Chapter 12: My Mother's Final Confession
I didn't speak for nearly a minute.
Detective Morris was watching me.
Daniel stood beside the desk.
Neither asked what Catherine had said.
They could see it on my face.
“Marcus?”” Daniel finally said.
I looked up.
“She says my mother sabotaged my car.””
Daniel shook his head.
“That makes no sense.””
“She also claims she's Thomas's daughter, not Arthur's.””
Detective Morris immediately reached for her phone.
“We need to locate Catherine.””
I stared at the photograph.
The woman standing beside Julian had the same dark eyes as my father.
If she was telling the truth, she was my half-sister.
But if she was lying, she was another person trying to manipulate me.
And I had no intention of making the same mistake twice.
“Detective, I want to meet her.””
“Absolutely not.””
“She's offering information about the accident.””
“Which is why we will arrange a controlled meeting.””
I nodded.
“Fine.””
The meeting was arranged for that evening at a private conference facility under police supervision.
Catherine arrived at seven fifteen.
She wore a black coat and carried a small handbag.
When she saw me, she stopped walking.
For a moment, she simply stared.
Then she approached.
“Marcus.””
I remained seated.
“Catherine.””
She looked at my legs.
“I heard you were recovering.””
“Slowly.””
She nodded.
“I'm glad.””
I gestured toward the chair opposite me.
“Sit down.””
She did.
Detective Morris remained behind a glass partition with two officers.
Daniel sat beside me.
Catherine placed a folder on the table.
“I brought everything.””
“What is it?””
“My birth certificate. My mother's medical records. And a letter from Thomas.””
I opened the folder.
The birth certificate listed Thomas Hale as the father.
The mother's name was Margaret Hale.
I looked up.
“My mother?””
Catherine nodded.
“Margaret gave birth to me.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“That's impossible. My mother had one child.””
“She had two.””
I stared at her.
Catherine continued.
“Your father arranged for you to be carried by Eleanor Reeves. But before that, Margaret became pregnant naturally. I was born first.””
I looked at the dates.
Catherine was twenty-eight.
I was thirty-one.
The timeline was possible.
“Why did nobody tell me?””
“Because I was adopted.””
I blinked.
“Adopted?””
Catherine nodded.
“My mother was sick after giving birth. Your father arranged for me to live with a family in another state. He continued supporting me financially, but he never told me who he was.””
I looked at Daniel.
He examined the documents.
“These appear authentic.””
Catherine leaned forward.
“Arthur found out about me when I was twenty. He told me Thomas had stolen my inheritance. He convinced me that I deserved compensation.””
“And you believed him?””
“I wanted to.””
She lowered her eyes.
“I'm not proud of what I did.””
“What did you do?””
“I helped him establish the second insurance policy.””
I stared at her.
“Why?””
“Because he promised me thirty-five million dollars.””
“You knew he intended to kill me?””
She shook her head.
“I knew he wanted you removed from the company. I didn't know he intended to make it permanent.””
I leaned forward.
“Then tell me who sabotaged my car.””
Catherine took a breath.
“Your mother.””
I stared at her.
“Explain.””
“Margaret discovered that Arthur had been threatening Thomas. She believed the only way to protect you was to make everyone think you were permanently disabled.””
I felt anger rise.
“She wanted me in a wheelchair?””
“She wanted you away from the company. She believed that if you couldn't run the business, Arthur would lose interest in you.””
“That's insane.””
“I know.””
“Did she know someone would tamper with the brakes?””
Catherine hesitated.
“She knew Julian was arranging something. She believed it would be a minor accident.””
I clenched my hands.
“So she helped them?””
“Yes.””
I shook my head.
“Why would she do that?””
Catherine looked directly at me.
“Because she was afraid Arthur would kill you.””
The room fell silent.
Then she added:
“But she never expected you to survive the way you did.””
I stared at the folder.
“Where is she now?””
Catherine looked down.
“I don't know.””
I closed the file.
“Then we're finished.””
“Marcus, please.””
I looked at her.
“You helped someone insure my death for thirty-five million dollars. You don't get to ask me for sympathy.””
She nodded.
“I understand.””
She stood, but before leaving, she placed a small envelope on the table.
“Thomas left this for me. I think you should read it.””
I opened it.
The letter was short.
My dear Catherine,
I have failed you by allowing fear and shame to determine the shape of our family. You deserve the truth. Marcus deserves the truth. And Margaret deserves the chance to explain herself.
If you ever meet your brother, tell him I loved you both.
