Chapter 7: The Envelope My Father Never Wanted Me to Open
"Stop him!""
Daniel's voice cut through the ballroom.
Thomas was already halfway to the exit when one of the investigators moved toward him. But Thomas didn't panic. He simply raised the cream envelope above his head.
"One more step, and this disappears.""
Everyone stopped.
I stared at the envelope.
My father's handwriting was unmistakable.
The same handwriting that had filled birthday cards, Christmas letters, and the little notes he used to leave beside my breakfast when I was a child.
I could barely breathe.
"Give it to me, Thomas.""
He turned.
"Why? So you can discover another reason to hate the people around you?""
"I already have enough reasons.""
Thomas smiled.
"Then perhaps you'd prefer to know what happened the night William died.""
My mother made a strangled sound.
"Don't listen to him, Olivia.""
Thomas glanced at her.
"Still protecting him after all these years?""
"He protected my daughter.""
"He stole my money.""
"He saved her life.""
Thomas's expression hardened.
"William was a thief.""
I stepped forward.
"You're holding a letter addressed to me. Give it to me.""
"Not until we reach an agreement.""
Daniel shook his head.
"Thomas, threatening a beneficiary with the destruction of estate evidence will not help your position.""
Thomas laughed.
"Daniel, you spent eleven years protecting a dead man's lies. Don't lecture me about evidence.""
Marcus suddenly moved toward him.
"Give me the envelope.""
Thomas turned.
"Stay out of this.""
"You told me my mother was going to inherit the fund. You told me I would become chairman of Reed Global.""
"And you believed me.""
Marcus's face tightened.
"You used me.""
Thomas shrugged.
"You were useful.""
I watched Marcus absorb those words.
For years, he had treated everyone around him as though they existed to serve his ambitions.
Now he was discovering what it felt like to be used by someone more powerful.
Thomas tucked the envelope inside his coat.
"I'm leaving.""
Daniel stepped aside, but the investigators followed him.
Before Thomas reached the door, I spoke.
"Wait.""
He stopped.
I looked at him.
"You said my father stole your money. If that's true, why did you need a forged signature to recover it?""
Thomas's expression flickered.
"Because William had become difficult.""
"That's not an answer.""
"Your father changed the agreements.""
"Then why not challenge him legally?""
He looked at Daniel.
"Because William had friends in every courthouse in this state.""
Daniel shook his head.
"That's a lie.""
Thomas ignored him.
I continued.
"Did you kill my father?""
The question landed like a stone.
My mother covered her mouth.
Marcus stared at Thomas.
Margaret looked down.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Thomas smiled.
"Careful, Olivia.""
"Did you?""
"Your father died in a car accident.""
"That's what the police report says.""
"And the police report was correct.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Except for the brake inspection report.""
Thomas's smile disappeared.
"What?""
Daniel opened his briefcase and removed a thin document.
"William's car was inspected forty-eight hours before the accident. The brake system had been deliberately tampered with.""
My mother began crying.
Thomas looked toward the door.
Daniel continued.
"The original mechanic gave a sworn statement. He identified the person who paid him.""
I stared at Thomas.
"Who?""
Daniel looked at Margaret.
She shook her head violently.
"Don't.""
Daniel answered anyway.
"Margaret Reed.""
A gasp moved through the ballroom.
Marcus stepped away from his mother.
"No.""
Margaret grabbed his sleeve.
"Marcus, listen to me.""
"Did you arrange Dad's accident?""
She started crying.
"I didn't know he would die!""
Thomas suddenly laughed.
"That's enough, Margaret.""
She turned toward him.
"You told me the brakes would only fail after he reached the highway!""
The entire ballroom went silent.
She had said it.
Nobody needed another document.
Marcus looked as though someone had struck him.
"You did this?""
Margaret covered her mouth.
Thomas's expression turned vicious.
"You foolish woman.""
Daniel moved closer.
"That statement has been recorded.""
Thomas spun around.
"What?""
Daniel held up his phone.
"The entire conversation.""
Thomas lunged toward him.
One investigator blocked his path.
The second moved between Thomas and the exit.
For the first time that evening, Thomas looked genuinely trapped.
But he still had my father's envelope.
"Take another step," he said, "and I'll burn every secret William left behind.""
I looked at him.
"Then you really are afraid of what's inside.""
He stared at me.
I continued.
"My father knew what you were doing. He knew about the forged documents. He knew about Margaret. And he still left that letter for me.""
Thomas's grip tightened.
"What makes you think the letter contains anything useful?""
"Because you brought it here instead of destroying it.""
His eyes narrowed.
I took another step.
"You don't want me to read it. That means there's something inside that can hurt you.""
For several seconds, he didn't move.
Then a voice came from the entrance.
"She's right.""
Everyone turned.
An older man stood beneath the doorway, leaning heavily on a black walking stick.
Marcus dropped his phone.
"Uncle Robert?""
The man nodded.
"Hello, Marcus.""
My mother began crying harder.
Daniel stared.
"Robert?""
Robert looked directly at Thomas.
"You should have destroyed that envelope when you had the chance.""
Thomas's face drained of color.
"You were supposed to be dead.""
Robert gave a tired smile.
"So I've heard.""
He walked slowly toward the stage.
I couldn't take my eyes off him.
My father's brother.
The man whose funeral I had attended when I was twenty-three.
The man whose photograph had been displayed beside my father's grave.
He stopped in front of me.
"Olivia," he said softly, "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me.""
I swallowed.
"Where have you been?""
"Recovering from what your father called an unfortunate family misunderstanding.""
Thomas laughed bitterly.
"Tell her the truth, Robert.""
Robert turned.
"Gladly.""
He looked at me again.
"Your father didn't die because of an accident.""
My heart stopped.
Robert continued.
"He was murdered because he discovered that the forty-two-million-dollar fund wasn't the only thing Thomas had stolen.""
He paused.
"Thomas had also stolen your identity.""
I stared at him.
"What does that mean?""
Robert looked at the envelope in Thomas's hand.
"That document contains the original beneficiary record. It also contains the one thing Thomas has spent eleven years trying to erase.""
"What?""
Robert's eyes filled.
"Your father's final instructions.""
Thomas suddenly pulled the envelope from his coat.
He tore it in half.
Then he tore it again.
And before anyone could stop him, he dropped the pieces into a glass of champagne.
But Robert didn't look frightened.
He simply reached into his jacket and produced another envelope.
"I was wondering when you'd do that," he said.
May you like
Then he placed it in my hands.
"This is the original.""
