Chapter 6: The Original Contract
I walked downstairs with the brass key hidden in my pocket.
Vanessa was standing beside the dining table.
A large brown folder lay open in front of her.
My father sat in a chair with his head lowered.
Brielle stood behind her mother, holding a glass of water.
Vanessa looked up.
"There you are.""
I stopped at the entrance.
"What did you find?""
She lifted a document.
"Something your mother should never have kept.""
I recognized the handwriting immediately.
My mother's.
Vanessa tapped the paper.
"This is a private financial agreement. It contains information that could seriously damage your father.""
Richard looked up.
"Vanessa, stop.""
She ignored him.
"Apparently, your mother believed she could transfer company assets without consulting the board.""
I stared at the document.
"That's not what it says.""
Vanessa smiled.
"Then read it.""
I approached the table.
The first page was an authorization letter.
The second contained a list of assets.
The third was a copy of my mother's signature.
But something was missing.
The original document had a page four.
I knew because I had seen the agreement on my mother's flash drive.
"This isn't complete.""
Vanessa's smile tightened.
"Excuse me?""
"There's another page.""
"That's all I found.""
"Where did you get it?""
She pointed upstairs.
"Your mother's desk.""
I looked at Richard.
"Did you let her go through Mom's things?""
He rubbed his face.
"She said she was trying to understand the documents.""
I shook my head.
"She's taking them.""
Vanessa closed the folder.
"Don't be ridiculous.""
I reached for it.
She pulled it away.
"These are company records.""
"They belong to my mother's estate.""
"You're not qualified to manage an estate.""
"Neither are you.""
Her hand struck the table.
"Watch your mouth!""
Brielle stepped forward.
"Mom, just give her the stupid papers.""
Vanessa turned.
"Stay out of this.""
Brielle looked at me.
For once, she didn't appear amused.
I noticed she was holding her phone tightly.
"What's wrong?"" I asked.
She shook her head.
"Nothing.""
But she wouldn't meet my eyes.
Vanessa gathered the folder.
"Richard, I'm taking these to the office.""
He looked at her.
"No. Leave them here.""
She froze.
"What?""
"I said leave them.""
His voice was quiet, but firm.
Vanessa stared at him.
Then she slowly placed the folder back on the table.
I watched my father.
It was the first time in years he had openly challenged her.
But the victory was short-lived.
Vanessa leaned toward him and whispered something.
I couldn't hear the words.
I only saw his expression change.
Then he looked at me.
"Maya, I need you to stop investigating this for a while.""
I felt my shoulders tighten.
"Why?""
"Because we're dealing with legal matters.""
"Mom's legal matters.""
"That's enough.""
I stepped back.
"You're still protecting her.""
Richard looked exhausted.
"I'm trying to protect you.""
I almost laughed.
"From the truth?""
He didn't answer.
I turned and walked out.
Behind me, Vanessa called my name.
I didn't stop.
At seven the next morning, Julian picked me up outside the house.
He was driving an old black sedan.
"You look tired," he said.
"I didn't sleep.""
"Neither did I.""
I showed him the note from the sewing basket.
He read it twice.
Then he looked at me.
"The original contract is in a storage facility near the river.""
"How do you know?""
"Because I helped your mother hide it.""
I stared at him.
"You knew about this place?""
"Not the exact location. But I knew she had kept a separate copy somewhere outside the company.""
He started the engine.
"There's something else you should know. If the original agreement is still there, it could prove who actually owns Silverwing.""
"Who owns it?""
He glanced at me.
"You do.""
The storage facility was in an old industrial district.
Rows of metal doors stretched down a narrow corridor. A security guard checked our identification before allowing us inside.
Unit 214 was at the far end.
The brass key fit the lock.
Inside were several boxes, an old sewing machine, and a wooden trunk.
Dust covered everything.
Julian lifted the lid.
"Your mother was careful.""
The trunk contained old company ledgers, photographs, and several sealed envelopes.
I found a black folder with the words SILVERWING ORIGINALS written across the front.
Inside was the contract.
The original partnership agreement.
My mother's signature appeared on the first page.
Julian's was beside it.
The final page contained the ownership transfer.
My mother had retained the majority stake, with sixty percent assigned to a trust for me.
Julian owned the remaining forty percent.
Vanessa had no ownership rights.
None.
I read the document again.
"She lied about everything.""
Julian nodded.
