Chapter 9 - The Inheritance Nobody Wanted)
Elena read the documents Thomas brought twenty-three minutes later.
She read them again.
And again.
Nothing changed.
Her father, Mateo Ruiz, had helped establish Northstar with Charles Mercer, Margaret Mercer and two other families in the late 1990s.
Originally, Northstar wasn't a blackmail organization.
It was an intelligence cooperative.
Five wealthy or influential families had pooled information to protect their companies from corruption, extortion and organized crime.
Then Northstar discovered information itself was more valuable than protection.
Secrets became currency.
People became assets.
Mateo wanted out.
Before he died, he placed his voting rights in an irrevocable trust.
The beneficiary would be Elena's first biological child after turning twenty-one.
Until then, authority remained dormant.
Except for one condition.
If the child entered Mercer House and was formally acknowledged by a Mercer heir, temporary access rights activated.
Ethan stared at Thomas.
"That's insane."
Thomas nodded.
"Old-money people create ridiculous rules when they think they're immortal."
Elena looked at Lily.
"So by walking into that house..."
"You activated Mateo's share."
"And when Ethan acknowledged her?"
"That activated Charles's emergency proxy."
Margaret closed her eyes.
"Which means Lily currently controls two of Northstar's five founding votes."
Elena stood.
"She's seven."
"Northstar doesn't care."
"She doesn't control anything."
"Legally, you act as guardian."
Elena laughed.
"No."
Thomas remained calm.
"You can reject the inheritance at twenty-one."
"Then reject it now."
"It doesn't work that way."
"Make it work."
Daniel wanted the flash drive because it contained credentials needed to call a founders' vote.
With Lily holding two shares, Daniel could no longer guarantee control.
Ethan finally understood.
"He wasn't watching Lily because of me."
Thomas shook his head.
"He was watching Lily because of power."
Margaret corrected him.
"Both."
Ethan looked at her.
Margaret continued.
"Daniel hated Charles. He also hates Ethan."
"Why?"
"Because Charles planned to transfer the Mercer share directly to Ethan before he died."
Thomas frowned.
"I didn't know that."
"Nobody did."
Ethan sat.
"Why didn't he?"
"Because he died first."
Silence.
Ethan looked toward Thomas.
"Heart attack?"
Thomas's expression became grave.
"Officially."
Elena whispered, "And unofficially?"
"No proof."
"But you suspect Daniel."
"Yes."
Victoria stood beside the wall listening.
She had been silent since Thomas arrived.
Now she spoke.
"Daniel didn't kill Charles."
Everyone turned.
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
"How do you know?"
"Because the night Charles died, Daniel was with me."
Margaret stood.
"You told everyone you hadn't seen Daniel after his supposed death."
"I lied."
"Where were you?"
Victoria hesitated.
"In this clinic."
Aaron stared.
"What?"
"Not this building. The old facility you owned near Georgetown."
Aaron's face changed.
"My father's facility."
"Daniel took me there."
"Why?"
Victoria looked directly at Ethan.
"Because Charles Mercer was already there."
Ethan froze.
"You saw my father alive that night?"
"Yes."
"After the supposed heart attack?"
Victoria nodded.
Ethan stepped closer.
"What happened?"
"He wasn't dying."
Margaret whispered, "Victoria..."
"He was conscious. Talking."
Ethan's voice broke.
"My father died in an ambulance."
"No."
Victoria shook her head.
"Your father was alive for at least six hours after everyone was told he died."
Ethan looked at Thomas.
Thomas seemed genuinely shocked.
Margaret sat down.
Elena saw the truth before Ethan did.
"You knew."
Margaret didn't answer.
Ethan turned.
"Mom?"
Margaret's shoulders dropped.
"Charles asked us to fake his death."
No one moved.
"Why?"
"Because Daniel had compromised Mercer Holdings. Charles believed disappearing would allow him to investigate."
Ethan stared at her.
"Where is he buried?"
"The coffin is empty."
Thomas swore quietly.
Ethan's face became empty.
"Where is my father?"
Margaret looked at Victoria.
Victoria whispered, "I don't know."
"You were there."
"I left before dawn."
"Who stayed?"
"Daniel."
Ethan grabbed the edge of the table.
Victoria continued.
"And another person."
"Who?"
"I never saw his face."
"But?"
"He wore a Mercer family ring."
Thomas looked at Ethan.
Then Margaret.
Only four such rings existed.
Charles had one.
Thomas had one.
Ethan had inherited his grandfather's.
The fourth had belonged to Ethan's older brother.
Nathan.
A boy who supposedly drowned when Ethan was six.
Ethan stared at his mother.
"No."
Margaret began crying.
Thomas whispered, "Margaret, tell him."
Ethan's voice became barely audible.
"Nathan died."
May you like
Margaret shook her head.
"Not exactly."
