Chapter 14 - THE MONEY WAS NEVER REALLY ABOUT MONEY
Richard hired a criminal defense attorney the next morning.
Julian hired one two hours later.
Serena hired a separate lawyer before lunch.
Victoria called Clara seventeen times.
Clara answered once.
Her mother’s voice sounded smaller.
“Did your father steal from you?”
Clara closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Victoria began crying.
“How much?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Did Julian?”
“Yes.”
A long silence.
Then Victoria whispered,
“I didn’t know.”
Clara believed only part of that sentence.
“You knew something.”
“I knew Richard had investments.”
“You knew Bennett Coastal Holdings existed.”
“I heard the name.”
“You lied when I asked.”
“I was scared.”
“Of Dad?”
Victoria did not answer.
That was an answer.
Clara softened slightly.
“What are you scared of?”
Victoria started speaking quickly.
“There are things about your father’s finances I never understood.”
“What things?”
“He used to say some money had to stay invisible.”
Clara’s attention sharpened.
“Invisible from who?”
“I don’t know.”
“Taxes?”
“No.”
“Creditors?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Victoria hesitated.
“From you.”
Clara went still.
“What?”
Victoria began crying harder.
“I thought it was inheritance planning.”
Clara looked at Maya, who had just entered the room.
“Explain.”
“Your father said if you knew too early, you would refuse.”
“Refuse what?”
“I don’t know.”
“Mom.”
“I don’t know!”
Clara stood.
“What exactly did he say?”
Victoria struggled to remember.
“He said everything depended on keeping your success separate until the threshold.”
“What threshold?”
“I don’t know.”
Clara’s skin prickled.
Not just theft.
Planning.
A threshold.
A future event.
Maya wrote the word down.
Victoria continued.
“He and Eleanor used to talk about it.”
Clara froze.
“You know Eleanor is involved?”
Victoria became silent.
“Mom.”
“Yes.”
“How involved?”
“I don’t know.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because Richard never told me everything!”
“Then tell me what he did tell you.”
Victoria inhaled shakily.
“Eleanor helped him create trusts.”
“Why?”
“To protect the family.”
“From what?”
“I thought lawsuits.”
“Did Eleanor know about my company?”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“Everything.”
Clara felt something cold move through her.
“Why?”
Victoria whispered,
“Because Richard sent her your financial statements every quarter.”
Clara sat down.
For years.
Her father had been sending her business performance to a woman in Monaco.
“Did he send anything else?”
“Contracts sometimes.”
“Client lists?”
“I don’t know.”
“Personal information?”
“I don’t know.”
Victoria paused.
Then said something quietly.
“There was a file about you.”
Clara stared at the phone.
“What file?”
“In Richard’s study. Not the mansion. Our old house.”
“What was it called?”
“I only saw the label once.”
“What label?”
“Contingency.”
Clara’s pulse accelerated.
“What was inside?”
“I don’t know.”
“You opened it.”
“No.”
“You saw something.”
Victoria began crying again.
“A birth certificate.”
Clara’s breath stopped.
“What?”
“Your birth certificate.”
Clara looked at Maya.
Her attorney had gone completely still.
“Why would my birth certificate be in a financial contingency file?”
“I don’t know.”
“Was Julian’s there?”
“No.”
“Your marriage certificate?”
“No.”
“What else?”
“A photograph.”
“Of what?”
“You.”
Clara’s voice sharpened.
“What photograph?”
“You were a baby.”
“That’s normal.”
“No.”
Victoria’s voice changed.
“It wasn’t our house.”
Clara felt suddenly cold.
“Where was it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Who was holding me?”
Victoria did not answer.
Clara whispered, “Mom.”
Finally:
“Eleanor.”
The room seemed to tilt.
Clara gripped the desk.
“Eleanor Vale was holding me?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“You were maybe two weeks old.”
Clara’s mind began racing.
Eleanor had always been a family friend.
At least that was what Clara believed.
Victoria continued.
“There was writing on the back.”
“What did it say?”
“I don’t remember exactly.”
“Try.”
Victoria went silent.
Then:
“She’s safe. The agreement stands.”
Clara’s breathing stopped.
Maya mouthed, What?
Clara shook her head.
Victoria began pleading.
“Clara, I swear I thought it was some strange old family arrangement.”
“What agreement?”
“I don’t know.”
“Who wrote it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Where is the file now?”
“I haven’t seen it in years.”
Clara looked at Mercer as he entered the office.
She put the call on speaker.
“Mom, why did Eleanor stop coming around?”
Victoria whispered,
“Because you started asking questions.”
Clara frowned.
“What questions?”
“You were twenty-four. You asked why you didn’t look like anyone in Richard’s family.”
Clara remembered.
A stupid dinner conversation.
She had laughed about her dark blonde hair while most Bennetts had been redheaded.
Richard became angry for no reason.
Eleanor stopped visiting soon after.
Clara’s mouth went dry.
“Mom.”
“Yes?”
“Is Richard my biological father?”
Silence.
Maya closed her eyes.
Mercer stopped moving.
Clara repeated,
“Is Richard my biological father?”
May you like
Victoria’s voice broke.
“I don’t know.”
