Chapter 8 - Brandon’s First Name
Brandon had always said his father died before he was born. Gertrude refused to discuss him, describing the man only as a mistake.
When Charlotte confronted Brandon with the photograph, he looked genuinely shaken.
“I’ve never seen that.”
They met in a supervised room at Naomi’s office. Brandon’s attorney sat beside him, but Brandon ignored the man’s warnings.
“My birth certificate has no father listed,” he said. “Mom told me he was a musician.”
“Victor Dane knew you before he approached Hailey about the project.”
Brandon rubbed both hands across his face. “Dane came to me three years ago. He said Thomas had cheated our family. He showed me papers claiming my mother was entitled to a share of Mercer Civil Works.”
“And you believed him.”
“I wanted to.”
“Enough to marry me for the house?”
“No.” The answer came quickly. “I loved you.”
“Past tense?”
He looked away.
Brandon admitted that Dane had funded Blue Heron Advisory and promised him independence from Charlotte. In exchange, Brandon provided access to old rooms, copied trust documents and persuaded Skylar to sign the tablet.
“Did you know the loan proceeds would be stolen?” Charlotte asked.
“Dane called it a restructuring.”
“Did you plan to go to Lisbon?”
Brandon did not answer.
Charlotte stood. “Then we’re finished.”
“Wait. I can help you find the real archive.”
She stopped at the door.
Brandon said Victor Dane believed Thomas had hidden a master ledger inside the foundation of the original house. The ledger proved Dane had bribed inspectors after a fatal bridge collapse twenty-two years earlier. Thomas had intended to testify, but a key witness disappeared. Without the ledger, the case died.
“Where is it?” Naomi asked.
“Dane thinks the clue is in the founder photograph.”
Charlotte placed the image on the table.
Brandon pointed to the stonework behind the three men. A carved compass rose appeared above the old entrance. Renovations had covered it years ago.
His attorney whispered urgently, but Brandon continued.
“There’s one more thing. Dane did not choose me because I married Charlotte.”
May you like
He looked at Gertrude holding the baby.
“He told me Thomas Mercer was my father.”
