Chapter 6 - THE TRUST
The family meeting ended with police officers escorting everyone out.
I couldn't stop staring at the blanket.
It was beautiful.
Soft pink fabric.
Tiny embroidered stars.
But touching it made me sick.
Someone knew about my baby.
Someone knew the exact value of her inheritance.
Someone was watching us.
Ryan sat beside me.
“I'll protect you.”
I looked at him.
“You couldn't even protect me from your sister.”
He flinched.
I regretted saying it.
But I didn't take it back.
Because it was true.
That night, Ryan's father told me the entire story.
The trust had been established before Ryan was born.
But after his wife died, he changed it.
He wanted his grandchildren protected.
“The money isn't simply an inheritance,” he explained.
“What is it?”
“Control.”
I frowned.
He continued.
“The company is built into the trust. Whoever controls the trust eventually controls the company.”
“How much is the company worth?”
“Over forty million.”
My heart stopped.
Then I understood.
The eighteen million wasn't the real prize.
The real prize was control.
And suddenly Melissa's obsession made sense.
She wasn't just angry about money.
Someone was using her.
Someone who wanted control of the company.
Detective Hayes arrived with another discovery.
“Melissa received more payments.”
“From Daniel?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
She placed a bank statement on the table.
The money came from a shell company.
But the registered owner was...
Ryan's father.
I stared at him.
“What?”
He looked horrified.
“I've never heard of that company.”
Detective Hayes nodded.
“We believe someone created it using your father's identity.”
His father sat down.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
A voice said:
“You should have given Melissa what she wanted.”
He froze.
“Who is this?”
The caller laughed.
“You know exactly who I am.”
The line went dead.
His father looked at us.
“I know that voice.”
“Who?”
May you like
He whispered one name.
“Daniel.”
