Chapter 12: The Original Agreement
The first thing I did was call Emily.
She answered immediately.
"Dad?""
"Where's your grandmother?""
There was a pause.
"She's here. Why?""
"Don't let her leave the house. Don't open the door to anyone.""
Her voice tightened.
"What happened?""
"Edward knows where she is.""
I heard her turn away from the phone.
"Mom?""
My mother's voice came through.
"Ethan?""
"Stay inside. Lock every door. The police are coming.""
She became silent.
Then she asked:
"Has Thomas found you?""
I looked at my father.
"Yes.""
She exhaled shakily.
"Tell him I want to see him.""
I glanced at him.
"She wants to see you.""
His eyes filled.
"Tell her I'm coming.""
Before I could answer, my mother spoke again.
"Ethan, listen carefully. Edward isn't looking for the agreement because of the company.""
I frowned.
"Then why?""
"Because the agreement contains something your grandfather hid.""
"What?""
"A list of original shareholders.""
I looked toward Daniel.
He was listening.
My mother continued.
"Your grandfather placed the controlling shares into a private family trust. But he named two beneficiaries.""
"Who?""
"You and Daniel.""
My brother looked up sharply.
"What?""
I put the phone on speaker.
"Mom, explain.""
"The agreement was designed to prevent either son from taking control alone. Both signatures are required to activate the trust.""
I stared at Daniel.
"Why didn't anyone tell us?""
"Because your grandfather believed the brothers would eventually learn to work together.""
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"That's convenient.""
My mother ignored him.
"The document also contains evidence that Edward forged the original company transfers twenty years ago.""
Whitmore, who had been standing near the doorway, suddenly stepped forward.
"That's what he wants destroyed.""
I turned.
"You knew?""
He nodded.
"Edward has been trying to locate that document for decades.""
Daniel stared at him.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Whitmore looked ashamed.
"Because I knew what he would do with it.""
Daniel lowered his head.
For the first time, I saw uncertainty in his expression.
He wasn't just an angry man trying to steal a company.
He was a man who had been manipulated by the same people who had destroyed our family.
Detective Harris approached.
"We have a location.""
He showed us a photograph.
An old lakeside property outside Portland.
My father recognized it immediately.
"That's Edward's house.""
"How many people are there?"" I asked.
"At least six. Private security.""
I looked at Daniel.
"Can you get us inside?""
He hesitated.
"Possibly.""
Detective Harris shook his head.
"We're not sending civilians into a hostage situation.""
I stepped forward.
"Then send your officers.""
"We are. But we need to know where Evelyn is being held.""
Daniel looked at the photograph.
"There's a basement.""
He pointed to the side of the building.
"A separate entrance near the boathouse.""
My father nodded.
"That's where Edward kept the old company records.""
Whitmore added:
"There's also a tunnel connecting the basement to the garage.""
Detective Harris stared at him.
"You know this property?""
Whitmore nodded.
"I helped Edward renovate it years ago.""
I looked at him.
"How many more secrets are there?""
He lowered his eyes.
"Too many.""
At 5:42 p.m., we reached the lakeside property.
The police had established a perimeter.
Rain had stopped, but the sky remained dark.
I stood beside Daniel near the edge of the trees.
He looked nervous.
"Do you think he'll hurt her?""
I stared at the house.
"He's already hurt enough people.""
Daniel looked at me.
"You're not afraid?""
I almost smiled.
"I've been afraid for six months.""
I looked at him.
"Being afraid didn't stop me from standing up.""
He lowered his eyes.
For a moment, we stood silently.
Then he spoke.
"Do you remember the treehouse?""
I turned.
"What?""
"The one behind our old house. You built it with Dad.""
A memory surfaced.
A small boy with dark hair sitting beside me.
A wooden ladder.
A broken window.
I smiled faintly.
"You fell through the floor.""
Daniel laughed.
"I broke my arm.""
"You blamed me.""
"You told me the board was strong.""
"It was strong.""
"It was rotten.""
We both smiled.
Then the moment disappeared.
Daniel looked at the house.
"I used to think about coming home.""
I swallowed.
"Then come home.""
He looked at me.
"You make it sound easy.""
"It isn't.""
I paused.
"But you're my brother.""
He looked away.
Detective Harris approached.
"We're moving.""
The officers split into two teams.
Daniel led us toward the boathouse entrance.
The door was unlocked.
Inside, a narrow staircase descended into darkness.
We moved quietly.
At the bottom, a hallway stretched toward a heavy steel door.
A man's voice came from behind it.
"Where is the agreement?""
My mother's voice answered.
"I don't have it.""
A sharp slap followed.
