Chapter 5: The Woman Who Knew My Father's Secret
"Get her inside.""
My grandfather's command was immediate.
Marcus nodded and spoke into his earpiece.
I followed him toward the entrance, my heart pounding.
Outside, two security officers were helping a woman out of a black sedan.
Her cream-colored coat was torn near the shoulder.
Her hair was disheveled.
And there was blood on her forehead.
Evelyn.
The same woman who had sent me the recording.
The same woman who had told me Daniel was planning to steal control of Bennett Global.
She looked up when she saw me.
"Chloe.""
I hurried toward her.
"What happened?""
She tried to speak, but her knees buckled.
Marcus caught her.
"Get a medical team here," I ordered.
One of the guards immediately called Dr. Collins.
We brought Evelyn into the sitting room.
She sat on the sofa, trembling, while a housekeeper brought a clean towel.
Arthur entered a moment later.
His expression hardened when he saw her.
"Evelyn Carter.""
She looked up.
"Mr. Bennett.""
"I thought you had disappeared.""
"I tried.""
Arthur pulled a chair closer.
"Why are you here?""
Evelyn glanced at me.
"Because I don't think Daniel is going to stop.""
I folded my arms.
"Tell me what happened.""
She pressed the towel against her forehead.
"After I sent you the recording, I went back to my apartment. Someone had broken in.""
"Did you see who?""
"No. But they knew exactly what they were looking for.""
"What?""
"A folder containing the original correspondence between Daniel, Vanessa, and Robert.""
Arthur leaned forward.
"Where is it now?""
Evelyn hesitated.
"Not with me.""
"Where is it?""
She looked at me.
"I gave it to someone I trusted.""
My grandfather's expression darkened.
"Who?""
"Your father's former secretary.""
The room fell silent.
I felt my stomach tighten.
"My father's secretary?""
Evelyn nodded.
"Margaret Ellis.""
I remembered the name.
Margaret had worked for Bennett Global before my father's death. She had been one of the few employees who visited me after the funeral.
She had given me a silver music box when I turned eight.
Then, without explanation, she had left the company.
"Where is she now?"" I asked.
Evelyn shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Arthur stood.
"Marcus, find her.""
"Yes, sir.""
I turned toward Evelyn.
"Why do you have documents connecting Daniel to my father?""
Evelyn looked down.
"Because Daniel didn't start investigating your family after he met you.""
She swallowed.
"He was doing it long before that.""
I felt sick.
"How long?""
"Almost ten years.""
I stared at her.
"Ten years?""
She nodded.
"Daniel and I were together before you met him. His father introduced us. At the time, I believed we were going to get married.""
"What changed?""
Evelyn looked at the floor.
"Daniel became obsessed with Bennett Global. He found out that your grandfather was planning to transfer voting control to the next generation.""
I frowned.
"But I wasn't involved in the company.""
"Exactly. You were the only direct heir who wasn't interested in business.""
Arthur looked at me.
"Your grandmother established the trust that way. She wanted you to have a normal life.""
Evelyn continued.
"Daniel believed that if he married you, he could eventually influence your decisions. He thought you would trust him enough to sign whatever he put in front of you.""
I felt my stomach twist.
"Did he ever love me?""
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
"I don't know.""
I looked away.
She continued.
"But I know he loved the idea of becoming powerful.""
The words hurt more than I expected.
Because they sounded true.
I remembered Daniel's proposal.
His promises.
The way he had held Lily as a newborn.
For years, I had believed those moments were proof of something genuine.
Now I didn't know which memories belonged to the man I loved and which belonged to the man who had deceived me.
Arthur placed a glass of water in front of Evelyn.
"Tell us about the documents.""
She took a sip.
"Daniel and his father were trying to recreate the same fraudulent structure Robert used twenty years ago.""
Arthur's expression became stone.
"Explain.""
"They were establishing shell companies under different names. One would receive funding. Another would hold the assets. A third would make the transactions look legitimate.""
I stared at her.
"And my name?""
"They planned to use your inheritance as security.""
Arthur shook his head.
"They've become careless.""
Evelyn nodded.
"Because they were desperate.""
"How much do they owe?"" I asked.
She hesitated.
"More than forty million.""
The room fell silent.
Forty million dollars.
I thought about the expensive dinners, the designer clothes, the mansion, the cars.
The Whitmores had been living like royalty while their company was drowning.
"And Daniel thought my family would pay it off?"" I asked.
Evelyn looked at me.
"He didn't just think that. He had a plan.""
"What plan?""
She leaned forward.
