Chapter 7 - RACHEL'S SECRET
Rachel looked nothing like the photograph.
She was thinner.
Her hair was shorter.
A scar ran along her jaw.
But the eyes were unmistakable.
Lauren's sister.
The woman everyone had believed dead.
I couldn't speak.
Thomas stared at her.
“How?”
Rachel smiled weakly.
“Because Northbridge wanted everyone to believe I was dead.”
Daniel stood beside her.
“I found her six months ago.”
“You knew she was alive?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because anyone close to you was being watched.”
I looked at Rachel.
“You wrote the message on the motel mirror.”
“Yes.”
“Then who died?”
Rachel looked down.
“Someone they wanted you to think was me.”
I felt sick.
“They killed another woman?”
“She volunteered.”
“Why?”
“To help expose them.”
Rachel handed me a folder.
Inside were photographs.
Victor.
Martin.
Daniel.
Lauren's mother.
And someone else.
My father.
But the photograph was different.
It showed him meeting Victor.
I looked at the date.
It was taken three months before my father's supposed death.
“What happened here?”
Rachel explained.
“Your father was negotiating.”
“With Victor?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He wanted Olivia protected.”
I stared at the photograph.
“He knew Victor would come after her.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Victor discovered the trust.”
Rachel opened another file.
“Your father wasn't hiding money.”
“He was hiding names.”
“The names of the people who helped Northbridge.”
I remembered the ledger.
Rachel nodded.
“The original certificate doesn't just establish Olivia's inheritance.”
“Then what does it do?”
“It gives the trustee authority to expose every company and account connected to Northbridge.”
Thomas looked at the certificate.
“That's why they want it.”
“Yes.”
I stared at Rachel.
“Why did they target Sofia?”
“Because she's the trustee.”
“Why didn't they simply replace her?”
“They tried.”
“Lauren.”
Rachel nodded.
“They wanted Lauren to accuse Sofia of harming Olivia.”
My stomach tightened.
The nursery incident.
The fake locket theft.
The forged amendment.
It was all designed to remove Sofia.
Rachel continued.
“Once Sofia was discredited, they could petition the court for a temporary trustee.”
“Who?”
“Victor.”
I felt cold.
“And then?”
“He would control Olivia's shares.”
Thomas looked at me.
“And the company.”
Rachel shook her head.
“Not only the company.”
She opened another document.
“The entire Northbridge archive.”
I stared.
“What does Olivia have to do with that?”
“Your grandmother designed the trust that way.”
“Why?”
“Because she believed a child would be harder to corrupt.”
Thomas smiled sadly.
“Your grandmother was right.”
Then Rachel looked at me.
“There's one more thing.”
“What?”
“Your mother wasn't killed in an accident.”
I froze.
“What?”
“Northbridge killed her.”
I couldn't breathe.
“My mother?”
“She found the original ledger.”
“How do you know?”
“Because she gave it to your father.”
I sat down.
My mother had died when I was young.
I had always believed it was an accident.
Rachel continued.
“Your father spent years trying to expose them.”
“Why didn't he tell me?”
“Because you were the next target.”
I looked toward Daniel.
“He knew?”
Daniel nodded.
“I found out later.”
“Then why did you disappear?”
“Because I thought I could protect you.”
I laughed bitterly.
“You left me.”
“I was trying to keep them away from you.”
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“Yes.”
“And Dad?”
“He wanted you to believe he was dead too.”
I couldn't understand.
“Why?”
“Because if Northbridge thought both of us were gone, they would focus on the trust.”
I looked at Olivia's photograph.
“Then why attack her now?”
“Because she's eight months old.”
Rachel pointed at the certificate.
“The trust is becoming active.”
Thomas looked at the date.
“What happens when she turns one?”
Rachel shook her head.
“That's not the deadline.”
“What is?”
“Her first birthday.”
I felt cold.
“Why?”
“Because the trust requires the trustee to file the original certificate within twelve months of the beneficiary's birth.”
“If it isn't filed?”
“Control becomes vulnerable.”
I looked at Sofia.
“So they have until then.”
Rachel nodded.
“And they know it.”
A noise came from outside.
Cars.
Several.
The police officer looked through the window.
“Vehicles.”
“How many?”
“Four.”
Rachel's face changed.
“Victor.”
Thomas grabbed the certificate.
“We need to leave.”
But Rachel shook her head.
“No.”
“What?”
“We can't run anymore.”
She opened the folder.
“I have something they don't know about.”
“What?”
“A recording.”
She pressed play.
Victor's voice filled the room.
“If the baby survives, the trust activates.”
Another voice answered.
Lauren's.
“Then what do we do?”
Victor replied:
“We remove Sofia.”
Lauren asked:
“And Ryan?”
Victor laughed.
“Ryan won't matter once his daughter is ours.”
The recording ended.
I stared at Lauren's voice.
Rachel looked at me.
“She recorded everything.”
Outside, headlights surrounded the house.
Then someone shouted:
“Police! Come outside!”
Rachel whispered:
“They're not police.”
The front door exploded inward.
And the real police sirens began screaming in the distance.
We had seconds.
Rachel grabbed my arm.
“Take the certificate.”
I held it.
“What about you?”
She looked at Daniel.
“We've been running long enough.”
May you like
Then she smiled.
“This time, we fight.”