"There's more.""
He pulled out a second folder.
"This is what your mother discovered before she died.""
The pages contained financial transfers from Silverwing accounts into several private companies.
I recognized Cross Creative Holdings.
But there was another name.
*V.C. CONSULTING.*
I looked at Julian.
"Vanessa Carter?""
He nodded.
"She created it.""
A second document showed a series of payments made to Dr. Samuel Reed.
The dates matched the weeks before my mother's death.
I felt my stomach turn.
"Why was she paying her doctor?""
Julian took the paper.
"I don't know. But your mother was suspicious enough to investigate.""
I found another envelope.
It was addressed to me.
The writing was unmistakable.
My Maya.
My eyes filled with tears.
I opened it.
Sweetheart, if you are reading this, I hope you have grown into the brave, thoughtful girl I always knew you would become.
I pressed my lips together.
There are things I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid that involving you would put you in danger.
I kept reading.
Silverwing was never just a company. It was the work of two people who believed that creativity should never be controlled by fear or money.
If someone tries to take it from you, remember that you do not have to fight them by becoming like them.
I wiped my eyes.
The final paragraph made me stop.
Your father loves you, but he is capable of making terrible decisions when he believes he is protecting someone. If Richard tells you that he signed the transfer willingly, don't believe him until you see the original recording.
I looked at Julian.
"Original recording?""
He nodded slowly.
"Your mother made a video of the meeting where the transfer documents were presented.""
"Where is it?""
Julian searched the trunk.
He found a small black recorder.
The screen flickered when he pressed the power button.
A file appeared.
*MEETING_08_17.*
He connected it to his laptop.
The recording began.
My mother's voice filled the small storage unit.
"I want this agreement read aloud before anyone signs.""
Then came Vanessa's voice.
"There's no reason to make this complicated.""
Another voice followed.
My father's.
"Vanessa, you said this was temporary.""
"It is temporary, Richard. Just sign it.""
My mother interrupted.
"Richard, don't.""
There was a long silence.
Then my father's voice became angry.
"Claire, I am trying to save this company!""
My mother answered quietly.
"You're signing away your daughter's future.""
I covered my mouth.
The recording continued.
Vanessa's voice grew sharper.
"She doesn't need the company. She's a child. She needs a stable family.""
My father said something I couldn't hear.
Then came the sound of a chair scraping.
My mother spoke again.
"If you sign this, I will have no choice but to expose everything.""
The recording ended.
I sat completely still.
Julian closed the laptop.
"Your mother knew.""
"She knew Dad was involved.""
"Yes.""
I looked down at the contract.
"Why did you keep this from me?""
"Because I promised her I wouldn't give it to you until you were old enough to understand the consequences.""
I looked at him.
"And now?""
"Now you're old enough.""
My phone vibrated.
A notification from the Hartwell Competition.
The intellectual property investigation had been officially opened.
But another message appeared beneath it.
This one came from an unfamiliar email address.
*Subject: Your stepmother has already filed a claim.*
I opened the attachment.
It was a legal notice stating that Vanessa Carter had filed an emergency application to suspend my access to the Silverwing trust.
The reason?
She claimed I was emotionally unstable, financially irresponsible, and incapable of managing inherited assets.
At the bottom was a statement signed by my father.
I read it twice.
Then a third time.
Richard Carter had declared that my mother had been mentally unfit when she created the trust.
My hands began to shake.
"Julian.""
He read the document.
His face darkened.
"She's trying to take the company before you can claim it.""
I stared at my father's signature.
He had just signed a statement that could destroy my mother's final wish.
And then my phone rang.
Dad.
I answered.
"Why did you sign it?""
His voice sounded broken.
"Maya, I can explain.""
"You said you wanted to protect me.""
"I do.""
"Then why are you helping Vanessa take my inheritance?""
There was a long pause.
Finally, he whispered:
"Because she has something on me.""
I closed my eyes.
"What?""
My father took a shaky breath.
"Something that happened the night your mother died.""
The line went silent.
Then he said:
"If Vanessa releases it, you'll never look at me the same way again.""
I stared at Julian.
He had heard every word.
And for the first time, he looked afraid.
"Richard," I whispered into the phone.
"What did you do?""
My father didn't answer.
Instead, he said:
May you like
"Meet me alone tonight. There's something you need to see before Vanessa finds out I still have it.""
Then he hung up.