"Your signature was only the first step. After that, they intended to use your voting rights to force a merger between Bennett Global and Whitmore Holdings.""
Arthur's walking stick struck the floor.
"That will never happen.""
Evelyn looked frightened.
"There's another problem.""
I closed my eyes.
Of course there was.
"What now?""
"Vanessa has been telling people that you are emotionally unstable.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
"She has been contacting members of Daniel's family, several business associates, and even people connected to the family trust.""
Arthur's face darkened.
"On what grounds?""
"She's claiming you have been suffering from severe emotional episodes since Lily was born.""
My hands went cold.
"That's a lie.""
"I know.""
"Why would she say that?""
Evelyn looked at me.
"Because Robert wants to challenge your ability to control your inheritance.""
Arthur slowly sat down.
"They're preparing a legal argument.""
Evelyn nodded.
"They want to portray you as incapable of making financial decisions. If they succeed, they'll try to appoint someone to manage your assets.""
I couldn't believe it.
"They're trying to take my daughter and my inheritance?""
"No," Arthur said firmly.
He looked directly at me.
"They're trying to take your authority. And they will not succeed.""
A small voice came from the doorway.
"Mommy?""
I turned.
Lily stood there in her cream-colored nightdress, holding her stuffed rabbit.
Her hair was messy from sleep.
I immediately walked toward her.
"Sweetheart, what are you doing awake?""
"I heard people talking.""
I knelt.
"Are you okay?""
She nodded.
Then she looked past me at Evelyn.
"Is that the lady who knows Daddy?""
Evelyn looked down.
"Yes, sweetheart.""
Lily held her rabbit tighter.
"Is Daddy coming?""
I took a breath.
"I don't know.""
She looked at my face.
"Did I make Daddy mad?""
My heart broke.
"No, baby. You didn't do anything wrong.""
"But Aunt Vanessa said I ruin everything.""
I felt something inside me turn cold.
"What did she say?""
Lily looked down.
"At dinner. Before she hit me.""
I held her hands.
"Tell me exactly what happened.""
She hesitated.
"She said Daddy would be happier if I wasn't always following you.""
My throat tightened.
"Anything else?""
Lily nodded.
"She said I wasn't supposed to be there.""
Arthur looked at Evelyn.
Evelyn's face had gone pale.
Then Lily whispered something that made the entire room fall silent.
"Aunt Vanessa said Mommy was going to sign papers, and then we would all be rich.""
I stared at my daughter.
"She said that?""
Lily nodded.
"She told Daddy I should go upstairs so the grown-ups could talk.""
Arthur slowly stood.
Evelyn covered her mouth.
I hugged Lily tightly.
"Sweetheart, thank you for telling me.""
She rested her head against my shoulder.
"Are you mad?""
"No.""
I kissed her hair.
"I'm proud of you.""
But my mind was racing.
Vanessa hadn't simply lost her temper.
She had discussed the papers in front of my daughter.
She had expected Lily to disappear upstairs while the adults handled the transaction.
And perhaps the slap had been more than cruelty.
Perhaps it had been a deliberate attempt to provoke me into leaving the room.
Arthur looked at Marcus.
"Get me the security footage from the Whitmore mansion.""
Marcus nodded.
"We're already working on it.""
Then Evelyn spoke.
"There's something else I haven't told you.""
I turned.
"What?""
She reached into the lining of her coat and pulled out a small memory card.
"I made a copy of the original recording before they came after me.""
Arthur took it carefully.
"What does it contain?""
"Conversations between Daniel and Robert.""
"About the money?""
Evelyn shook her head.
"About Richard Bennett.""
I stared at her.
"My father?""
She nodded.
"Daniel discovered something in the old company archives. Something that could connect Robert to your father's death.""
Arthur's face drained of color.
"What did he discover?""
Evelyn looked directly at me.
"A witness.""
The room became completely silent.
"Who?"" I whispered.
She swallowed.
"Someone who was inside your father's car the night he died.""
My grandfather gripped his walking stick.
"That's impossible. The police report said he was alone.""
Evelyn nodded.
"That's what everyone was told.""
I felt my knees weaken.
"Are you saying my father wasn't alone?""
Evelyn looked at me.
"I'm saying the person who survived that accident has been living under a different name for twenty years.""
Before anyone could respond, Marcus's phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
Then looked at Arthur.
"Sir, we've located Margaret Ellis.""
Arthur nodded.
"Where?""
Marcus's expression changed.
"At the Whitmore estate.""
My stomach dropped.
"Why would she be there?""
May you like
Marcus looked at me.
"Because she works for Robert Whitmore.""
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