I nearly charged forward.
Daniel caught my arm.
"Wait.""
He pointed toward a small security camera.
"We need to disable it.""
He removed a pocket tool and carefully disconnected the wiring.
The camera went dark.
Detective Harris signaled his officers.
Then we heard Edward again.
"You always were stubborn, Evelyn.""
My mother's voice was weak.
"Thomas will come for me.""
Edward laughed.
"Thomas is a coward. He abandoned his family once. He'll do it again.""
My father closed his eyes.
I put a hand on his shoulder.
"Not this time.""
The officers forced the door.
It swung open.
Inside, my mother sat tied to a wooden chair.
Her face was bruised.
But she was alive.
Edward stood beside her.
He looked exactly like my father.
Only his eyes were colder.
He turned.
For a moment, he seemed genuinely surprised.
Then he smiled.
"Thomas.""
My father stepped forward.
"Let her go.""
Edward laughed.
"Look at us. Two old men finally reunited.""
He reached into his jacket.
Detective Harris raised his weapon.
"Don't move!""
Edward froze.
But he was smiling.
"Careful, Detective. There are six people upstairs with weapons.""
Officers immediately moved to secure the building.
Edward looked at Daniel.
"You brought them?""
Daniel didn't answer.
Edward's smile faded.
"After everything I did for you?""
Daniel stepped forward.
"You told me my family never wanted me.""
Edward shrugged.
"That was necessary.""
"You told me Ethan stole my inheritance.""
"He did.""
Daniel shook his head.
"No. You did.""
Edward's expression hardened.
He looked toward me.
"You have no idea what your grandfather promised me.""
I stared at him.
"I know you stole from your family.""
Edward laughed.
"Your father stole from me first.""
Thomas shook his head.
"You were given every opportunity.""
"And you were given the company!""
"Because you tried to destroy it.""
Edward stepped toward him.
"I built half of it!""
"You forged the documents.""
"I corrected an injustice.""
My mother suddenly spoke.
"Stop pretending you ever cared about this family.""
Edward turned toward her.
"You should be grateful I kept you alive.""
Thomas moved forward.
"Edward, enough.""
Edward reached for a nearby briefcase.
Daniel reacted immediately.
He lunged and knocked it away.
The case hit the floor.
Documents scattered everywhere.
Detective Harris rushed forward.
Two officers restrained Edward.
He struggled.
"You fools! You have no idea what you've done!""
I moved toward my mother.
I untied her hands.
She fell into my arms.
"Oh, Ethan.""
I held her tightly.
"You're safe.""
She touched my face.
Then she looked at Thomas.
For a long moment, neither spoke.
Finally, she whispered:
"You came back.""
Thomas knelt in front of her.
"I'm sorry.""
She began crying.
So did he.
Daniel stood near the scattered documents.
He picked up one sheet.
His face changed.
"Ethan.""
I turned.
"What?""
He held out the paper.
It was the original agreement.
The signatures were intact.
But there was something else.
A handwritten amendment at the bottom.
I read it carefully.
My grandfather had added a condition.
If either beneficiary attempted to use the company to harm the other, their inheritance would be revoked.
And beside the amendment were two signatures.
My father's.
And my mother's.
I looked at her.
"You signed this?""
She nodded.
"Your grandfather asked us to.""
I turned toward Daniel.
"Then it's settled.""
He shook his head.
"Not yet.""
He pointed to the final paragraph.
I read it.
Then I read it again.
The agreement contained a final provision.
A provision naming the person who would inherit the company if both brothers refused to cooperate.
The name was written in my grandfather's handwriting.
*ISABELLA MARSH.*
I froze.
"Isabella?""
Daniel looked confused.
My mother covered her mouth.
Thomas stared at the paper.
I remembered the banquet attendant from the night of the gala.
The young woman who had offered me water when everyone else had offered champagne.
The woman I had asked to dinner.
The woman who had disappeared from the ballroom before the police arrived.
I looked at my father.
"Who is Isabella Marsh?""
Thomas slowly sat down.
Then he whispered:
"Your grandfather's granddaughter.""
I stared.
"What?""
My mother took a trembling breath.
"She's the daughter of your father's younger sister.""
I looked at the document.
"Why would she inherit the company?""
Thomas lowered his head.
"Because your grandfather believed she was the only person in this family who understood what power was supposed to mean.""
Before I could respond, my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
*You finally found the agreement. Now come find me.*
A second message arrived immediately.
It contained a photograph.
Isabella was standing outside the ballroom where everything had begun.
Behind her was a man holding a gun.
May you like
And beneath the photograph were seven words.
*Your grandfather's real heir is in danger.*
