Chapter 9 - THE BETRAYAL
Caroline couldn't speak.
“My mother?”
Reed nodded.
“The account was opened shortly before your father died.”
Emily shook her head.
“That can't be right.”
Reed handed her the paperwork.
The signature looked authentic.
Caroline's mother had been dead for two years.
Luke couldn't have opened it afterward.
Unless...
Caroline suddenly remembered something.
The night her father died.
Luke had stayed downstairs with the family.
He had refused to let Caroline enter her father's study.
At the time, she'd thought he was protecting her.
Now she understood.
He had been searching for something.
Her father's financial records.
Caroline looked at Emily.
“He knew about the inheritance before I did.”
Emily's face hardened.
“And Mom?”
Caroline couldn't answer.
They contacted the bank.
The account had been used to receive money from Luke's companies.
But the account had never been controlled by Caroline's mother.
It had been controlled by Margaret.
The name had been disguised.
Caroline finally understood.
The entire family had been involved.
Not everyone knew about the violence.
But several people knew about the money.
And they had chosen silence.
Then another revelation appeared.
A transfer made three months after Caroline's wedding.
The amount:
$750,000.
Recipient:
Margaret Hayes.
Reason:
Family settlement.
Caroline stared at the screen.
“What settlement?”
Reed shook his head.
“We don't know yet.”
Then Emily whispered:
“Caroline.”
She pointed at another line.
A payment made six months later.
To a fertility clinic.
Caroline's blood ran cold.
“Why would Luke pay a fertility clinic?”
Reed looked at the date.
May you like
Then at Caroline.
“You weren't the only woman involved.”
