Chapter 6: The Name on the Certificate
Nobody moved.
The printer hummed for another second before falling silent.
Monica held the paper with both hands.
Camille stepped toward her.
“Whose?””
Monica couldn't answer.
“Monica.””
She slowly turned the paper around.
Camille read the name.
Her face went blank.
Then she laughed.
Once.
A small, broken sound.
“That’s impossible.””
Victor took the certificate.
His fingers shook.
“No.””
Adrian watched him.
Victor read the date.
Then the place of death.
Then the signature of the certifying official.
His knees almost buckled.
Camille grabbed the counter.
“What does it say?””
Victor didn't respond.
Adrian walked closer.
“It says your grandfather died twenty-four years ago.””
Camille stared at him.
“I know that.””
“No.””
Adrian pointed to the date.
“Look again.””
She did.
The date wasn't the date of her grandfather's death.
It was six months earlier.
Camille looked at Victor.
“Dad?””
Victor closed his eyes.
Adrian said, “Your grandfather wasn't alive when that company agreement was changed.””
Camille's voice became a whisper.
“Then who signed it?””
Victor looked at Adrian.
“I don't know.””
“You do.””
“I don't.””
“You were there.””
Victor shook his head.
“I was told he was dead.””
Camille stepped closer.
“Who told you?””
Victor remained silent.
“Dad!””
He looked at her.
“Someone from the board.””
“Who?””
Victor swallowed.
“Your grandfather's attorney.””
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“What was his name?””
Victor looked away.
Camille answered.
“Mr. Bell?””
Victor nodded.
Adrian went completely still.
“You're sure?””
“Yes.””
Adrian's voice dropped.
“Then your father wasn't the one who forged the document.””
Camille looked confused.
“What?””
Adrian stared at the certificate.
“Bell was.””
Victor shook his head.
“That doesn't make sense.””
“It does.””
Adrian turned toward the security entrance.
“Because Bell didn't work for your grandfather.””
Victor's face changed.
“He worked for you.””
“No.””
Adrian's eyes met his.
“He worked for both of us.””
Camille looked from one man to the other.
“You're saying the lawyer manipulated the entire company?””
Adrian nodded.
“Possibly.””
“Possibly?””
“I need proof.””
Camille looked at the certificate again.
“Then why did someone print this?””
Adrian walked to the printer.
He examined the page.
“Because someone wants us to find it.””
Monica's eyes widened.
“You think they left it here?””
Adrian nodded.
“Deliberately.””
Camille glanced toward the locked glass doors.
“Who can lock the store remotely?””
Monica answered immediately.
“Corporate security.””
“Who has access?””
“Your father.””
Victor shook his head.
“And the board.””
Adrian looked at him.
“Which board members?””
Victor hesitated.
“Five.””
“Names.””
Victor didn't answer.
Camille stepped between them.
“Dad.””
Victor sighed.
“Richard Bell.””
Adrian's expression hardened.
“Of course.””
“Why?””
Victor looked at him.
“Because he's been on the board for twenty-three years.””
Adrian's gaze moved to the certificate.
“Twenty-three.””
He slowly repeated the number.
Then he smiled.
Not warmly.
Like a man who had just found the missing piece of a puzzle.
“He wasn't just your attorney.””
Victor stared at him.
“No.””
“He was the man who arranged the original partnership.””
“Yes.””
“And he witnessed the transfer?””
“Yes.””
Adrian's voice became quiet.
“Then he knows exactly what happened.””
Camille suddenly noticed something.
“Wait.””
She pointed at the certificate.
“There.””
Near the bottom was a reference number.
She zoomed in with her phone.
“That's not a death certificate number.””
Adrian looked.
“No.””
“What is it?””
“An archive reference.””
Monica frowned.
“Our archive references don't look like that.””
Adrian took the paper.
He studied the number.
Then he looked toward the security camera above the entrance.
“Monica.””
“Yes?””
“Is this store connected to the corporate archive?””
“Everything is.””
“Can someone upload documents through here?””
“Yes.””
“Without being physically inside?””
Monica hesitated.
“Only with executive authorization.””
Camille's phone buzzed.
She looked down.
A message appeared.
*ACCESS REQUEST DENIED.*
Then another.
*ADMINISTRATOR OVERRIDE DETECTED.*
Camille's eyes widened.
“I don't understand.””
Adrian looked at her phone.
“Neither do I.””
Victor suddenly said, “Give me the phone.””
Camille pulled it away.
“No.””
“Camille.””
“No.””
She stared at her father.
“Every time something happens, you tell me to hand something over.””
Victor's face fell.
“I’m trying to protect you.””
“From whom?””
He didn't answer.
Camille's voice shook.
“From Adrian?””
Victor looked at Adrian.
“No.””
“Then who?””
Victor looked toward the ceiling.
His expression changed.
Adrian noticed.
“What?””
Victor whispered, “He knows.””
“Who?””
Victor pointed at the security camera.
“Bell.””
The store lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then every display screen behind the counter switched on simultaneously.
A corporate security feed appeared.
The image showed an empty archive room.
A man stood in front of a locked cabinet.
His face was hidden from the camera.
He opened the cabinet.
Removed a thick black binder.
Then turned toward another camera.
He raised the binder.
And held it directly toward the lens.
Camille whispered, “Who is that?””
Adrian stepped closer to the screen.
The man slowly opened the binder.
On the first page was a photograph.
Adrian stared.
His face changed for the first time since entering the store.
Victor saw it.
“You know that picture.””
Adrian nodded.
“What is it?””
Adrian didn't answer.
The man on the screen turned another page.
A handwritten name appeared.
Camille leaned toward the display.
Then she froze.
Because the name wasn't Adrian's.
It wasn't Victor's.
It was hers.
*CAMILLE VICTORIAN — ORIGINAL BENEFICIARY.*
Her voice disappeared.
Adrian looked at Victor.
“You never told her.””
Victor whispered:
“I couldn't.””
Camille turned toward her father.
“Couldn't tell me what?””
Victor stared at his daughter.
His eyes filled with fear.
Then every screen went black.
The glass doors unlocked.
And a man's voice came through the store speakers.
“Camille…”
She froze.
May you like
The voice continued.
“Ask your father who your mother really was.””
