Chapter 4 - THE CONTRACT
Evelyn stared at Richard.
"You planned to take control of my company tonight."
Richard didn't deny it.
"It's standard protection during corporate consolidation."
"Then why didn't I know about it?"
"Your attorneys knew."
"My father's attorney?"
Richard glanced toward the hallway.
Martin was still missing.
Evelyn laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
"You bought him."
"Careful."
"Did you?"
Richard walked into the office.
"Business isn't a children's game, Evelyn."
Noah stepped forward.
"And murder?"
Adrian grabbed Noah before he could reach Richard.
"Don't."
Noah shoved him away.
"Get your hands off me."
Richard remained calm.
"Charles died of cardiac arrest."
"After discovering you stole one hundred eighty million dollars."
"Allegedly."
"We just watched him say it."
"A frightened man's recording isn't evidence."
Evelyn studied Richard.
He wasn't surprised by the video.
"You knew."
Richard's expression changed slightly.
"You knew my father made that recording."
Silence.
Adrian turned toward him.
"Dad?"
Richard ignored him.
Evelyn stepped closer.
"That's why the lights went out."
Richard smiled faintly.
"You've watched too many movies."
Adrian stared at his father.
"Tell me she's wrong."
Richard finally looked at him.
"This marriage protects everything we've built."
"That's not what I asked."
"You've spent your entire life benefiting from decisions you didn't have the courage to understand."
Adrian went pale.
Evelyn saw something then.
Adrian wasn't entirely innocent.
But he wasn't entirely informed either.
Richard had been using everyone.
A hotel security officer entered.
"Ms. Carrington?"
"Yes?"
"We found Mr. Shaw."
Evelyn's heart jumped.
"Where?"
"Parking garage."
"Is he okay?"
The officer hesitated.
"He's injured."
They rushed downstairs.
Martin was sitting against a concrete pillar with blood running from a cut above his eyebrow.
A security guard was beside him.
"What happened?" Evelyn asked.
Martin looked terrified.
"Someone followed me."
"Who?"
"I didn't see his face."
Richard arrived behind them.
Martin immediately stopped talking.
Evelyn noticed.
"Richard did this?"
"No."
"Then why are you afraid of him?"
Martin looked at Richard.
Richard said nothing.
That silence was more threatening than words.
Martin reached into his jacket.
He pulled out an envelope.
"I kept this because Charles made me promise."
Richard moved forward.
Adrian blocked him.
"Stay back."
Richard stared at his son.
"Move."
"No."
It was the first time Adrian had openly challenged him.
Martin handed the envelope to Evelyn.
Inside was a handwritten letter from her father.
Evelyn recognized the handwriting immediately.
My dearest Evelyn,
If you are reading this, I failed to stop them.
Do not trust the merger.
Do not sign anything.
And most importantly, find Elena Ward.
She knows what Richard did.
Evelyn looked up.
"Who's Elena Ward?"
Martin closed his eyes.
"The nurse who was with your father the night he died."
Noah frowned.
"There was no nurse."
May you like
Martin looked at him.
"Exactly."
