Chapter 5: The Second Account
I stared at the message until the letters blurred.
“What's wrong?”” Marcus asked.
I handed him the phone.
His expression changed immediately.
“Daniel.””
Daniel stepped closer.
Marcus showed him the screen.
Daniel's face hardened.
“Where did you get this number?””
“I didn't.””
“Then someone is contacting you.””
Adrian watched us from across the room.
“What is it?””
Nobody answered.
He took a step forward.
“What did that message say?””
I locked my phone.
“You tell me.””
His face went blank.
“Tell you what?””
“The second account.””
For one second, nobody moved.
Then Adrian laughed.
“There is no second account.””
Daniel shook his head.
“That's what you said about the first one.””
Adrian's jaw tightened.
Vanessa whispered, “What second account?””
I looked at her.
“You didn't know?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
Adrian turned toward her.
“Vanessa, stop.””
She stared at him.
“You told me you handled everything.””
“I did.””
“What does that mean?””
He didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
“You took four hundred thousand dollars from my trust.””
Adrian's voice became low.
“It wasn't like that.””
“Then what was it like?””
“I invested it.””
“Where?””
He looked away.
“Business.””
“What business?””
Silence.
Marcus took the phone from his pocket.
“Daniel, call the forensic accountant.””
Adrian suddenly moved.
“Wait.””
Marcus looked at him.
“Why?””
Adrian's eyes were on me.
“Because if she wants the truth, she deserves the whole truth.””
I almost laughed.
“You've had eight years.””
He swallowed.
“There were debts.””
“What debts?””
“My company.””
“You told me the company was profitable.””
“It was.””
“When?””
Adrian didn't answer.
I turned to Daniel.
“Can you find out where the money went?””
“Yes.””
“How long?””
“Tonight.””
Adrian's expression shifted.
He knew exactly what Daniel would find.
The ballroom had become a courtroom without a judge.
Guests whispered around us.
Some recorded.
Others simply watched.
A woman from the charity board approached hesitantly.
“Mrs. Cole?””
I looked at her.
She was holding a microphone.
“We're going to end the event.””
I nodded.
She glanced at the banner behind me.
Her eyes dropped.
“I am so sorry.””
Those four words nearly broke me.
Not because they fixed anything.
Because nobody had said them in eight years.
I walked toward the side doors.
Marcus followed.
Adrian called after me.
“Claire.””
I stopped.
He had used my name.
Not sweetheart.
Not crazy.
Not difficult.
Just Claire.
I turned.
He looked smaller than he had an hour ago.
“Please.””
I waited.
“Don't destroy everything because of one mistake.””
I stared at him.
“One mistake?””
He looked at the floor.
I raised my hand to my cheek.
“This?””
He said nothing.
“The affair?””
Nothing.
“The stolen money?””
Nothing.
“My family?””
Still nothing.
I nodded slowly.
“You're right.””
He looked relieved.
Then I finished.
“It isn't one mistake.””
His relief vanished.
“It was eight years.””
I walked away.
Outside, cold Chicago air hit my face.
Marcus took off his coat and put it around my shoulders.
I whispered, “Why did you keep looking for me?””
He answered without hesitation.
“Because you're our sister.””
Julian stepped beside him.
“And because Dad made us promise.””
I looked at him.
“Promise what?””
Julian glanced at Daniel.
Daniel was standing in the doorway.
His expression was grim.
“Your father made them promise that if Adrian ever hurt you, they would protect you.””
I looked back at the ballroom.
Through the glass doors, Adrian was still standing beneath the charity banner.
For the first time, I wasn't afraid of him.
Then Daniel's phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“Claire,” he said.
“What?””
“We found the second account.””
May you like
He paused.
“It isn't just your money.””
