Chapter 18 - THE WOMAN WHO KNEW EVERYTHING
The contract contained a reference to an independent witness.
Her name was Evelyn Morgan.
Daniel located her through an old business registry.
She was seventy-two years old and lived in a quiet coastal town several hours outside the city.
We arrived at her home on a rainy Thursday afternoon.
Evelyn answered the door wearing a knitted cardigan.
When I introduced myself, her expression changed.
“Eleanor's daughter?”
“Yes.”
She stepped aside immediately.
“Come in.”
Her living room was filled with old photographs and antique furniture.
I placed the contract on the table.
Evelyn examined the signatures.
Then she closed her eyes.
“I wondered when someone would finally come looking for this.”
“You knew my mother?”
“She was my closest friend.”
I swallowed.
“Why didn't she ever tell me about you?”
Evelyn looked at me sadly.
“Because she wanted you to have a normal childhood. The Caldwell family was becoming dangerous.”
Daniel opened his notebook.
“Can you explain Adrian Cross's involvement?”
Evelyn took a deep breath.
“Adrian was originally Edward Caldwell's financial adviser. He helped establish the company that handled the Bellamere collection's licensing agreements.”
“And my mother?”
“She created the designs. Edward provided the investment. Adrian managed the business.”
“What went wrong?”
Evelyn looked toward the window.
“Adrian believed that the person controlling the money should control everything else. He wanted Eleanor to surrender her intellectual property permanently.”
“But she refused.”
“Of course she did.”
Evelyn smiled faintly.
“Your mother was one of the strongest women I ever knew.”
She walked toward an old cabinet and removed a small photograph album.
Inside were pictures of my mother working in her studio.
Then I saw something unexpected.
A photograph of a little girl sitting beside Eleanor.
It was Brittany.
I frowned.
“Why is my sister in this photograph?”
Evelyn looked at the picture.
“Because your mother visited her when she was very young. Brittany's biological mother was having financial difficulties, and Eleanor tried to help.”
I was stunned.
My mother had been kind to Brittany long before our families became divided.
Evelyn continued.
“Your mother never wanted the two of you to grow up fighting over money or status.”
I looked down.
“How did everything become so terrible?”
“Adrian manipulated Richard. Victoria manipulated Adrian. And eventually, everyone became convinced that Eleanor's work was something they deserved to own.”
Evelyn opened another drawer.
She removed a small audio cassette.
“Your mother asked me to keep this.”
Daniel immediately examined it.
“What is on it?”
Evelyn looked directly at me.
“The original conversation between Eleanor and Adrian. The one where he threatened to destroy her business if she refused to sign the transfer.”
I felt my pulse quicken.
“Can we hear it?”
Evelyn nodded.
“But I need you to understand something first.”
She placed the cassette between us.
“Your mother didn't just refuse to sign. She told Adrian that one day her daughter would own everything.”
I looked at the cassette.
May you like
For the first time, I felt that my mother was still guiding me.
And I was finally getting close to the truth.
