Chapter 6: The Betrayal Inside My Company
I stared at the name on Michael's phone.
*Ethan Cole.*
My chief financial officer.
The man who had worked beside me for almost five years.
The man who knew every major acquisition, every investment strategy, and every private detail of Carter Capital's financial structure.
The man who had attended my mother's funeral and stood beside me when I signed the documents transferring her original investment portfolio into the company.
I looked at the email again.
The proposed ownership transfer listed Ethan as the authorized representative.
Below his name was a draft agreement describing a transfer of controlling shares to a private holding company.
The proposed buyer was listed as an entity called *Northbridge Ventures*.
I had never heard of it.
“Where did you get this?”” I asked Michael.
He looked nervous.
“Daniel sent it to Mom. I saw it when she left her laptop open.””
“Did you download it?””
“No. I took a photograph.””
“Why?””
He glanced at his brother.
“Because something about it didn't feel right.””
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“This is ridiculous. Michael doesn't understand corporate documents.””
Michael's face turned red.
“I understand enough to know you were planning to take something that wasn't yours.””
“Shut your mouth!””
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Mr. Carter, I strongly suggest you stop speaking to your brother that way.””
Daniel ignored her.
He turned toward me.
“Nia, listen. There's an explanation.””
I held up the phone.
“Then explain this.””
He looked at the document.
His mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Patricia suddenly stepped forward.
“It's only a proposal!””
I turned toward her.
“Why would my CFO be involved in a proposal to transfer my company?””
“Because Daniel was trying to help you restructure your investments.””
“Without my knowledge?””
“You're always so suspicious!””
I stared at her.
“Someone has used my identity to secure a multimillion-dollar loan, transferred money into your company, and prepared documents to transfer my controlling shares. How would you prefer I respond?””
Patricia's eyes flashed.
“You have everything, Nia. Everything! And you still act like we're trying to steal from you.””
I took a slow breath.
“Are you saying you believe you're entitled to my company?””
She looked at Daniel.
He didn't stop her.
Then she said the words that changed everything.
“Your mother built that business with family money.””
The room went completely silent.
I felt as though the air had disappeared.
“My mother?””
Patricia lifted her chin.
“Yes. Your mother wouldn't have been able to expand without help from people who knew how business worked.””
I stared at her.
“My mother started her first investment company with three thousand dollars and a secondhand computer.””
Patricia rolled her eyes.
“That's the story you like telling.””
“What does that mean?””
She crossed her arms.
“Ask Daniel. He knows.””
I turned toward my husband.
His face had gone pale.
“Daniel?””
He swallowed.
“Mom, stop.””
But Patricia was no longer interested in protecting him.
“You should have told her years ago,” she snapped.
“I'm tired of pretending.””
I stepped closer.
“Told me what?””
Daniel looked down.
Patricia gave a cold smile.
“Your mother received money from my family.””
I felt my heart pounding.
“What money?””
“An investment. Years ago. Before you inherited the company.””
“That isn't true.””
“Ask your husband.””
I turned toward Daniel.
He looked like a man watching a building collapse around him.
“Did my mother borrow money from your family?””
He hesitated.
Then he said, “There was a business arrangement.””
“What arrangement?””
“It happened before we met.””
“Daniel, answer me.””
He looked up.
“My father invested in one of your mother's early ventures.””
I stared at him.
“How much?””
“I don't know.””
Patricia laughed.
“Of course he knows. His father lost money on that investment.””
Evelyn immediately intervened.
“Mrs. Carter, do you have documentation supporting that claim?””
Patricia glared at her.
“This is a family matter.””
“Then it should be easy to provide the records.””
Patricia said nothing.
I looked back at Daniel.
“Did you know this before we got married?””
He nodded faintly.
“And you never told me?””
“I didn't think it mattered.””
I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing.
“My mother's business history mattered to me. Her company was everything she left me.””
“Your mother and my father had disagreements,” Daniel said.
“I didn't want old problems affecting our marriage.””
“What disagreements?””
He looked away.
Patricia answered for him.
“Your mother refused to repay the investment.””
I felt something cold settle in my chest.
“My mother died without a single outstanding personal debt.””
