
"How?"
"She tracked Adrian because she thought he was negotiating to change the trust."
Adrian frowned.
"I was."
Sebastian looked at him.
"What?"
"I planned to propose eliminating the childless transfer clause."
Sebastian stared.
"Why?"
"Because Grandfather wrote it to manipulate us."
A bitter laugh escaped Sebastian.
"You were going to give up your advantage?"
"It wasn't an advantage. It was poison."
Sebastian sat.
For years he had built resentment around the belief that Adrian enjoyed holding power over him.
Now he looked suddenly smaller.
Bianca had built her marriage around that resentment too.
Nathan leaned forward.
"Continue."
Sebastian rubbed his hands together.
"Bianca learned Adrian was seeing Mara. She hired someone to follow them."
Mara thought of the diner photograph.
"Then the accident happened."
Sebastian nodded.
"Bianca said it solved the immediate problem."
Adrian's voice sharpened.
"What does that mean?"
"I thought she meant the trust vote would be delayed."
"Did you know the brakes were cut?"
"No."
"Did you suspect?"
Sebastian hesitated.
Adrian stepped forward.
"Did you suspect?"
"Later."
Mara closed her eyes.
Adrian looked ready to cross the room.
Again Mara stopped him with a voice.
"Let him finish."
Sebastian swallowed.
"Bianca went to the clinic because Dr. Vale called her."
"Why her?"
"Because Vale was helping us document your incapacity."
Nathan swore under his breath.
Adrian stared at his brother.
"You forged medical evidence."
"I allowed it."
"Same thing."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I wanted the board vote."
The confession hung in the room.
Sebastian continued.
"I told myself you would recover eventually. I told myself taking temporary control wasn't the same as hurting you."
"But when you learned the brake report disappeared?"
"I asked Bianca."
"And?"
"She said some truths were better left in Italy."
Adrian's face became empty.
That was more frightening than anger.
Sebastian looked at Mara.
"Then you applied for the household position."
"I didn't apply directly. The agency called me."
"I know."
"You brought me there."
"Bianca did."
"Why?"
"To watch you."
Mara's eyes filled.
"You let me live in the house of the woman who destroyed my relationship."
Sebastian lowered his head.
"Yes."
"You watched her humiliate me."
"Yes."
"You knew."
"Not everything."
"Enough."
He nodded.
Mara stood.
For months she had viewed Sebastian as weak, privileged, sometimes dismissive.
Now she understood the deeper failure.
He had not created every cruelty.
He had simply benefited from them.
And when powerful people benefited from cruelty, they became part of it.
Nathan broke the silence.
"Where is Dr. Vale?"
"I don't know."
"Who else was involved?"
Sebastian hesitated.
Then reached into his coat.
He placed a small black drive on the desk.
"Bianca keeps records."
Adrian stared.
"Of what?"
"Everything she thinks she might need against someone later."
"How did you get it?"
"It's from our home safe."
Nathan picked it up carefully.
Sebastian said, "There's one folder I couldn't open."
"What is it called?" Mara asked.
Sebastian looked at her.
"Eleanor."
Mara stopped breathing.
"My mother's name?"
"Yes."
Adrian turned to Nathan.
"Open it."
The encryption took twenty-three minutes.
No one spoke.
Finally the screen filled with files.
Medical invoices.
Property records.
Staffing documents.
Photographs.
Then audio.
Nathan clicked the first recording.
Bianca's voice filled the office.
"If Mara Collins thinks debt is her problem, she'll accept any live-in position we put in front of her."
A man's voice answered.
Dr. Vale.
"And if Adrian wakes up asking for her?"
Bianca replied, "Then we make sure he believes she chose to disappear."
Mara covered her mouth.
Another recording.
Vale again.
"What if she's pregnant?"
Bianca's answer came after a pause.
"Then we have a much bigger problem."
The recording ended.
Nathan looked around the room.
Adrian's eyes were fixed on the screen.
Sebastian whispered, "There's more."
A final file appeared.
Dated three days before Adrian's accident.
May you like
Its title contained only four words.
Brake issue confirmed tonight.
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