Chapter 4 - THE CHILD WHO OWNED AN EMPIRE
Victor didn’t sleep.
By sunrise, Hale Mansion had become a crime scene.
Detective Brooks reopened Amelia’s death investigation.
Daniel Cross could not be located.
Neither could Serena.
Margaret Hale had disappeared from her apartment.
Victor sat in his study while an independent attorney reviewed Amelia’s files.
Her name was Rebecca Shaw.
Unlike Daniel, she had never worked for Hale Holdings.
That was exactly why Victor hired her.
Rebecca spent three hours reading.
Then she closed the folder.
“You have a serious problem.”
Victor almost laughed.
“That’s becoming obvious.”
“No.”
Rebecca pushed the documents toward him.
“You don’t understand.”
“Amelia created a separate trust six weeks before she died.”
“Everything she owned independently went into it.”
Victor frowned.
“Amelia had maybe two million dollars.”
Rebecca shook her head.
“Amelia owned fourteen percent of Hale Holdings.”
Victor stared at her.
“That’s impossible.”
“My grandfather controlled those shares.”
“He transferred them to Amelia.”
“When?”
“Three months before his death.”
Victor stood.
“Why?”
Rebecca turned a page.
“Because your grandfather suspected Daniel Cross was stealing from the company.”
“He gave Amelia the shares so someone outside Daniel’s control would have voting power.”
Victor suddenly understood.
“And Amelia left them to Ethan.”
“Yes.”
“When Ethan turns two, those shares become permanently protected.”
“No secondary trustee can liquidate them.”
“No court-appointed administrator can sell them.”
“And no temporary guardian can vote them.”
Victor looked toward the window.
“So before Ethan’s birthday…”
“If Ethan dies before the protection activates, Serena becomes temporary trustee under the fraudulent amendment.”
Victor’s hands curled into fists.
Rebecca continued.
“With fourteen percent of Hale Holdings and the shares Daniel secretly controls through shell companies, they could force a board takeover.”
Lily had been standing near the doorway.
“So Ethan isn’t just inheriting money.”
Rebecca looked at her.
“He’s holding the block of shares preventing them from stealing the company.”
Victor finally understood Amelia’s message.
Ethan owned the evidence.
The shares were linked to the fraudulent transactions.
Follow the ownership trail and Daniel’s theft became visible.
Marcus entered.
“We found something.”
He placed a tablet on the desk.
“Serena used a Hale corporate vehicle at 2:13 this morning.”
“Where?”
“Old Hale textile warehouse.”
Victor reached for his coat.
Brooks blocked the door.
“You’re not going.”
“She threatened my son.”
“And you’re emotionally compromised.”
Victor stared at her.
Brooks didn’t move.
“Let us do our job.”
Victor looked at Lily.
She was watching Ethan through the glass door.
Then Lily’s phone buzzed.
A message.
Unknown number.
She opened it.
A photograph appeared.
Serena.
Standing inside the warehouse.
Holding a lighter.
Behind her were stacks of boxes.
A message followed.
BRING THE GOLD KEY.
May you like
COME ALONE.
OR AMELIA’S ORIGINAL LEDGER BURNS.
