Chapter 11 - Everything My Father Hid
The warehouse was empty.
Too empty.
Dominic entered first.
Claire followed.
A projector suddenly turned on.
Her mother's face appeared on a white wall.
Claire stopped breathing.
Anne looked exactly as Claire remembered.
Warm.
Strong.
Tired.
“Claire,” the recording began, “if you're watching this, then everything went wrong.”
Claire covered her mouth.
Anne continued.
“I trusted Charles.”
A pause.
“I shouldn't have.”
The recording revealed everything.
Charles had been drowning the company in debt.
Victor had been stealing money.
Rebecca had discovered the truth.
Daniel had helped hide the transactions.
But Anne had uncovered all of them.
She had planned to expose them.
Then she died.
Claire cried silently.
Dominic stood beside her.
The recording continued.
“I know they will tell you that I was careless.”
Anne smiled sadly.
“They will tell you I made mistakes.”
She shook her head.
“I didn't.”
The screen changed.
Bank records appeared.
Shipping contracts.
Ownership documents.
Names.
Dates.
Payments.
Everything.
Then Anne said the words Claire had waited fifteen years to hear.
“You were never the weak daughter.”
Claire closed her eyes.
“You were the strongest person in this family.”
The recording ended.
The warehouse became silent.
Then Daniel stepped from the shadows.
Claire turned.
He held a gun.
Dominic immediately moved in front of her.
Daniel smiled.
“You finally found it.”
Claire stared at him.
“You betrayed my mother.”
Daniel shook his head.
“I protected myself.”
“You stole from me.”
“I borrowed.”
“You framed me.”
“You were convenient.”
Dominic's voice became deadly.
“Put the gun down.”
Daniel laughed.
“You don't understand.”
He pointed toward Claire.
“She inherited everything.”
Dominic didn't move.
Daniel continued.
“Forty-three percent of the company. Her mother's trust. The warehouses. The shipping contracts.”
Claire said, “You could have asked me.”
Daniel laughed.
“You would never have given it to me.”
“No.”
She looked at him steadily.
“I wouldn't.”
Daniel raised the gun.
Then Dominic's security team surrounded him.
Daniel looked around.
He had been trapped.
He lowered the weapon.
But before anyone could reach him, another shot rang out.
Daniel fell.
Claire screamed.
Dominic grabbed her.
A figure disappeared through the rear exit.
Victor.
Dominic chased him.
Claire stayed behind.
Daniel was dying.
He looked at her.
“Your father knew.”
“Knew what?”
Daniel struggled to speak.
“Your mother…”
Claire leaned closer.
“She wasn't alone that night.”
“What?”
Daniel whispered the final words.
“She had someone with her.”
Claire's heart pounded.
“Who?”
Daniel looked toward the door.
Then smiled faintly.
“Your father.”
His eyes closed.
Claire stood frozen.
Her mother had not died alone.
Charles had been there.
And perhaps he knew exactly what happened.
Dominic returned.
He saw Claire's face.
“What happened?”
She looked at him.
“Take me to my father.”
Dominic nodded.
But before they could leave, his phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“What?”
He listened.
Then looked at Claire.
“Your father is gone.”
Claire's heart stopped.
“He took the company records.”
May you like
Dominic's voice lowered.
“And he took Madison, Lauren, and Emily with him...”
