Chapter 8 - THE DEAL THAT DESTROYED EVERYTHING

Nathan stared at his brother.

The man sitting across from him looked older.

Tired.

Broken.

Not like the confident businessman Nathan had known his entire life.

“What deal?”

Michael looked away.

“Years ago, our father’s company was failing.”

Nathan frowned.

“I thought the company was doing fine.”

“That’s what everyone thought.”

Michael laughed bitterly.

“Your father was drowning in debt.”

Nathan shook his head.

“No.”

“Yes.”

Michael opened a drawer.

He pulled out another folder.

“Your father borrowed money from dangerous people.”

Nathan looked through the papers.

Loans.

Private investors.

Hidden accounts.

Millions.

“What does this have to do with Emily?”

Michael’s eyes became heavy.

“She found out.”

Nathan stopped.

“Emily discovered the money?”

“Yes.”

Michael nodded.

“She found transfers from your father’s company into personal accounts.”

Nathan looked at the documents.

“And Claire?”

Michael closed his eyes.

“Claire was working for him.”

The words hit harder than Nathan expected.

“What?”

“She was never supposed to marry you.”

Nathan felt sick.

“No.”

“She was supposed to watch you.”

“Watch me?”

“Your father believed Emily had hidden evidence.”

Nathan remembered the notebook.

“If Emily told you the truth, your father would lose everything.”

Nathan’s voice became quiet.

“So he used Claire.”

Michael nodded.

“But Claire changed.”

“Why?”

“Because she fell in love with you.”

Nathan laughed painfully.

“Love?”

Michael looked at him.

“Yes.”

“She lied to me.”

“Yes.”

“She hid my wife’s death.”

“Yes.”

“She stole money.”

Michael looked down.

“Yes.”

Nathan stood.

“How can you say she loved me?”

Michael looked at him.

“Because after Emily died, Claire had a chance to leave.”

Nathan stopped.

“What?”

“She could have taken everything.”

“But she didn’t.”

Nathan’s expression hardened.

“Where did the money go?”

Michael hesitated.

That hesitation told Nathan everything.

“Michael.”

His brother finally answered.

“Most of the money was hidden.”

“Where?”

Michael looked at him.

“In a place Emily trusted.”

Nathan waited.

“Where?”

Michael whispered:

“In your children’s names.”

Nathan froze.

“What?”

“Emily created a secret trust.”

Michael continued.

“She knew someone might try to take everything.”

Nathan sat down.

His mind spinning.

Emily had planned for this.

She knew.

She knew something was coming.

“Then why didn’t she tell me?”

Michael looked toward the window.

“Because she found out who was helping your father.”

Nathan’s voice lowered.

“Who?”

Michael looked back.

And said:

“Someone inside the police department.”

Nathan’s phone suddenly rang.

A message appeared.

Unknown number.

A photo.

Nathan opened it.

His heart stopped.

It was a picture of Lily and Noah leaving school.

Taken that same day.

Underneath was one sentence.

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