Chapter 11: The Contract That Could Destroy My Father
We left St. Agnes through the rear entrance.
Robert insisted we avoid the main road.
“Eleanor knows we're here,” he said.
“We need to get somewhere secure.””
My father was furious.
“I'm done running from her.””
“Then stop giving her exactly what she wants.””
We drove to Robert's office, a small building in the financial district.
He locked the doors and checked the security cameras.
Then he placed Catherine's letter on the desk.
“Your mother was right about one thing,” he said to my father.
“They need your signature.””
My father sat down.
“Why?””
Robert opened a drawer and removed a document.
“Eleanor and Daniel have prepared a transfer agreement. It would give them control of your voting shares in Carter Development.””
“That's impossible. My shares are protected.””
“Normally, yes. But if you sign this agreement, you voluntarily surrender your voting rights.””
I read the first page.
The agreement also contained a medical declaration stating that my father was suffering from severe cognitive impairment.
I looked up.
“They're trying to make Dad look incompetent.””
Robert nodded.
“Once the transfer is complete, Daniel can claim that Arthur signed voluntarily while under medical supervision.””
My father laughed bitterly.
“After everything they've done, they still want my permission.””
“Not just your permission,” Robert said.
“They want your public cooperation. It would make the transfer much harder to challenge.””
Olivia paced beside the window.
“And what happens if he refuses?””
“They'll probably use the forged medical documents to begin a court proceeding.””
I turned another page.
There was a section about the Carter family trust.
My mother's trust.
The one worth thirty-eight million dollars.
I noticed a paragraph stating that any beneficiary who challenged the agreement would automatically lose access to certain family assets.
“Wait.””
Robert leaned closer.
“What?””
“They included Mom's trust.””
He examined the paragraph.
His expression changed.
“This is worse than I thought.””
“How?””
“Eleanor is trying to connect the company transfer to Catherine's trust. If Arthur signs, the agreement could be used to challenge Emily's inheritance.””
My father stood.
“They will not touch my daughter's inheritance.””
Olivia looked at me.
“Then we need to find Mom before they force him to sign.””
Robert nodded.
“I agree. But we also need evidence.””
He opened his laptop.
“The financial records from the bank show that Daniel transferred millions into a medical company controlled by Eleanor.””
I sat beside him.
“Can we trace the payments?””
“Some of them.””
He showed me a list of transactions.
One payment was dated six years earlier.
Another was dated three months ago.
And the latest payment had been made yesterday.
The recipient was listed as *Catherine Carter — Patient Care Account*.
I stared at the screen.
“Mom is still being paid for.””
Robert nodded.
“Someone is paying to keep her hidden.””
Olivia suddenly pointed at another transaction.
“What's that?””
A payment had been made to an account under the name Michael Carter.
My father frowned.
“I don't know anyone by that name.””
Margaret, who had been silent for several minutes, looked up.
“Michael was the name of the doctor who helped Catherine escape.””
Robert searched the account.
A photograph appeared.
It was Dr. Malcolm Pierce.
My stomach tightened.
“Why is he receiving money?””
Margaret looked sick.
“Because he didn't simply move Catherine to another facility. He was paid to keep her sedated.””
My father grabbed the desk.
“Where is he now?””
Robert searched again.
“His medical license was suspended last month. His last registered address is a private residence outside the city.””
I looked at the photograph from the bank.
There was something familiar about the background.
A wooden door.
A white stone wall.
A large tree.
Then I remembered the photograph of my mother standing outside the medical facility.
The same wall.
The same tree.
“That's where Mom is,” I whispered.
Robert enlarged the image.
The address appeared beneath it.
A private property called Willow House.
My father reached for his keys.
But before we could leave, his phone rang.
The caller ID showed Eleanor Carter.
He answered on speaker.
“Mother.””
Her voice sounded calm.
“Arthur, darling. I hope you're not making things difficult.””
“Where is Catherine?””
“Oh, she's safe.””
“Put her on the phone.””
Eleanor laughed softly.
“Not yet.””
My father clenched his jaw.
“What do you want?””
“The agreement.””
“Never.””
“Then perhaps you should consider what happens to Emily when the court learns about her mother's secret financial arrangements.””
I stepped toward the phone.
“Leave me out of this.””
“Emily, sweetheart,” Eleanor said.
“You have no idea what your mother did.””
“Then tell me.””
“She stole from this family.””
My father shouted.
“That's enough!””
Eleanor sighed.
“Your mother was never as innocent as you believed.””
I leaned toward the phone.
“Then why did you hide her?””
There was a long pause.
Then Eleanor spoke.
“Because Catherine knew what happened to your grandfather.””
The call ended.
My father stared at his phone.
Robert looked at him.
“Arthur, we need to go to Willow House.””
But Olivia was staring at the laptop.
“Wait.””
She pointed to the latest transaction.
The payment to Catherine's patient account had been authorized by someone with a name we all recognized.
Not Daniel.
Not Eleanor.
Not Vanessa.
The account holder was *Arthur Carter*.
My father went pale.
“That's impossible.””
Robert checked the authorization.
“It came from your personal banking credentials.””
“I never made that payment.””
Olivia looked at him.
“Then someone has access to your accounts.””
My father slowly turned toward Robert.
Robert's expression was unreadable.
Then he closed the laptop.
“Arthur,” he said quietly, “there is something you need to know about your wife's trust.””
My father frowned.
“What?””
Robert looked at me.
“Your mother didn't leave Emily thirty-eight million dollars because she wanted her to become wealthy.””
May you like
He took a breath.
“She left it because she knew someone would try to take everything from her.””
