Chapter 4 - What His Father Left Behind
Richard returned to the family estate.
He hadn't lived there since childhood.
The house was enormous.
Cold.
Quiet.
His father's study remained untouched.
Claire stayed with Emma in the hotel while Richard searched.
He remembered something his father had told him when he was seventeen.
"If you ever need the truth, look where the clocks stopped."
Richard had never understood.
Until now.
There were twelve antique clocks in the study.
Eleven worked.
One did not.
A tall grandfather clock stood in the corner.
Richard opened the wooden panel.
Behind it was a small metal box.
Inside was a letter.
Richard's father's handwriting.
My son,
If you are reading this, I am gone.
And if you are reading this, then someone has probably convinced you that the people closest to you are your enemies.
Do not believe them.
Richard sat down.
The letter continued.
Your mother has always feared losing control of this family.
She believes wealth is ownership.
She believes love is obedience.
And she has spent years surrounding herself with people who agree with her.
Richard's hands shook.
Then he found a second document.
A financial ledger.
Payments to Victor.
Payments to several shell companies.
Payments to a private investigator.
And one final payment.
Made two weeks before Richard's father died.
To Margaret.
Richard stared at the amount.
Five hundred thousand dollars.
What had it been for?
The answer was in another letter.
Your mother wanted me to change the trust.
I refused.
She threatened to destroy the family.
I should have told you.
I was afraid.
Richard closed his eyes.
His father had known.
And he had stayed silent.
At the bottom was one sentence:
If she ever targets Claire, protect your wife. She is the only person who loves you without wanting something from you.
Richard began crying.
He finally understood why his father had always liked Claire.
His father had seen what Richard couldn't.
Margaret wasn't protecting the family.
She was controlling it.
Richard returned to the hotel.
Claire was sitting beside Emma.
Richard showed her the documents.
Claire read them.
"Your father knew."
Richard nodded.
"He tried to warn me."
Claire touched his hand.
"What now?"
"We expose her."
Claire looked toward Emma.
"And protect her."
"Yes."
But before they could act, the hotel room phone rang.
Claire answered.
No one spoke.
Then a voice whispered:
"You should have stayed quiet."
The line went dead.
Richard called the police.
Minutes later, security found a note beneath their door.
Tomorrow at noon. Carter Holdings. Bring the trust documents.
Claire stared at Richard.
"It's a trap."
"I know."
"Then don't go."
Richard looked at Emma.
"I have to."
"No."
Claire grabbed his arm.
"They want you angry."
Richard looked at her.
"What do you suggest?"
"Let them think they won."
Richard understood.
May you like
They would build their own trap.
And this time, they would make sure there was a camera in every corner.
