Chapter 5: The Man Who Disappeared Twenty Years Ago
Richard placed the envelope on the vanity.
Nobody touched it.
Even Marcus had stopped moving behind the adjoining door.
I stared at my father's handwriting.
I'd seen it on birthday cards, school notes, and the little messages he'd left beside my breakfast when I was growing up.
Seeing it now felt like being handed something from another life.
“What's inside?”” I asked.
Richard pulled a chair closer.
“An account of what happened between your father and Thomas Reed. There are also copies of correspondence and a signed settlement.””
My mother sat beside me.
“Daniel never told me Thomas was involved with Marcus.””
“He may have wanted to protect you,” Richard said.
“From what?””
Richard opened the envelope.
“From a business dispute that became personal.””
He removed a stack of documents.
The first was an old partnership agreement dated twenty-two years earlier.
The company name was different then.
Hayes and Reed Development.
My father and Thomas Reed had founded it together. They had started with one small commercial property and gradually expanded into hotels, apartment buildings, and shopping centers.
The documents showed that both men had equal shares.
Then, seven years later, something changed.
Thomas had attempted to move company assets into a private holding company without Daniel's approval.
When my father discovered it, he demanded an audit.
The audit revealed several unauthorized transfers.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars had disappeared.
Thomas blamed the accounting department.
My father blamed Thomas.
And their friendship collapsed.
“Did they go to court?”” I asked.
Richard nodded.
“Initially. But before the case could proceed, Thomas disappeared.””
“Disappeared?””
“His car was found abandoned outside a train station. His apartment was empty. He never contacted the company again.””
My mother looked horrified.
“Daniel always told me Thomas had left the country.””
Richard nodded.
“That was the official explanation.””
I looked at the papers.
“What was the truth?””
Richard took out another document.
“A confidential settlement signed several months later.””
The agreement stated that Thomas had relinquished his ownership interest in exchange for a payment and a promise that his family would not be pursued for the outstanding financial losses.
But there was something strange.
The signature didn't match the one on the original partnership agreement.
“Was this forged?””
Richard examined the document.
“Your father believed it was.””
I looked up.
“Then why did he sign it?””
“Because someone sent him a letter claiming Thomas was in danger. Your father believed the settlement was the only way to prevent further harm.””
My mother closed her eyes.
“Daniel never forgave himself for that.””
I turned toward her.
“You knew?””
She nodded slowly.
“He received a phone call one night. He was in his study for hours. When he came downstairs, he told me Thomas had disappeared and that the police were involved.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“You were young. Your father wanted you to have a normal childhood.””
Richard placed another paper on the vanity.
“This is where Marcus comes into the story.””
It was a photograph.
Two young men stood outside a construction site.
One was my father.
The other was a man I didn't recognize.
On the back, someone had written:
*Daniel Hayes and Thomas Reed — First Hotel Acquisition, 2004.*
Below that was another photograph.
A younger Marcus stood beside Thomas.
He looked perhaps seventeen.
I turned the picture over.
The date was from twenty years earlier.
I looked at Richard.
“Marcus knew who my father was before he met me.””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“His father kept records of the original company.””
I felt sick.
I remembered how Marcus had first approached me.
It had been at a charity fundraiser.
He'd said he recognized my surname from the business world.
I'd thought it was a coincidence.
Now I wondered whether he'd been looking for me.
“Was the relationship planned?”” I asked.
Richard carefully chose his words.
“I cannot establish that from these documents alone.””
My mother touched my hand.
“Olivia, listen to me. Your father loved you. He would never have wanted you to be frightened of everyone.””
I squeezed her fingers.
“I know.””
But I couldn't ignore the possibility that the man I'd loved had approached me because of my inheritance.
I looked at the second photograph.
“Where did you find these?””
“In your father's office safe.””
I glanced toward Vanessa.
She had become unusually quiet.
Richard noticed.
“Miss Cole, perhaps you can explain why you accessed the Hayes family records.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I didn't steal anything.””
“Then you won't mind explaining how you obtained the account credentials used to access the archived partnership files.””
She stared at him.
I turned toward her.
“What did you do?””
Vanessa rubbed her forehead.
“Marcus said his father had left him something.””
“What?””
“A letter.””
Richard looked up sharply.
“What letter?””
Vanessa swallowed.
“He said Thomas had written to him before he disappeared.””
My mother stood.
“Why would Marcus have a letter from a man who disappeared twenty years ago?””
Vanessa looked at the closed door.
