Chapter 8: The Girl Behind the Approval Form
I read the anonymous message while sitting in the passenger seat of Julian's car.
He glanced at my phone.
"Another threat?""
"Someone says Dad is still hiding something.""
"That's hardly surprising.""
I looked at him.
"You knew Brielle worked in the laboratory?""
Julian tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
"I knew she was given access to the textile development department.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I didn't know she had signed anything.""
I showed him the message.
He read it carefully.
"Whoever sent this knows about the investigation.""
"Could it be Brielle?""
Julian shook his head.
"Possibly. But don't assume the sender is telling you the truth.""
I stared out the window.
For years, Brielle had been the person who laughed whenever Vanessa humiliated me.
She had stolen my sketches, mocked my clothes, and watched while her mother treated me like an unwanted guest.
But approving a chemical formula that might have killed my mother?
That was something else entirely.
"Take me to Silverwing," I said.
Julian looked at me.
"Why?""
"Because I want to see the laboratory records.""
Silverwing's headquarters occupied a glass building overlooking the river.
The lobby displayed photographs of famous designers, fashion campaigns, and past collections.
I had never been there before.
Even though it had once belonged to my mother.
Julian approached the reception desk.
"I'm Julian Cross. I need access to the archived textile development department.""
The receptionist looked uncomfortable.
"Mr. Cross, your access was revoked several years ago.""
"I know. Please call the compliance director.""
She hesitated.
Then she picked up the phone.
Ten minutes later, a woman in a charcoal suit appeared.
"Mr. Cross?""
"Angela. This is Maya Carter.""
Angela's expression changed.
"Claire's daughter?""
I nodded.
She took my hand.
"You have your mother's eyes.""
I swallowed.
"Did you work with her?""
"For almost twelve years.""
"Then I need your help.""
Angela glanced toward the elevators.
"Come with me.""
The archived laboratory was on the fifth floor.
Unlike the glamorous offices downstairs, the room was cold and practical. Steel cabinets lined the walls. Old fabric samples hung from labeled racks.
Angela opened a storage cabinet.
"Most of the development records were digitized after Claire's death. But the original approval sheets were kept here.""
She pulled out a large binder.
We searched through several pages.
Then I found it.
*TEXTILE TREATMENT: SW-17.*
Below it was the formula approval.
The chemical composition had been changed three days before my mother's hospitalization.
The authorization signature belonged to Brielle Hayes.
My fingers went numb.
"That's her.""
Angela looked at the document.
"Yes.""
I turned the page.
There was another signature.
Vanessa Carter.
But something else caught my attention.
A handwritten note appeared beneath the approval section.
Do not release to production until final safety confirmation.
The note was signed by Claire Carter.
My mother.
I looked at Angela.
"Did she approve this formula?""
"No. She specifically rejected it.""
"Then why was it used?""
Angela hesitated.
"That is what I never understood.""
Julian leaned over the binder.
"Who authorized the final production?""
Angela turned another page.
A third signature appeared.
*Richard Carter.*
I closed my eyes.
My father.
Again.
Angela lowered her voice.
"After Claire died, we were instructed not to discuss the formula. The entire treatment line was discontinued.""
"Who gave that instruction?""
"Vanessa.""
I stared at the binder.
"Did Brielle know what she was signing?""
Angela looked uncomfortable.
"She was nineteen. She had been brought into the department as an assistant. I assumed she was following instructions.""
"Did anyone explain the risks?""
"Every chemical approval form requires a safety review.""
"Was there one?""
Angela turned the page.
The safety review section was blank.
I felt sick.
Someone had bypassed the entire process.
And my mother had been exposed to a substance that should never have entered production.
I photographed every page.
Then Angela closed the binder.
"There's something else you should know.""
"What?""
She walked to a cabinet at the back of the room and removed a smaller file.
"Claire came to me two days before she was hospitalized. She asked me to keep this separate from the company records.""
Inside was a printed email.
