Chapter 6: The Beneficiary
“Then who was the money meant for?””
Ethan's question was almost a whisper.
Gloria didn't answer.
The monitor continued glowing behind her.
*BENEFICIARY: ETHAN CARTER.*
Ethan stared at the words.
“Mom.””
Gloria sat down slowly.
“I never touched that money.””
“Then why was my name on the agreement?””
“Because Marcus wanted it that way.””
Sophia shook her head.
“No.””
Ethan turned.
“What?””
“That isn't why.””
Sophia looked at Gloria.
“You never told him.””
Gloria's eyes hardened.
“Be quiet.””
Ethan stepped between them.
“Someone is going to tell me.””
Sophia swallowed.
“Marcus created a trust.””
“For me?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“To hide the money.””
Ethan frowned.
“Hide it from who?””
“The people he owed.””
Gloria nodded reluctantly.
“The trust made it look like the money belonged to you.””
“But I never received anything.””
“You weren't supposed to.””
Ethan stared at her.
“Then what's the point?””
Gloria looked toward the monitor.
“The money was leverage.””
“For what?””
She hesitated.
“To keep Marcus alive.””
Ethan's face tightened.
“So Dad stole money, put it in a trust under my name, and disappeared?””
“Not exactly.””
“What isn't exact?””
“Marcus didn't create the trust alone.””
Sophia whispered, “No.””
Ethan turned toward her.
“You know who helped him.””
Sophia's eyes filled.
“I know who signed the original papers.””
“Who?””
She looked at Gloria.
Gloria shook her head.
“Don't.””
Sophia's voice trembled.
“Ethan deserves to know.””
“You don't get to decide that.””
“You've been deciding for twelve years.””
Gloria stood.
Her voice broke.
“I was trying to keep my son alive!””
“And what did it cost him?””
The room went silent.
Ethan looked at Sophia.
“Tell me.””
Sophia took a breath.
“The trust required two signatures.””
“Mine and Mom's?””
“No.””
“Then whose?””
Sophia's eyes dropped.
“Marcus's and mine.””
Ethan stared.
“You signed it.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because Marcus threatened me.””
“With what?””
Sophia shook her head.
“I can't.””
Ethan stepped closer.
“You said he had proof.””
“He did.””
“Proof of what?””
Sophia's hands began shaking.
“Something I did before I met you.””
Gloria interrupted.
“Ethan, stop.””
He turned toward her.
“Why?””
“Because this isn't going to bring anything good.””
“It already brought me a slap.””
Gloria flinched.
Ethan immediately looked away.
His voice softened.
“Mom…”
“I know.””
He looked at her cheek.
“I shouldn't have.””
“I know.””
“I believed her.””
“I know.””
“I hurt you.””
Gloria's eyes filled with tears.
“You were angry.””
“That doesn't make it right.””
“No.””
He walked over and gently touched her shoulder.
“I’m sorry.””
Gloria covered his hand.
“For twelve years, I wanted to hear those words.””
Ethan's eyes closed.
Then Sophia whispered, “I'm sorry too.””
He looked at her.
“You're not done.””
She nodded.
“No.””
Ethan stepped away.
“Tell me what you did.””
Sophia sat on the sofa.
“I was working at a financial firm.””
“Which one?””
“I don't want to say.””
“Say it.””
She took a breath.
“Carter Financial.””
Ethan froze.
“That was Dad's company.””
“Yes.””
“You worked for my father?””
“After he disappeared.””
Ethan looked confused.
“Why?””
“Because he had transferred ownership before he vanished.””
Gloria's expression changed.
“He never told me that.””
“He didn't tell anyone.””
Sophia looked at Ethan.
“He had been moving assets.””
“Where?””
“Into accounts controlled by the trust.””
Ethan stared at the monitor.
“My name.””
“Yes.””
“Why would he put everything under my name?””
“Because he knew they couldn't take it from you without exposing themselves.””
“Who?””
Sophia shook her head.
“I don't know all of them.””
“But you know one.””
She nodded.
“Marcus.””
Ethan's voice sharpened.
“My father was protecting money from criminals?””
Sophia looked down.
“Some of them.””
“Some?””
“There was another person.””
Gloria's face went pale.
“Don't say his name.””
Ethan turned.
“Who?””
Sophia whispered, “Daniel.””
Gloria's hand tightened around the sofa.
Ethan noticed.
“Who is Daniel?””
Gloria stared at the floor.
“Your father's partner.””
“Business partner?””
“Yes.””
“What happened to him?””
Gloria didn't answer.
Sophia did.
“He died.””
Ethan looked at her.
“When?””
“Twelve years ago.””
“Before Dad disappeared?””
Sophia nodded.
“Two days before.””
Ethan's expression changed.
“And nobody told me?””
“You were seventeen,” Gloria said.
“You keep saying that.””
“Because you don't understand what those people were capable of.””
Ethan looked at the security monitor.
“Then why are they back now?””
No one answered.
The monitor suddenly displayed a new camera angle.
The living room.
Then the hallway.
Then the front porch.
Then the driveway.
The feed switched rapidly.
Ethan frowned.
“Who's controlling this?””
Sophia stood.
“I don't know.””
Gloria whispered, “Turn it off.””
Ethan touched the monitor.
The screen went black.
For two seconds.
Then white text appeared.
*YOU HAVE 18 MINUTES.*
Ethan stepped back.
“What the hell?””
Another line appeared.
*BRING THE ORIGINAL TRUST AGREEMENT.*
Sophia's breathing stopped.
Ethan looked at her.
“You know where it is.””
“No.””
“You reacted before I did.””
“I know where Marcus kept a copy.””
“Where?””
Sophia didn't answer.
Ethan grabbed his coat from the chair.
“Tell me.””
She looked toward the hallway.
“In this house.””
Gloria's eyes widened.
“What?””
Sophia pointed toward the family photographs.
“Marcus hid something here.””
Ethan stared at the wall.
“Where?””
Sophia walked to the largest family photograph.
She lifted its frame.
A small envelope was taped behind it.
Gloria whispered, “I never saw that.””
Sophia carefully pulled it free.
Ethan took it.
His hands shook as he opened the envelope.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
No money.
No contract.
No explanation.
Only a handwritten sentence.
Ethan read it aloud.
“*If my son ever finds this, ask Gloria who really killed Daniel.*”
Ethan slowly lowered the page.
Gloria's face had gone completely white.
He looked at her.
“Mom?””
She didn't respond.
“Who killed Daniel?””
Gloria closed her eyes.
Then someone knocked three times from inside the house.
Ethan turned toward the hallway.
Sophia whispered, “We're not alone.””
A man's voice came from the darkness.
“That's right.””
Ethan froze.
May you like
The voice came again.
“And Gloria knows exactly why.””
