Chapter 14 - THE PERSON WE NEVER SUSPECTED
Three weeks later, the arrests began.
Federal investigators raided offices across the country.
Bank accounts were frozen.
Executives disappeared into custody.
Politicians resigned.
News channels called it the largest financial conspiracy in the state's history.
My grandfather was charged with dozens of crimes.
Victor was arrested at an airport.
Martin Cole surrendered.
Lauren agreed to testify.
She also filed for custody protections for Olivia.
I didn't forgive her immediately.
But I stopped hating her.
She had made terrible choices.
She had also been trapped.
The court would decide the rest.
Daniel moved into a small house near mine.
Rachel began working with investigators.
Sofia remained Olivia's trustee.
And I thought the nightmare was finally over.
Then one afternoon, Thomas came to my office.
He looked worried.
“We found the remaining Northbridge account.”
I looked up.
“Whose?”
He placed a folder on my desk.
I opened it.
The account holder was not Victor.
Not my grandfather.
Not Martin.
Not Lauren.
It was a woman.
Evelyn Hayes.
My mother.
I stared.
“My mother died fifteen years ago.”
Thomas nodded.
“The account is active.”
“How?”
“Someone is using her identity.”
I looked at the transactions.
Millions had moved through the account.
And the latest transfer was dated yesterday.
The recipient was:
Olivia Hayes Trust.
I froze.
“Someone transferred money into Olivia's trust?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Thomas pointed to the reference.
FINAL PROTECTION PAYMENT.
I looked at him.
“Protection from whom?”
“We don't know.”
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A woman's voice spoke.
“Ryan.”
“Who is this?”
“You don't know me.”
“Then why are you calling?”
“Because your father left something for me.”
“What?”
“The original birth records.”
I stood.
“What birth records?”
“Yours.”
I felt cold.
“What are you talking about?”
The woman whispered:
“You are not Richard Hayes's biological son.”
The line went dead.
I stared at Thomas.
He had heard everything.
Neither of us spoke.
Then Sofia entered carrying Olivia.
She smiled.
“What's wrong?”
I looked at my daughter.
Then at Thomas.
The entire family history might have been built on another lie.
My phone received a message.
A photograph.
It showed my mother.
Young.
Standing beside another man.
May you like
On the back was one sentence:
YOUR REAL FATHER IS STILL ALIVE.
