Chapter 6: The Man Behind the Money
My father read the bank statement again.
His fingers trembled slightly.
"I sold that building in 2016," he said.
"The company was dissolved the following year.""
Vanessa nodded.
"Which means whoever registered this holding company used archived business records.""
"Can you trace it?"" I asked.
"Not without a formal investigation.""
Patricia suddenly laughed.
It wasn't nervous.
It was almost amused.
"You people are making this much more complicated than it needs to be.""
My father turned toward her.
"Three hundred and fifty thousand dollars has disappeared from my daughter's inheritance.""
"Temporarily.""
"Stop using that word!""
His voice echoed through the chapel.
Several guests turned toward us.
Patricia looked around, embarrassed.
"Robert, control yourself.""
He stepped closer.
"I've known you for fifteen years. I trusted you with my daughter's future. And you used that trust to turn her wedding into a criminal transaction.""
Patricia's expression hardened.
"You never trusted Ethan.""
"I trusted him because Claire loved him.""
Ethan interrupted.
"Enough. This isn't helping anyone.""
I looked at him.
"Then help us. Who owns the offshore company?""
He didn't answer.
Vanessa studied his face.
"Ethan, I have the incorporation records. If you lie now, it will only make things worse.""
He rubbed his forehead.
"There's no point.""
"No point in what?"" I asked.
He looked at me.
"The company belongs to my business partner.""
"Name?""
He hesitated.
"Daniel Foster.""
My father closed his eyes.
I frowned.
"Who is Daniel Foster?""
Dad looked at me.
"He was my financial director.""
I remembered the name.
Daniel had attended my graduation party.
He had given me a silver bracelet when I turned twenty-one.
He had been the person who handled my grandmother's investment portfolio after her death.
"Isn't he retired?"" I asked.
My father nodded slowly.
"He left the company five years ago.""
Vanessa examined the bank statement.
"Apparently, he didn't retire from everything.""
Patricia moved toward the chapel doors.
"I'm leaving.""
My father blocked her path.
"Not until you explain why you signed these documents.""
"I don't owe you an explanation.""
"You owe Claire one.""
Patricia stared at me.
Then she lowered her voice.
"Your grandmother was a difficult woman. She believed she could control everyone with money. She promised Ethan a position in the family company, then changed her mind. We were simply protecting what should have been his.""
I stared at her.
"What should have been his?""
"Ethan worked hard for that family.""
"So did my grandmother.""
"Your grandmother never appreciated him.""
"Because she knew what he was doing.""
Patricia's face twisted.
"She was old and suspicious.""
Vanessa opened another section of her folder.
"Actually, your grandmother filed a formal complaint against Ethan's company four months before she died.""
Patricia froze.
I looked at Vanessa.
"What complaint?""
"She suspected financial irregularities in the trust. She requested a full audit.""
"Did she get one?""
"No. The request was withdrawn three days after her death.""
My father looked horrified.
"Who withdrew it?""
Vanessa showed him a copy.
The authorization bore my grandmother's name.
But the date was two days after her funeral.
"She was dead," I whispered.
"Exactly.""
Ethan looked away.
My father took the document.
"Who witnessed this?""
Vanessa pointed to the bottom.
"Daniel Foster.""
The same man.
I felt a cold wave move through me.
My grandmother had been investigating them.
Then she died.
And suddenly, the investigation disappeared.
"Was her death suspicious?"" I asked.
Vanessa shook her head.
"I can't make that determination. Her medical records showed a heart condition. But I do know she was frightened during her final months.""
I remembered the last time I visited her.
She had been sitting by the window in her bedroom, holding my hand.
"Claire," she had whispered, "never sign anything you don't understand.""
I had laughed.
"Grandma, I promise.""
She had looked toward the hallway.
"Even if someone you love asks you.""
I had assumed she was talking about marriage.
Now I understood she might have been warning me about Ethan.
My father put his hand on my shoulder.
"We're going to find out everything.""
Before I could respond, my phone rang.
Madison.
I stared at her name.
Ethan moved toward me.
"Don't answer.""
I pressed the green button.
"Hello?""
"Claire?""
Madison sounded breathless.
"Where are you?""
"At the chapel.""
"Listen, you need to get out of there.""
I glanced at Ethan.
"Why?""
"Because Patricia is going to tell everyone you agreed to the arrangement.""
My stomach tightened.
"What arrangement?""
"The trust. The loan. Everything. She's going to say you knew about it.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She immediately started recording the conversation on her phone.
"Why would she say that?""
"Because she has a signed statement.""
I felt my heart pound.
"I never signed anything.""
"I know.""
"Then how does she have a statement?""
Madison was silent.
"Madison?""
"I signed it.""
I closed my eyes.
"What?""
"Patricia gave me a document. She said it was just an acknowledgment that you understood the financial arrangement.""
"And you signed my name?""
"I thought you knew.""
"You thought I knew you were helping them steal my inheritance?""
"Claire, please. I was trying to protect Oliver.""
I gripped the phone.
"Don't use that child to excuse what you've done.""
Madison started crying.
"There's something else.""
I said nothing.
"Ethan wasn't supposed to marry you.""
I stared at the wall.
"What do you mean?""
"Patricia wanted him to marry me.""
The room seemed to fall silent.
"Then why did he propose to me?""
"Because your grandmother changed the trust.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She was listening carefully.
Madison continued.
"Before she died, she added a condition. The primary beneficiary had to remain unmarried unless the marriage was approved by an independent trustee. Patricia thought if Ethan married you, he could control the assets through the spousal consent clause.""
"That doesn't explain you.""
"Oliver was supposed to be the heir through me. Ethan would marry me, and the trust would eventually support our son.""
I swallowed.
"Then why did Ethan choose me?""
"Because your grandmother's lawyer told him you were the only person who could access the second account.""
My eyes moved to Vanessa.
The private account.
The one my grandmother had created.
Madison whispered, "They thought marrying you would give them access to everything.""
I heard a door slam on her end.
Then a man's voice.
"Madison! Hang up!""
Ethan's head snapped toward the phone.
He was standing right beside me.
But the voice on the call wasn't his.
Madison screamed.
"Claire, don't trust—"
The line went dead.
I stared at the screen.
"Madison?""
Nothing.
Then a message appeared.
*I'm sorry. I didn't know how far they would go.*
A second message followed.
It contained a photograph of a passport.
Madison Reed.
A plane ticket.
Departure: New York.
Destination: London.
Tonight.
I looked up at Ethan.
"Why is Madison leaving the country?""
His face changed.
For the first time, he looked genuinely frightened.
"Claire, I don't know.""
Vanessa took the phone from my hand and examined the photograph.
"That's not the only thing.""
She zoomed in on the ticket.
Then she looked at me.
"There's a second passenger.""
I leaned closer.
The name was clearly visible.
*DANIEL FOSTER.*
My father's former financial director.
The man connected to the missing money.
My father stepped backward.
"He's supposed to be in Florida.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"Apparently, he's not.""
I looked at the wedding guests, the flowers, the empty altar, and the man who had nearly become my husband.
Then my phone vibrated again.
This time, it was a message from an unfamiliar number.
*Your grandmother didn't die believing the trust was safe. She died knowing someone in your family had betrayed her.*
May you like
Below it was a final sentence.
*Ask your father what happened the night she called him for help.*
