Chapter 8 - MY FATHER'S FILE
My father stared at his own name.
“Open it.”
I hesitated.
“Dad.”
“Open it.”
I clicked.
Inside were scanned letters.
Bank statements.
Legal documents.
And an audio file dated two weeks before my mother died.
My father looked shaken.
“I never knew this existed.”
I pressed play.
My mother’s voice filled the library.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
“Arthur, if you are hearing this, something has gone wrong.”
Dad sat down.
Her voice continued.
“I discovered that Charles Ashford and Malcolm Shaw have been moving money through Hartwell subsidiaries.”
Malcolm closed his eyes.
My mother continued.
“I believe Arthur is innocent.”
Dad looked toward Malcolm.
“But he trusts Malcolm completely, and that trust makes him vulnerable.”
The recording continued.
“I have transferred Ashford Maritime’s collateral agreement into Evelyn’s trust.”
Nathan looked furious.
My mother’s voice became softer.
“If Charles disappears, defaults, or attempts to reclaim the company illegally, Evelyn will become the controlling owner.”
I looked toward Nathan.
He had known.
That was why he married me.
Not because he wanted access to my father’s money.
Because he wanted back a company he believed had been stolen from his family.
My mother continued.
“There is one more thing Arthur must know.”
The file suddenly stopped.
A warning appeared.
CORRUPTED SEGMENT.
Dad stood.
“No.”
Adrian tried reopening it.
Nothing.
Malcolm stared at the screen.
“There may be another copy.”
“Where?”
“The Vault Registry was divided.”
My father looked at him.
“How many pieces?”
“Three.”
Nathan quietly laughed.
We turned toward him.
“You are missing the important one.”
Dad stepped closer.
“Where is it?”
Nathan smiled.
“My father has it.”
Celeste spoke.
“The Meridian Crown.”
Nathan looked at her.
She ignored him.
“He used a private suite there.”
Nathan’s expression sharpened.
“You don’t know what you are talking about.”
Celeste looked at me.
“Suite 1801.”
Nathan shouted, “Stop.”
That confirmed it.
Detective Cole immediately called a judge.
Adrian contacted hotel security.
My father remained focused on Nathan.
“You married Evelyn because of Ashford Maritime.”
Nathan said nothing.
I answered for him.
“Yes.”
He looked at me.
“You knew?”
“Not when I married you.”
I paused.
“But I suspected something after our third anniversary.”
Nathan stared.
“You stayed anyway.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
I looked at the evidence pouch holding my pendant.
“To find out what you wanted.”
He slowly smiled.
“And did you?”
“I thought I had.”
Then I looked at the corrupted message from my mother.
“Apparently not.”
Detective Cole returned.
“We have authorization to search Suite 1801.”
Nathan leaned back.
“You are too late.”
Cole stared at him.
“Why?”
Nathan looked toward the dark windows.
May you like
“Because if Charles saw those helicopters, he already knows the game is over.”
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