Chapter 6 - THE FLASH DRIVE
Daniel finally handed me the drive.
My fingers closed around it.
“What's on it?”
“Everything.”
I inserted it into my laptop.
There were hundreds of files.
Contracts.
Bank records.
Photographs.
Emails.
And one video.
My father's face appeared on screen.
He looked older than I remembered.
Tired.
Afraid.
“If you're watching this,” he said, “I probably didn't survive.”
Clara covered her mouth.
My father's voice continued.
“I made mistakes.”
He admitted he had maintained two families.
He admitted Adrian was his son.
But then came the revelation.
“The company was never built solely with my money.”
I frowned.
My father explained that the original capital came from a secret partnership with Adrian's mother.
She had invested millions.
In return, she was promised a controlling interest.
My father broke the agreement.
Then he forged documents to make it appear that I inherited everything.
My chest tightened.
“So Adrian was telling the truth.”
Daniel nodded.
“Partially.”
The video continued.
“But there is one thing neither of my sons knows.”
My father leaned closer to the camera.
“The controlling shares were transferred into a trust.”
I froze.
“Who controls the trust?”
My father's eyes softened.
“Clara.”
The room went silent.
Clara stared at me.
“What?”
I replayed the sentence.
“Clara.”
My father had transferred the controlling shares into a trust bearing her name.
Not mine.
Not Daniel's.
Not Adrian's.
Hers.
Because she had once saved my company when it was almost bankrupt.
He had watched her believe in me.
And apparently, he had decided she deserved protection.
Adrian stared at Clara.
“You?”
She looked terrified.
“I didn't know.”
I stood beside her.
“You didn't.”
Adrian's face hardened.
“You're lying.”
“I swear.”
Marcus called.
“Sir, we confirmed it.”
I looked at Clara.
“The trust is real.”
My wife started crying.
I pulled her close.
But before I could say anything, the mansion doors slammed shut.
The security system locked every exit.
Marcus's voice came through.
“Sir, someone has taken control of the network.”
“Who?”
He hesitated.
“Daniel's credentials.”
I turned.
Daniel was gone.
My stomach dropped.
“Find him.”
Then every screen in the mansion turned on.
Daniel appeared.
He was standing inside my office.
Holding a gun.
May you like
His eyes were full of tears.
“I'm sorry, Julian.”
