Chapter 4 - Eight Million Dollars Missing
The first bank statement arrived on a Tuesday.
I wish it hadn't.
Because ignorance had been painful.
Knowledge was worse.
Evelyn placed the statement in front of me.
“Read the withdrawals.”
I did.
Twenty thousand.
Forty thousand.
Seventy-five thousand.
One hundred thousand.
One hundred and eighty thousand.
The amounts kept appearing.
The account had been drained slowly.
Carefully.
Professionally.
Over years.
“Where did it go?”
“Several places.”
She pointed.
“Property company. Private investment account. Jewelry company. Consulting firm.”
I looked at Alexander.
“Your mother?”
He nodded.
“Some of it.”
“Some?”
His voice broke.
“I didn't know.”
“You didn't ask.”
“I trusted her.”
I stared at him.
“And you trusted me to absorb everything she did.”
He had no answer.
Evelyn continued.
“There's more.”
She produced another document.
“This company received nearly two million dollars.”
I read the name.
Hartwell Legacy Holdings.
“What is that?”
Alexander went pale.
“My mother's company.”
I looked at him.
“You said you didn't know.”
“I didn't know she used Isla's money.”
Evelyn tapped the document.
“Here's the problem.”
She showed us the incorporation paperwork.
There were two signatures.
Philippa's.
And mine.
I stared at my forged name.
“I never agreed to this company.”
“I know,” Evelyn said.
“Then how did they create it?”
“Someone submitted paperwork using your identity.”
Alexander leaned forward.
“Can we prove it?”
“Yes.”
Evelyn looked directly at him.
“But proving it may expose more than your mother.”
“What does that mean?”
She turned another page.
“This signature belongs to you.”
Alexander stared at it.
“I signed that.”
“When?”
“I don't remember.”
“Three years ago?”
He nodded slowly.
Evelyn's expression became serious.
“Then someone may have used your signature to authorize transfers.”
I looked at my husband.
He looked at me.
And suddenly the room became unbearably quiet.
“Alexander,” I whispered.
“What?”
“How much did you know?”
His face crumpled.
“I swear I didn't know about the money.”
“That isn't what I asked.”
He looked away.
“I knew Mom wanted Isla's trust changed.”
My heart sank.
“When?”
“Two years ago.”
“You knew?”
“She said Charles made a mistake.”
“And you agreed?”
“I thought she meant changing the investment structure.”
I stood.
“She told you our daughter didn't deserve her grandfather's money.”
“She said the trust would destroy Isla's character.”
“And you listened.”
He closed his eyes.
I walked toward the door.
May you like
“Where are you going?”
“To protect my daughter.”
