Chapter 5 - The Woman Behind the Curtain
By morning, the Mercer family had stopped laughing.
The banks had begun calling.
The investment firm had requested clarification.
Two credit lines were under review.
Vivian spent the morning shouting at assistants.
Rachel blamed Emma.
Daniel said almost nothing.
He sat alone in his father's old study.
His father's portrait hung above the fireplace.
Daniel stared at it.
His father had always told him one thing.
Never let the family lose control.
Daniel had tried.
He had borrowed.
Moved money.
Signed agreements.
Asked Emma for help.
And every time, he had told himself it would be temporary.
Then Vivian entered.
She closed the door.
"What did you do?"
Daniel didn't answer.
She stepped closer.
"You told me Emma was financially useful."
Daniel looked up.
"She was."
"Was?"
"Mom..."
"You said she would never challenge us."
"I thought she wouldn't."
Vivian stared at him.
"You thought?"
Daniel stood.
"I didn't know she'd discover the accounts."
Vivian narrowed her eyes.
"Did she?"
Daniel hesitated.
"She discovered something."
"What?"
"I don't know."
Vivian's expression changed.
For the first time, fear appeared beneath her anger.
"Daniel."
He looked away.
"There's a possibility she knows about the second agreement."
Vivian went still.
"The second agreement?"
Daniel realized his mistake.
Vivian's voice became quiet.
"You told me that was handled."
"It was."
"Then why are you afraid?"
Daniel looked at her.
"Because Emma isn't who we thought she was."
Vivian scoffed.
"She's a consultant."
"No."
Daniel shook his head.
"She's something else."
Vivian stepped closer.
"What are you saying?"
Daniel whispered:
"Three years ago, when she married me, I thought she was just ambitious."
"And?"
"I was wrong."
Vivian waited.
Daniel's phone rang.
He answered.
A bank officer spoke.
Daniel's face changed.
"What?"
Vivian watched him.
Daniel slowly sat.
"What happened?"
The call ended.
Vivian demanded:
"Daniel?"
He looked up.
"The bank found another beneficiary."
Vivian frowned.
"Another beneficiary to what?"
Daniel couldn't answer.
Then his phone received an email.
Subject: Change of Control Notification.
Daniel opened it.
His hands began shaking.
The beneficiary name appeared.
He whispered:
"No."
Vivian took the phone.
Her eyes widened.
"Who is this?"
Daniel stared at the screen.
"I don't know."
May you like
But Emma did.
Because the name belonged to someone she had trusted long before she met the Mercer family.
