Chapter 2 - THE CONTRACT
The security office was at the far end of the island.
Mia stayed with my personal assistant, Claire, while I followed Daniel through the corridor.
Daniel had worked for me for six years.
I had never heard fear in his voice.
Until tonight.
He placed a thick folder on the desk.
“This was hidden inside the event coordinator's records.”
I opened it.
The first page carried Sarah's signature.
The second page carried Greg's.
My eyes narrowed.
“What is this?”
Daniel pointed to the bottom.
“Read the beneficiary.”
I did.
My stomach dropped.
The contract wasn't for the wedding.
It was for the island.
Sarah and Greg had signed an agreement stating that they were entitled to a percentage of future profits from the resort.
I looked at Daniel.
“Who authorized this?”
“We're trying to find out.”
I turned the page.
There was another signature.
My father's.
I stopped breathing.
“My father?”
Daniel nodded.
“That isn't all.”
He placed another document on the desk.
It was a transfer authorization.
My parents had apparently represented themselves as my legal family trustees.
They had attempted to authorize the transfer of one of my private properties to Sarah and Greg.
The date was three months earlier.
Before the wedding.
Before Greg had even proposed.
I stared at the signature.
My father's handwriting was unmistakable.
“What were they planning?”
Daniel didn't answer.
He didn't have to.
The truth was becoming obvious.
The wedding wasn't simply a celebration.
It was a business transaction.
My family had assumed I was still the daughter who stayed quiet.
The daughter who apologized.
The daughter who paid bills without asking for recognition.
They had no idea I had spent the last decade building a financial life completely separate from them.
I called my attorney.
“Mark, I need you on the first flight here.”
“What happened?”
“Someone tried to transfer my property.”
There was silence.
“Are you sure?”
“I have the documents.”
His voice became serious.
“Don't confront anyone yet.”
“Why?”
“Because if those signatures are authentic, this could be much bigger than fraud.”
I looked toward the window.
Outside, the wedding guests were being escorted back toward their villas.
Sarah was screaming at an event manager.
Greg was nowhere to be seen.
Then I noticed something.
A black suitcase was being carried toward the dock.
By Greg.
I ended the call.
“Daniel.”
“Yes?”
“Stop him.”
Daniel immediately moved.
Within seconds, two security officers intercepted Greg.
Greg dropped the suitcase.
I walked toward him.
He looked at me.
“You have no right to search my belongings.”
“I own the island.”
His jaw tightened.
“Exactly.”
I looked at the suitcase.
“Open it.”
He refused.
Daniel opened it.
Inside were documents.
Bank statements.
Property records.
Photocopies of my passport.
And a folder marked:
PROJECT SARAH.
I stared at it.
Greg's expression changed.
“You weren't supposed to find that.”
I slowly looked at him.
“What exactly weren't I supposed to find?”
He didn't answer.
I opened the folder.
The first page contained a photograph of me.
Taken outside my office.
The second showed Mia leaving school.
The third showed my private residence.
Someone had been watching us.
My blood went cold.
Then I saw the final page.
It contained one sentence.
After the wedding, Elena will sign everything over.
I looked up.
“Who wrote this?”
Greg stepped backward.
“I didn't.”
“Then who did?”
He looked toward the dark ocean.
May you like
And whispered:
“Your mother.”
