Chapter 12 - THE DRIVEWAY
By the time Clara reached the mansion, everyone was shouting.
Victoria stood beside the luggage.
Richard faced Grant.
Julian paced near the limousine.
Serena was on the phone demanding someone “fix this immediately.”
The family guests remained near the curb, trapped between curiosity and embarrassment.
Clara stepped out of her car.
Victoria rushed toward her.
“You sold my home!”
Clara stopped.
“Your home?”
“Yes!”
“Whose name was on the deed?”
Victoria’s face tightened.
“That’s not the point.”
“It’s the only point.”
Richard stepped in.
“You had no authority to remove our belongings.”
“Actually, I did.”
“You will reverse this.”
“No.”
“Clara.”
“No.”
The word shocked him.
Clara had disagreed with Richard many times.
But she rarely gave him a direct refusal without explanation.
Now she gave him nothing else.
Julian approached.
“You’re insane.”
Clara looked at him.
“How was the cruise?”
“Fuck you.”
“Expensive?”
His face reddened.
Serena stepped forward.
“You humiliated my sister.”
Clara smiled.
“She took my suite.”
“You canceled everything.”
“Correct.”
Victoria pointed at Grant.
“He says he owns the house.”
“He does.”
Richard’s eyes narrowed.
“This transaction is subject to my beneficial interest.”
There it was.
Grant looked at Clara.
She said nothing.
Richard continued.
“I have contractual rights.”
Clara tilted her head.
“What rights?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
“Pretend I don’t.”
Richard looked at the guests.
He did not want to discuss details publicly.
Clara did.
“What did you contribute, Dad?”
His face changed.
“Not here.”
“Four hundred eighty-three thousand dollars?”
Victoria turned sharply.
“What?”
Clara watched her mother.
Interesting.
Victoria knew the company name.
But maybe not the fake contribution amount.
Richard snapped, “Enough.”
Clara continued.
“Was it four hundred eighty-three thousand?”
Julian stepped in.
“Shut the fuck up.”
Clara turned to him.
“Or what?”
He stopped.
For the first time in his life, Julian did not have an answer.
Grant walked down the steps holding the folder.
“Mr. Bennett, I believe we have business to conclude.”
Richard looked relieved.
“Yes.”
Clara almost admired his confidence.
He still believed he could salvage this.
Grant opened the folder.
“You agreed to sell your beneficial interest for eight hundred thousand dollars.”
Victoria stared at Richard.
“You were selling part of the house?”
Richard ignored her.
Grant continued.
“You certified that your interest was genuine.”
“It is.”
“You certified Clara authorized the arrangement.”
“She did.”
Clara smiled slightly.
Richard saw it.
His confidence flickered.
Grant removed the declaration.
“This signature?”
Richard glanced.
“Yes.”
“Clara signed it?”
“Yes.”
Clara spoke.
“No, I didn’t.”
Victoria looked between them.
Julian swore.
Richard pointed at Clara.
“She’s lying.”
Grant remained calm.
“Then perhaps she can explain another document.”
He removed the supplemental occupancy agreement.
Richard’s face drained.
That was the moment.
The moment Clara would remember.
Not because her father looked guilty.
Because he looked betrayed.
As though the document had betrayed him by being discovered.
Grant said, “You also claimed a four-hundred-eighty-three-thousand-dollar contribution.”
Richard’s voice became quiet.
“That agreement is confidential.”
“Not anymore.”
Clara stepped closer.
“Where did the money come from?”
Richard looked at her.
“Clara.”
“No.”
“Stop.”
“Where did it come from?”
Victoria turned on him.
“What money?”
Richard snapped, “Stay out of this.”
Victoria’s mouth opened.
Clara watched twenty years of marriage shift by half an inch.
Grant pulled out another sheet.
“Bennett Coastal Holdings.”
Victoria looked at Julian.
Then Richard.
“What is that?”
Richard said nothing.
Clara turned toward her mother.
“You told me you didn’t know.”
“I don’t.”
“But you knew the name.”
Victoria paled.
Clara continued.
“You knew something.”
“I heard your father mention it.”
“When?”
Victoria looked at Richard.
He stared back at her with a warning.
And Clara saw it.
Fear.
Not partnership.
Not fully.
Victoria knew something but not everything.
Serena suddenly grabbed Julian’s arm.
“What is she talking about?”
“Nothing.”
“Julian.”
“Shut up.”
Serena recoiled.
Grant closed the folder.
“Mr. Bennett, you no longer have any beneficial interest claim here.”
Richard straightened.
“We’ll see what a court says.”
“Yes,” Grant replied. “We probably will.”
Then two black government vehicles turned into the driveway.
Richard’s face changed completely.
Mercer stepped out.
So did two other agents.
Victoria whispered, “Richard?”
Clara watched her father.
He stared at the approaching agents.
Then, unexpectedly, he smiled.
Not happily.
Coldly.
As if a private calculation had just finished.
He looked at Clara.
“You have no idea what you’ve done.”
Clara held his gaze.
“No.”
May you like
She glanced at the agents.
“But I’m finally going to find out.”