The sender was Brielle.
*Subject: I did what you asked.*
The message was short.
The formula has been approved. Mom says everything is ready. Please don't tell Claire until the shipment leaves.
I stared at the screen.
Brielle had known.
At least, she knew she was helping someone bypass my mother's approval.
"Who was the recipient?"" I asked.
Angela pointed to the address.
It belonged to Vanessa.
I looked at Julian.
"She knew.""
He nodded.
"Now we need to establish what she knew about the chemical itself.""
Before we could continue, the laboratory door opened.
Brielle stood in the doorway.
She was wearing a fitted black jacket and sunglasses.
For a second, she looked almost as shocked to see me as I was to see her.
Then she recovered.
"What are you doing here?""
I held up the approval form.
"Looking at your work.""
Her eyes dropped to the paper.
The color drained from her face.
"Give me that.""
"No.""
She stepped forward.
"That's confidential company property.""
"Then why is your signature on it?""
Brielle glanced at Angela.
"You're not supposed to show her those records.""
Angela stood.
"Maya is the legal beneficiary of the company.""
"She's not the owner yet.""
I looked at Brielle.
"Did you change the chemical formula?""
She shook her head.
"I didn't change anything.""
"Your signature is right there.""
"I signed what Mom told me to sign.""
"Did you know the safety review was missing?""
Her mouth tightened.
"That was an administrative issue.""
"An administrative issue?""
I stepped closer.
"My mother died after being exposed to that treatment.""
Brielle looked away.
"Don't put that on me.""
"Then tell me what happened.""
She suddenly grabbed the binder.
Julian caught the edge before she could pull it away.
"Careful, Brielle.""
She released it.
Then she looked directly at me.
"You think you're the only one who lost something when Claire died?""
I stared at her.
"What did you lose?""
Brielle's eyes filled with tears.
"Everything.""
For a moment, I saw something unfamiliar in her expression.
Fear.
Not the anger she usually displayed.
Not the arrogance.
Fear.
"Mom told me Claire was going to destroy our family," she whispered.
"She said the company would collapse and we'd all be left with nothing.""
"That doesn't explain why you signed the form.""
"I didn't know it was dangerous!""
"Then why did you write that you didn't want Mom to tell Claire?""
Brielle looked at the email.
Her lips trembled.
"Because I thought we were stealing a formula.""
I stared at her.
She continued.
"Mom said Claire had been keeping the best designs and treatments for herself. She said the formula belonged to the company.""
"Did you know she had rejected it?""
Brielle shook her head.
"No.""
"Did you know Mom was using it?""
She didn't answer.
I waited.
Finally, she whispered:
"I saw her put the sample bottles into Claire's office.""
My heart stopped.
"What?""
Brielle looked at the floor.
"Three days before she went to the hospital.""
I stepped backward.
"Why didn't you tell anyone?""
"Because Mom told me Claire had approved it.""
"She hadn't!""
"I know that now!""
Her voice cracked.
She wiped her face.
"After Claire died, I asked Mom about it. She said it was an accident and that we needed to forget everything.""
I looked at her.
"Did you believe her?""
Brielle's eyes filled again.
"I wanted to.""
For the first time in my life, I didn't know whether I wanted to scream at my stepsister or ask her to tell me everything.
Then she reached into her handbag.
She removed a small USB drive.
"There's something else.""
She placed it on the table.
"What is it?"" I asked.
"A copy of the laboratory security footage.""
Angela leaned forward.
"Where did you get that?""
Brielle swallowed.
"Mom deleted the original. But I saved a copy.""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
"Because I was afraid she'd blame me if anything happened.""
I took the drive.
"What's on it?""
Brielle looked directly into my eyes.
"Vanessa entering Claire's office with the chemical samples.""
My hands began shaking.
Then Brielle added:
"There's something worse. The footage shows that someone else was already inside when she arrived.""
"Who?""
Brielle hesitated.
May you like
Then she whispered:
"Your father.""
