Chapter 6 - The Room Conrad Never Opened
Nobody moved.
Richard Harwick's study had been locked since his death.
Conrad had kept it that way.
Not from sentiment.
From refusal.
“My father spent half his life controlling people from that room,” Conrad said. “I saw no reason to let him keep doing it after he died.”
Fay approached the door.
“Apparently somebody disagreed.”
The electronic lock had been remotely released.
Conrad opened the door.
Dust covered everything.
Dark wood.
Leather chairs.
Books.
A massive desk.
Fay immediately disliked the room.
It felt designed to make visitors smaller.
Conrad stood in the doorway.
For a moment, he looked less like the powerful man everyone feared and more like a son remembering something he wished he'd forgotten.
Fay touched his hand.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
“You're lying.”
“I've had very little practice.”
She looked at him.
He had stolen her line.
She squeezed his hand.
They entered.
Inside the desk was a sealed envelope.
CONRAD'S WIFE.
Fay stared at it.
“That's creepy.”
“Agreed.”
She opened it.
Richard's letter was eleven years old.
He wrote that Samuel Donahue had uncovered irregularities inside Harwick charitable accounts.
Richard initially believed Samuel responsible.
Later, he discovered someone else had been manipulating both families.
Richard had created the marriage contingency not to force a marriage, he claimed, but to prevent disputed property from being seized while the investigation continued.
Conrad scoffed.
“He always had a noble explanation for control.”
Fay kept reading.
Richard admitted that Patricia Sloan had drafted the clause.
Then came the line that mattered.
IF PATRICIA EVER PRESENTS AN ALTERED VERSION OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE ORIGINAL IS STORED WHERE SHE CANNOT REACH IT.
Beneath it:
ASK ELENA ABOUT THE RED DRESS.
Everyone looked at Elena.
She frowned.
“What red dress?”
Lydia suddenly laughed.
“Mom's anniversary dress.”
Elena stared at her.
Then remembered.
Twenty years earlier, Richard had given Elena a red evening gown for their anniversary.
She hated it.
“Where is it?” Fay asked.
“In storage.”
The irony wasn't lost on anyone.
Another red dress.
Another unwanted gift.
Another man assuming he knew what his wife needed.
Conrad noticed too.
“Apparently stupidity is hereditary.”
Fay almost smiled.
They found the gown in a cedar storage room.
Inside its garment bag was a hidden envelope.
The original contract.
No marriage contingency.
No automatic property transfer.
No clause giving the Harwicks control of Donahue assets.
Patricia had forged the later version.
But why?
Martin examined the dates.
“If she could trigger the transfer, she could move the property through the trust.”
“And sell it,” Samuel said.
The Donahue properties had appreciated dramatically.
Worth nearly $18 million now.
The charity theft had been smaller.
A test.
The real target was land.
Conrad called federal financial investigators already reviewing the foundation fraud.
This time, everything changed quickly.
Bank records connected Patricia to the shell accounts.
Electronic logs connected her to altered contracts.
She had used Celeste's credentials after discovering Celeste was investigating.
She had framed Martin through his dormant company.
And she had relied on old mistrust between the Harwicks and Donahues to keep everyone suspicious of one another.
Fay sat quietly while the evidence assembled itself.
Conrad sat beside her.
“What are you thinking?”
“That six dresses did all this.”
“No.”
She looked at him.
“One woman refusing to pretend nothing was wrong did this.”
Fay studied his face.
“You've gotten better at saying things.”
“I researched that too.”
She laughed.
Then became serious.
“What happens to Celeste?”
“She cooperates with investigators.”
“And afterward?”
“She doesn't work for me.”
“Good.”
Conrad nodded.
“What she did to you wasn't acceptable because she had another motive.”
“Also good.”
He hesitated.
“Fay?”
“Yes?”
“When this is over, I want to change our marriage agreement.”
Her expression became cautious.
“How?”
“Remove every financial condition tying you to me.”
She stared at him.
“The Donahue debt will be canceled regardless of whether you stay married to me.”
“Conrad.”
“I need you to know the door is open.”
She swallowed.
“You're giving me a divorce?”
“No.”
His voice became unexpectedly vulnerable.
“I'm giving you the choice I should have made sure you had from the beginning.”
Fay looked away because suddenly her eyes burned.
Their marriage had begun as a transaction.
Eight months later, the most powerful gift Conrad could offer wasn't jewelry.
It was freedom.
“Do you want me to leave?” she asked.
“No.”
The answer was immediate.
“What do you want?”
Conrad looked at her.
“You.”
Fay's heart stumbled.
“Not an alliance. Not your father's property. Not a useful marriage. You.”
She stared at him.
Conrad's voice dropped.
“I think I fell in love with you somewhere between you insulting my dining table and threatening my chef over Elena's soup.”
Fay laughed through tears.
“That is an awful declaration.”
“I've never done one.”
“Clearly.”
“Give me time.”
She reached for his hand.
Then Conrad's phone rang.
His legal counsel.
Patricia Sloan had been located.
She hadn't fled Chicago.
She was inside the Harwick Foundation headquarters.
And she had requested one person.
Fay.
Conrad's expression hardened.
“No.”
Fay stood.
“Yes.”
“Absolutely not.”
She picked up her coat.
“Conrad.”
“What?”
“You just gave me a speech about choice.”
He closed his eyes.
“That was badly timed.”
“Extremely.”
Thirty minutes later, they reached foundation headquarters.
Investigators waited downstairs.
Patricia was on the eighth floor.
Alone.
Fay entered the elevator.
Conrad stepped in beside her.
“She asked for me.”
“She can complain.”
The elevator rose.
Sixth floor.
Seventh.
Fay looked at Conrad.
“Whatever happens, don't speak for me.”
“I won't.”
“Don't threaten anyone.”
“I'll make an effort.”
“Conrad.”
“I won't.”
The elevator reached eight.
The doors opened.
Patricia stood at the far end of the dark conference room.
On the table before her was one final black box tied with burgundy ribbon.
Exactly like the box that had contained Fay's red gown.
Patricia smiled.
“I wondered how long it would take you to understand.”
Fay stepped forward.
Patricia put one hand on the lid.
“Before you decide what your marriage means, Fay, you should see what Conrad bought eight months ago.”
She lifted the lid.
May you like
Fay looked inside.
And everything in her face changed.
