Chapter 9 - LENORA’S CONFESSION
By the time Audrey and Julian reached Lenora’s apartment, police were everywhere.
The front door had been kicked open.
A lamp was broken.
Blood streaked the hallway.
Julian ran inside.
“Mom!”
An officer grabbed him.
“She’s alive.”
Julian stopped.
“Where?”
“Ambulance.”
They found Lenora outside with a bandage around her forehead.
Julian dropped beside her.
“What happened?”
“A man came in.”
“Did you see him?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Lenora looked past him at Audrey.
“Daniel Hale.”
Audrey’s stomach dropped.
Julian frowned.
“You know him?”
Lenora laughed weakly.
“Oh, I know exactly who he is.”
Audrey stepped closer.
“What did he want?”
Lenora’s eyes filled with fear.
“A key.”
“What key?”
“To a safe deposit box.”
Audrey crossed her arms.
“What’s in it?”
Lenora said nothing.
Julian’s voice hardened.
“Mom.”
She looked at him.
“The original Harbor Street deed.”
Audrey stared.
“You have it?”
“Yes.”
“And you let me think you needed my inheritance.”
“I did need it.”
“Why?”
“Because the deed alone doesn’t restore ownership. We needed Bellamy control.”
Audrey shook her head.
“Who is we?”
Lenora looked at Julian.
“Me. Marcus. Daniel.”
Silence.
Julian stepped back.
“You were working with them?”
Lenora started crying.
“At first.”
Audrey felt rage rising.
“At first?”
“Marcus came to me years ago. He told me Daniel was Richard’s son and that we could force the Bellamys to return Harbor Street.”
Julian stared.
“You used me.”
“No.”
“You knew Audrey was a Bellamy. You knew I was dating her.”
“I didn’t introduce you.”
“But when you found out, you saw an opportunity.”
Lenora’s silence was the answer.
Julian laughed bitterly.
“So our marriage was useful.”
“I wanted you to be happy.”
“And rich.”
“Julian—”
“No.”
He stood.
“You let me love her while you were calculating property.”
Lenora looked at Audrey.
“I am sorry.”
Audrey’s eyes burned.
“You don’t get to say that.”
“I know.”
“No. You don’t.”
Audrey stepped closer.
“You watched my mother fall apart.”
Lenora’s face crumpled.
“I did.”
“You knew my father was married.”
“Yes.”
“And you stayed.”
“Yes.”
Audrey waited for an excuse.
Lenora gave none.
Instead she said, “I was selfish. I was angry at what his family did to mine, and I convinced myself hurting him would somehow hurt the Bellamys. It didn’t. It hurt your mother. It hurt you. And I knew that.”
Audrey blinked.
For years, she had imagined this confession.
It didn’t feel satisfying.
It felt empty.
Lenora looked at Julian.
“And later, when I realized who Audrey was, I made another selfish choice.”
Julian turned away.
Lenora whispered, “I’m sorry.”
Audrey’s phone rang.
Daniel.
Everyone stared at the screen.
Audrey answered.
“Where are you?”
Daniel’s voice was calm.
“You found Marcus.”
“Yes.”
“He told you about me.”
“Yes.”
“Good. Saves time.”
“What do you want?”
“Your father’s voting shares.”
Audrey laughed.
“You’re not getting them.”
“I already have most of them.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Richard signed medical contingency documents.”
Audrey’s blood went cold.
“You tricked him.”
“I corrected a family imbalance.”
“Daniel.”
“You have thirty minutes.”
“For what?”
“To bring me the safe deposit key Lenora has.”
Lenora shook her head frantically.
Audrey stared at her.
“And if I don’t?”
Daniel paused.
Then another voice came on the line.
Weak.
Terrified.
“Sweetheart?”
Audrey stopped breathing.
“Dad?”
Richard coughed.
Daniel returned.
“Thirty minutes, Audrey.”
The line went dead.
Julian looked at her.
Audrey turned to Lenora.
“Give me the key.”
Lenora whispered, “If Daniel gets that deed, he can destroy all of you.”
May you like
Audrey’s eyes went cold.
“He already has my father.”
