Chapter 10 - Charles Whitmore
Vanessa's face was bruised.
Her wrists were bound.
Charles stood behind her with one arm across her chest.
The gun pressed against her side.
"Close the door."
Daniel didn't move.
Charles smiled.
"Or she dies."
I looked at Daniel.
He slowly lowered his weapon.
Marcus closed the door.
Vanessa stared at me.
For the first time since I had known her, there was no smugness in her eyes.
Only fear.
Charles sighed.
"Richard always did make everything unnecessarily dramatic."
I held up the confession.
"Did you force him to write this?"
"No."
"Then why?"
"Because it's true."
Samuel shook his head.
"Not the way you're presenting it."
Charles smiled.
"Samuel Greene."
His tone was almost affectionate.
"Still loyal to dead men."
I stepped closer.
"Let Vanessa go."
"Why?"
"You've already used her."
Vanessa's eyes shut.
Charles laughed.
"Finally."
He looked down at her.
"She spent years wanting a family."
"Charles."
Vanessa's voice shook.
"You said my father stole everything from us."
"He did."
"You said Amelia knew."
Charles smiled.
"That part was useful."
Vanessa looked at me.
Something inside her broke.
"I didn't know."
I believed her.
Not because she deserved forgiveness.
Because betrayal has a specific look.
I had worn it myself.
Charles continued.
"Richard altered the trust because Thomas asked him to."
I frowned.
"What?"
"Thomas didn't want his daughters inheriting Sinclair shares."
"Why?"
"Because he knew what I would do with them."
The room went silent.
Charles had been close to Thomas.
Closer than my father.
Maybe dangerously close.
"Thomas discovered I was siphoning money from the company."
Charles's expression hardened.
"He threatened to expose me."
"So you tried to kill him."
"Not successfully."
"The boating accident."
He nodded.
"Edwin helped him disappear."
Vanessa whispered, "You told me Richard tried to kill him."
Charles glanced down at her.
"You needed motivation."
Her eyes filled with tears.
Marcus looked disgusted.
"You built her entire life around a lie."
Charles smirked.
"And you built your marriage around several."
Marcus stepped forward.
The gun shifted.
I raised my hand.
"Don't."
Charles looked at me.
"Your father knew I would eventually find Thomas's daughters."
"So he protected the shares."
"He hid them."
"At Thomas's request."
"Semantics."
"No."
I understood now.
My father's confession was technically true.
He had deprived them of inheritance.
But not for my benefit.
He had done it because their own father feared Charles could manipulate them.
And Charles had spent decades proving Thomas right.
I looked at Vanessa.
"You knew about Article Nine?"
"Only recently."
"Who told you?"
"Charles."
"When?"
Her eyes moved toward Marcus.
"Eleven months ago."
The affair.
Everything connected.
Charles had sent Vanessa into Marcus's life.
Not merely to hurt me.
To gain executive access.
Marcus looked like he had been punched.
Charles laughed.
"Don't look so wounded."
He nodded toward Marcus.
"You were remarkably easy."
Marcus's jaw tightened.
I expected him to explode.
He didn't.
Instead, he looked at me.
"I'm sorry."
Two words.
No excuses.
That somehow hurt more.
Charles began moving toward the balcony doors.
"Now everyone stays exactly where they are."
Daniel watched him carefully.
"What do you want?"
"The original trust."
Samuel frowned.
"The one in the case is certified."
"I don't want a copy."
Charles looked at me.
"Richard hid the original somewhere in this house."
"How would I know where?"
"Because he left you the key."
My hand moved instinctively toward my pocket.
The brass key.
Charles smiled.
"Thank you."
My stomach dropped.
He had been watching.
He knew everything.
Before I could move, the lights went out.
May you like
Vanessa screamed.
A gunshot exploded through the darkness.
