Chapter 5 - REBECCA’S LAST THREE DAYS
The party ended in chaos.
Guests flooded outside.
Reporters surrounded the building.
The slap video was already spreading online.
But nobody was talking about the slap anymore.
They were talking about fraud.
Hidden ownership.
A secret daughter.
A second secret father.
And a dead woman whose supposed accident suddenly looked suspicious.
Martin brought Lucy, Scarlett, Harold, and his senior attorney into a private conference room on the thirty-eighth floor.
Scarlett stood beside the windows.
Her white suit was still stained with champagne.
She looked completely different now.
Smaller.
Shaken.
Lucy sat across from Martin.
He had tried to speak to her three times.
Each time she stopped him.
Finally he said,
“Lucy, I know I don’t deserve—”
“No.”
He fell silent.
“I didn’t come here for a father.”
“I understand.”
“No, you don’t.”
Lucy’s voice trembled.
“I spent eighteen years wondering why my mother never told me who you were.”
Martin stared at her.
“She kept your photograph in a drawer.”
He closed his eyes.
“She thought I didn’t know.”
Lucy smiled sadly.
“But children notice things.”
Martin looked down.
“She still loved you.”
That hurt him more than anger.
Lucy continued.
“And I hated you before I ever met you.”
“I don’t blame you.”
“I do.”
He looked at her.
“I blame you because believing Victor was easy.”
Martin’s face tightened.
“You were becoming rich. Powerful. Busy.”
He said nothing.
“You could have kept searching.”
“You’re right.”
Lucy wasn’t prepared for that answer.
Martin looked at her.
“I failed her.”
Silence.
“I failed you.”
Lucy turned away.
Scarlett suddenly spoke.
“What happened three days before Rebecca died?”
Lucy pulled out the flash drive.
“I don’t know.”
“Victor said she was preparing something.”
“I know what he said.”
“Then check.”
Lucy glared at her.
“You don’t get to order me around.”
Scarlett flinched.
For once, she did not fight back.
“You’re right.”
Lucy stared at her.
Scarlett swallowed.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
Scarlett touched her own hand.
“For hitting you.”
Lucy’s eyes narrowed.
“Because I’m your sister now?”
“No.”
Scarlett looked ashamed.
“Because I shouldn’t have hit anyone.”
Lucy said nothing.
Scarlett continued.
“I’ve been awful to people for years.”
“At least you know.”
“That doesn’t fix anything.”
“No.”
“It doesn’t.”
Martin watched both women.
The tension between them was sharp enough to cut.
Lucy returned to the drive.
She opened a folder labeled:
LAST THREE DAYS.
Inside were seventeen files.
Photographs.
Bank statements.
Audio recordings.
And one video.
Lucy clicked it.
Rebecca appeared on screen.
Thin.
Pale.
A scarf covered her head.
But her eyes were fierce.
Lucy immediately covered her mouth.
“Mom.”
Rebecca looked directly into the camera.
“If Lucy is watching this, then I’m gone.”
Martin’s face broke.
Rebecca continued.
“And if Martin is beside her…”
She paused.
“…then I’m sorry it took me eighteen years to forgive you.”
Martin began crying silently.
Scarlett looked away.
Rebecca coughed.
“Victor stole my ownership.”
She held up documents.
“But he made one mistake.”
Lucy leaned closer.
“He never understood why I kept the original corporate agreement.”
Rebecca smiled faintly.
“Because ownership of the core patent was never transferred.”
Martin sat forward.
Rebecca continued.
“Hale Meridian owns licenses.”
Martin whispered,
“What?”
Rebecca nodded toward papers.
“But the patent itself remained in my name.”
The attorney stood.
“That means—”
Lucy looked at him.
“What?”
He spoke slowly.
“If Rebecca owned the core patent personally, and her estate never transferred it…”
Everyone looked at Lucy.
Martin whispered,
“Then Lucy inherited it.”
Lucy stared.
“What does that mean?”
The lawyer answered.
“It means a substantial portion of Hale Meridian’s technology may legally belong to you.”
Scarlett whispered,
“How much is that worth?”
The attorney looked toward Martin.
“Potentially billions.”
Lucy nearly dropped the laptop.
Rebecca’s video continued.
“But money isn’t the reason I saved it.”
Her expression hardened.
“I saved it because Victor was laundering money through the company.”
Martin stood.
“What?”
Rebecca held up another document.
“He created shell companies eighteen years ago and continued using them after Hale Meridian expanded.”
Harold whispered,
“Oh my God.”
Rebecca continued.
“I discovered payments to public officials.”
Scarlett sat down.
“Bribes?”
“Judges. Inspectors. Procurement officers.”
Martin stared at the screen.
Rebecca looked directly into the camera.
“And one payment was made two days before Elaine Hale died.”
Scarlett’s eyes widened.
Lucy paused the video.
Nobody breathed.
Scarlett whispered,
“To who?”
Lucy clicked the attached bank record.
One payment.
$475,000.
Recipient:
SAMUEL KRESS — MARINE MECHANICAL SERVICES.
Martin looked confused.
Scarlett whispered,
“Who is Samuel Kress?”
Harold went white.
“I know.”
Everyone turned.
Harold backed away from the table.
Martin asked,
“Who?”
Harold whispered,
“He was the mechanic who inspected Elaine’s boat after the accident.”
Scarlett stood.
“And?”
Harold’s voice shook.
“He testified that the steering failure was caused by normal mechanical wear.”
Lucy stared at him.
Martin understood first.
“He was paid before the accident.”
Harold nodded.
Scarlett’s face went completely still.
Then Lucy’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
“Hello?”
A distorted voice whispered,
“Your mother should have destroyed that drive.”
Lucy froze.
“Who is this?”
“You have until midnight.”
“Until midnight for what?”
“To give us the original files.”
Lucy stood.
“Or?”
The voice laughed softly.
“Or Rebecca Carter won’t be the last woman in your family to die.”
The call ended.
Lucy looked across the table.
Scarlett whispered,
“What happened?”
May you like
Lucy slowly looked at her.
“They know we opened the files.”