“Because Marcus said his father never left voluntarily.””
Richard leaned forward.
“Did you see the letter?””
“Yes.””
“What did it say?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“He said Daniel Hayes had stolen everything from Thomas. He said the company should have belonged to the Reed family.””
My mother shook her head.
“That's a lie.””
Vanessa continued.
“Marcus told me he was going to take back what his father lost.””
I stared at her.
“And you believed him?””
“He said he had evidence.””
“What evidence?””
She looked down.
“A recording.””
Richard became very still.
“What recording?””
Vanessa reached into her handbag.
For a moment, I thought she was going to pull out her phone.
Instead, she removed a small USB drive.
She placed it on the vanity.
Marcus's voice suddenly came from the adjoining room.
“Vanessa! Don't you dare touch that!””
Everyone turned.
He was standing in the doorway.
His face was red.
His jacket was unbuttoned.
And he was staring at the USB drive as though it contained something far more dangerous than an old recording.
Richard calmly picked it up.
“Is this company property?””
Vanessa nodded.
“Marcus gave it to me three weeks ago. He said to keep it somewhere safe.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“It's private.””
Richard slipped the drive into his briefcase.
“Then I'm sure you'll have no objection to an independent review.””
Marcus pointed at Vanessa.
“You stupid woman.””
She flinched.
I watched him.
“Don't call her that.””
He laughed.
“Now you're defending her?””
“No. I'm wondering why you're so frightened of a USB drive.””
He looked at me.
“Because you don't know what you're dealing with.””
“Then tell me.””
Marcus glanced at Richard.
Then at my mother.
Finally, his eyes settled on me.
“My father was destroyed by yours.””
I shook my head.
“That's what you've been told.””
“Your father stole our company.””
“Your father transferred money without authorization.””
“He was protecting his family!””
“So was mine.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“You have no idea what Daniel did to us.””
I held his gaze.
“Then show me.””
For a second, I thought he might.
Instead, he reached into his jacket and removed a folded document.
He threw it onto the vanity.
“This is the original agreement.””
Richard picked it up.
His expression changed as he read the first paragraph.
“What is it?”” I asked.
He didn't answer.
Marcus smiled faintly.
“My father never gave up his shares.””
Richard turned the page.
Then another.
His face became increasingly serious.
The document appeared to be an amended partnership agreement, dated shortly before Thomas disappeared.
It stated that Thomas Reed had transferred his ownership interest to a third party.
But the third party wasn't my father.
It was a company registered overseas.
I looked at the signature.
It was Daniel Hayes's.
My father's.
“Is that real?”” I whispered.
Richard examined the seal.
“I'll need an expert to verify it.””
Marcus crossed his arms.
“Your father signed it. He knew exactly what he was doing.””
My mother stepped forward.
“Daniel never signed anything like that.””
Marcus laughed.
“You keep saying that, but you weren't there.””
I looked at the document again.
The signature seemed genuine.
But something else caught my eye.
The date.
It was dated two days after Thomas Reed had supposedly disappeared.
“How could my father sign an agreement with someone who was already missing?””
Marcus said nothing.
Richard looked up.
“That's an excellent question.””
I turned toward Marcus.
“Where did you get this?””
“My father left it.””
“Where?””
“In a storage unit.””
“When?””
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“Recently.””
Richard put the document inside a protective folder.
“We'll verify it.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You can verify whatever you want. It won't change the truth.””
I stared at him.
“What truth?””
He leaned closer.
“Your father knew exactly what happened to Thomas Reed.””
My mother made a small sound.
I turned toward her.
She was staring at the document.
Her face had become pale.
“Mom?””
She shook her head.
“That's impossible.””
“What is?””
She looked at me.
Then at Richard.
Finally, she whispered something that made the entire room fall silent.
“Daniel told me Thomas died.””
Richard frowned.
“Who told him?””
My mother swallowed.
“Thomas himself.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
She nodded, tears gathering in her eyes.
“He called our house three days before he disappeared. He said he needed to meet Daniel. He said there was something important he had to tell him.””
“And did they meet?””
My mother looked toward the hallway.
“Yes.””
“When?””
“On the night Thomas disappeared.””
I couldn't speak.
Richard slowly closed his briefcase.
“Mrs. Hayes, why wasn't that included in the original investigation?””
My mother looked devastated.
“Because Daniel asked me never to tell anyone.””
I stared at her.
“Mom, what happened that night?””
May you like
She took a shaky breath.
“Your father came home at four in the morning. His shirt was covered in blood.””
