Chapter 8 - THE MONEY
Caroline's father had died five years earlier.
His will had left her a substantial inheritance.
Luke had convinced her to place the money into a joint investment account.
She had never questioned it.
Because Luke told her he was protecting her.
Now Detective Reed showed her the statements.
The account had been emptied.
Piece by piece.
Over four years.
Caroline stared at the numbers.
“How much?”
Reed answered.
“Just over three million dollars.”
Emily sat beside her.
Caroline felt numb.
“He stole it.”
“Yes.”
“Where is it?”
“That is what we're investigating.”
Then Reed handed her another document.
A trust.
Caroline's father's signature was on it.
But unlike Luke's forged contract, this signature was genuine.
The trust contained one condition:
Caroline's inheritance may never be controlled by a spouse.
Caroline stared at it.
“So Luke couldn't legally take it.”
“Correct.”
Emily looked at Reed.
“Then why did he?”
“Because he assumed Caroline would never fight him.”
Caroline looked at the document.
For years she had thought she had nothing.
No money.
No family.
No power.
No voice.
But she had been wrong.
Her father had protected her long before Luke ever entered her life.
And suddenly Caroline understood something else.
Luke had not married her because she was weak.
He had married her because she had something he wanted.
Money.
And control.
Reed's phone rang.
He listened.
Then he looked at Caroline.
“We found one of the accounts.”
“Where?”
“Overseas.”
Caroline's heart sank.
“How much?”
“Almost two million.”
Emily whispered:
“Can they get it back?”
Reed looked at Caroline.
“Maybe.”
Then he added:
“But there's a problem.”
“What?”
“The account holder isn't Luke.”
Caroline frowned.
“Who is it?”
Reed placed the document on the table.
May you like
The name belonged to someone Caroline knew.
Her mother.