I stared at the final sentence.
Then Catherine whispered:
“There's something else. Your mother didn't just help arrange the accident.””
I looked up.
“What?””
“She told Julian that if the accident didn't work, he should use the wedding as the final opportunity.””
My stomach tightened.
“The wedding?””
Catherine nodded.
“The staircase incident wasn't supposed to happen at the gala. The original plan was to make you fall during the wedding ceremony.””
I remembered the wheelchair rolling toward the stairs.
Vanessa's expression.
The brake mechanism.
And Amara grabbing the wheel.
“Who released the brake?””
Catherine looked at me.
“Vanessa.””
I closed my eyes.
I had suspected it.
But hearing it confirmed made everything worse.
Catherine continued.
“She wanted to make it look like a tragic accident. Julian would then take control of the company. Arthur would receive his money. And she would disappear.””
I looked at her.
“Why did she say Julian was responsible?””
“Because they had started turning against each other.””
Later that night, I visited my mother.
She was staying in a secure apartment arranged by the police.
When she opened the door, her face brightened.
“Marcus.””
I didn't hug her.
She noticed immediately.
“What's wrong?””
I placed Catherine's documents on the table.
“Did you know about the accident?””
My mother looked at the papers.
Then she sat down.
“I was afraid this day would come.””
“Did you help Julian?””
She closed her eyes.
“I didn't know he would hurt you.””
“Did you know he was tampering with my car?””
“I knew he was planning something.””
“And you didn't stop him?””
“I thought I was protecting you.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Everyone in this family seems to have a different definition of protection.””
She began crying.
“I was terrified, Marcus. Arthur had threatened to expose your birth. He told me that if I didn't cooperate, he would destroy everything Thomas had built.””
“So you helped him destroy me instead?””
“No!””
She stood.
“I never wanted you to be hurt.””
“Then why did you allow it?””
She had no answer.
I looked at her.
“Did you know about the medication?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“Did you know Vanessa was my half-sister?””
“Yes.””
“Did you know she planned to marry me?””
My mother covered her face.
“I tried to stop it.””
“When?””
“Two years ago.””
I stared.
“What?””
“I contacted Vanessa. I told her she couldn't marry you. She refused to listen.””
“And you did nothing?””
“I couldn't expose the truth without exposing you to Arthur.””
I turned away.
My mother reached for my arm.
“Marcus, please. I have already lost twelve years with you.””
I stopped.
She whispered:
“I don't want to lose the rest of my life.””
For a moment, I wanted to forgive her.
I wanted to believe she had made terrible choices because she was frightened.
But forgiveness was not the same as trust.
And I wasn't ready to give her either.
“I need time.””
She nodded.
“I understand.””
As I walked toward the door, she called after me.
“Marcus?””
I turned.
“There is one thing Thomas never told you.””
I waited.
“He didn't leave the company to you because he wanted you to inherit his wealth.””
She wiped her eyes.
“He left it to you because he had discovered that someone inside the company was planning to sell it.””
“Who?””
She looked directly at me.
“Your closest friend.””
I froze.
“Who?””
She whispered the name.
“Daniel Reeves.””
I felt my stomach drop.
I returned home and found Daniel waiting in the study.
He was reviewing the documents from Catherine's meeting.
I stood in the doorway.
“Daniel.””
He looked up.
“Marcus.””
I closed the door.
“Did you know my mother helped arrange my accident?””
His face changed.
“No.””
“Did you know about Catherine?””
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“Did you know Thomas was planning to sell Hale International?””
Daniel slowly closed the folder.
“Where did you hear that?””
“My mother.””
He stared at me.
Then he stood.
“Marcus, there's something I need to tell you.””
I felt my pulse quicken.
“What?””
He looked toward the window.
“I was never investigating your father's death because I wanted to protect the company.””
He reached into his jacket and removed a folded document.
“I was investigating because I was the person who helped him hide the money.””
My stomach turned.
“Daniel…”
He placed the document on the desk.
It was a transfer authorization.
His signature appeared at the bottom.
And beside it was a handwritten note from my father.
If Daniel ever betrays Marcus, show him the original recording.
Daniel looked at me.
“I didn't steal the money, Marcus.””
“Then what did you do?””
He swallowed.
“I helped Thomas transfer twelve million dollars out of Hale International before he died.””
I stared at him.
“Where did it go?””
Daniel's answer was barely audible.
“Into an account belonging to your mother.””
May you like
Then he added:
“And that money was used to finance the accident that nearly killed you.””
