Chapter 8 - THE FATHER WHO CAME BACKRichard stood in the doorway.
Alive.
Calm.
Older than the man I had buried.
For a moment, I could not move.
I had already spent one night discovering that Thomas was alive.
Now my dead husband was standing in front of me.
It felt as if the past had returned simply to punish me again.
“Richard.”
He looked at me.
“Eleanor.”
Thomas stepped forward.
“You should be in prison.”
Richard smiled.
“I was.”
Daniel stared.
“You knew?”
Richard looked at him.
“I knew you would eventually find out.”
“You lied to me my entire life.”
“I protected you.”
“You stole my mother.”
Richard's expression hardened.
“I gave you a family.”
“No.”
Daniel shook his head.
“You gave me a lie.”
Claire stepped beside him.
“You stole me too.”
Richard looked at her.
“I never knew Margaret would keep you hidden so long.”
Claire laughed bitterly.
“You knew about me.”
“Yes.”
“And you let me believe I was unwanted.”
Richard looked away.
“I thought it was safer.”
“For whom?”
He didn't answer.
I stared at him.
“Why did you do it?”
Richard sighed.
“Because I loved you.”
Thomas laughed.
“You call that love?”
Richard turned.
“You were supposed to be dead.”
“And you were supposed to stay out of her life.”
“You abandoned her.”
“I was lied to.”
“So was she.”
Richard's expression changed.
For the first time, he looked ashamed.
“I know.”
I stepped closer.
“You destroyed fifty years of my life.”
“I know.”
“You let me mourn a living man.”
“I know.”
“You stole my children.”
His voice became quiet.
“I know.”
“Then why?”
Richard looked toward Daniel.
“Because Victor convinced me that if Eleanor's children were raised together, the Carter fortune would destroy all of us.”
“That was a lie.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you believe him?”
“Because I was afraid.”
I shook my head.
“You were greedy.”
“Both.”
Silence.
Victor stepped forward.
“Enough.”
He held up the original trust.
“We are here for the inheritance.”
Thomas looked at him.
“You don't own it.”
Victor smiled.
“Neither do you.”
He placed the trust on the stone table.
“The three heirs must sign.”
Daniel laughed.
“We won't.”
Victor looked at Claire.
“You will.”
“No.”
“Then your mother pays the price.”
Claire froze.
“What?”
Victor pulled out a photograph.
It showed Margaret.
Alive.
Claire's face went white.
“That photograph was taken yesterday.”
I stared.
“Margaret is dead.”
Victor shook his head.
“The funeral was a mistake.”
Thomas stepped forward.
“You're lying.”
Victor smiled.
“Am I?”
He handed the photograph to Claire.
On the back was an address.
A warehouse.
Claire's hands shook.
“My mother is alive.”
Victor nodded.
“And she knows where the last document is.”
Daniel stepped toward Victor.
“What document?”
“The document that proves who controls the Carter Foundation.”
Thomas looked at me.
“Eleanor.”
I understood.
Victor wasn't after the money alone.
He wanted control of the foundation.
He wanted the ability to manipulate the entire Carter estate.
But there was another problem.
If Margaret was alive, why had everyone believed she died?
I looked at Richard.
“Did you know?”
He didn't answer.
“Richard.”
“Yes.”
My heart sank.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“And you never told Claire.”
“No.”
Claire stepped toward him.
“You let me grieve for my mother.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
She slapped him.
One sharp strike.
Richard stumbled backward.
Nobody spoke.
Claire's hands trembled.
“You don't get to protect me anymore.”
Richard touched his cheek.
He looked at her.
“I deserved that.”
Victor rolled his eyes.
“This family wastes too much time on feelings.”
Thomas turned toward him.
“And you waste too much time thinking you're in control.”
Victor raised his weapon.
“Enough.”
The chamber fell silent.
He pointed toward the documents.
“Sign.”
Daniel looked at me.
I shook my head.
Then I noticed something.
A small red light beneath the table.
A recording device.
The police had planted it.
I looked at Thomas.
He understood.
We had to keep Victor talking.
Daniel nodded.
“All right.”
Victor smiled.
Daniel picked up the pen.
“I'll sign.”
I stared at him.
He wrote his name.
Then he passed the pen to Claire.
She signed.
Victor looked at me.
“You.”
I took the pen.
I wrote:
Eleanor Bennett.
Victor smiled.
“Finally.”
Then Daniel looked up.
“You should read the final clause.”
Victor frowned.
“What?”
Daniel turned the document around.
“Your signature is required too.”
Victor's smile disappeared.
“What?”
“The trustee must sign the succession agreement.”
Thomas smiled.
“You just admitted on record that you are acting as trustee.”
Victor looked toward the recording device.
His face changed.
The police burst through the hidden entrance.
“Victor Hale!”
Victor tried to run.
Thomas blocked him.
The weapon fell from Victor's hand.
Officers restrained him.
Richard raised his hands.
“I surrender.”
Daniel stared at him.
“You're finally doing one honest thing.”
Richard nodded.
“Yes.”
Then the police chief entered.
“There's another problem.”
“What?”
He held up the photograph.
“Margaret isn't at the warehouse.”
Claire froze.
“Then where is she?”
The officer looked at me.
“She left a message.”
“What message?”
He handed Claire a note.
May you like
It contained only one sentence.
I know who the third heir really is.