“That doesn't mean she repaid everything.””
I turned toward Evelyn.
“Can you verify this?””
She nodded.
“We'll need the original investment records. But we can investigate.””
Patricia scoffed.
“Go ahead. You'll find out your mother wasn't the saint you think she was.””
I looked at her.
“My mother worked eighteen-hour days to build what she left me. She never asked anyone to rescue her.””
Then I turned toward Daniel.
“And you knew how much she meant to me.””
He said nothing.
I walked toward the front door.
Behind me, Patricia called out.
“You're making a terrible mistake, Nia!””
I stopped.
“No, Patricia. I'm finally correcting one.””
By noon, I was back at Carter Capital.
Ethan Cole was sitting in his office when I entered.
He looked up and smiled.
“Nia. I wasn't expecting you today.””
His smile faded when he noticed Evelyn behind me.
“Is something wrong?””
I placed Michael's photograph on his desk.
He looked at it.
Then he leaned back.
“I can explain.””
I didn't sit down.
“Good. Start with Northbridge Ventures.””
He adjusted his tie.
“It's a proposed acquisition vehicle.””
“Who owns it?””
“It's an investment structure.””
“Who owns it, Ethan?””
He hesitated.
“I'd need to check the registration documents.””
I stared at him.
“You're my chief financial officer. You don't need to check who owns a company proposing to acquire my controlling shares.””
His expression tightened.
“There's no need to be confrontational.””
I placed another document on his desk.
The disputed loan guarantee.
Then the financial attachment.
Then the proposed ownership transfer.
“I want to know why your name appears on all three.””
Ethan looked at the papers.
For the first time, he seemed genuinely uncomfortable.
“Daniel approached me about a restructuring opportunity.””
“Without my knowledge?””
“He said you were aware.””
“Did you speak to me?””
“No.””
“Did I authorize you?””
He remained silent.
I nodded.
“That's what I thought.””
He folded his hands.
“Look, Nia. Daniel was trying to prevent a serious financial collapse. The proposal would have protected the company's assets.””
“By transferring my shares?””
“Temporarily.””
“Who would control them?””
“Northbridge.””
“And who controls Northbridge?””
He looked toward the window.
“I'm not sure.””
I laughed once.
“You're not sure?””
“It's a private investment structure.””
I leaned forward.
“Ethan, I gave you access to my company's finances because I trusted you. I never gave you permission to negotiate the sale of my ownership.””
He stood.
“I haven't signed anything.””
“But you prepared it.””
“That's not the same thing.””
“It becomes the same thing when you're using confidential information to arrange a transaction I never approved.””
His expression changed.
“Nia, you need to understand something. Daniel is in serious trouble. There are people expecting their money back.””
“Who?””
He didn't answer.
“Who is expecting the money?””
Ethan walked toward the office door and closed it.
Then he lowered his voice.
“You should stop asking questions about Northbridge.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
“Because this isn't just about Daniel's company anymore.””
He returned to his desk.
“Some very influential people are involved.””
I felt my pulse quicken.
“Are you threatening me?””
“No. I'm trying to protect you.””
“Then tell me who owns Northbridge.””
He shook his head.
“I can't.””
I picked up my documents.
“Then you're suspended pending a full investigation. Your system access will be restricted immediately.””
He stood abruptly.
“You can't do that!””
“I own the company.””
He stared at me.
Then his expression turned cold.
“You may own the shares, Nia. But you don't know what your mother signed before she died.””
I froze.
“What did you say?””
Ethan looked at the door.
“I think you should speak to your mother's former attorney.””
“Why?””
He didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
“Ethan, what did my mother sign?””
He finally looked at me.
And his next words made the room feel ten degrees colder.
“Your mother didn't just invest in this company, Nia.””
He paused.
“She secretly transferred part of its ownership to someone else.””
My fingers tightened around the folder.
“Who?””
Ethan looked directly into my eyes.
“Your husband's father.””
Then he opened his desk drawer, removed a sealed envelope, and placed it in front of me.
The handwriting on the front was unmistakable.
It belonged to my mother.
May you like
And underneath my name were six words:
*Open this only if Daniel betrays you.*
