Chapter 5: The Secret My Father Took to His Grave
I didn't know whether to scream or walk away.
Margaret sat across from me, her hands folded tightly on the table.
For eight years, I'd trusted her with my company's legal affairs.
Now I was looking at evidence that she had been involved in something connected to my father's final days.
"Explain yourself," I said.
Margaret took a breath.
"Your father hired me eleven years ago, before I joined Bennett Enterprises. At the time, I was an independent corporate attorney.""
"Why?""
"Because he believed Daniel was moving money out of the business.""
"Did you find anything?""
"Yes.""
Thomas opened his briefcase again.
He removed a thick envelope containing photocopied bank statements.
"The original business had an account with a regional investment bank," he explained.
"Several transfers were made to a private account controlled by an entity connected to Daniel.""
I studied the statements.
The dates went back more than eleven years.
"How much money?""
"Approximately $620,000," Thomas replied.
I looked up.
"That's a lot of money.""
"Your father thought so too.""
Margaret finally spoke.
"He wanted to confront Daniel, but he was worried about what would happen if the investigation became public.""
"Why?""
"Because the company was already struggling. If investors discovered that its founder suspected internal financial misconduct, they might have withdrawn their support.""
I looked at the photograph again.
My father. Daniel. Margaret.
Three days before his death.
"Why didn't Dad tell me?""
Margaret's voice softened.
"He wanted to protect you. You were grieving your mother's death, and he believed you were preparing to marry Daniel. He didn't want to destroy your relationship unless he had undeniable proof.""
My mother had died two years before my father.
By the time I met Daniel, I had already lost the two people who had made me feel safest in the world.
My father knew that.
I swallowed.
"What happened the night he died?""
Margaret looked at Thomas.
He answered.
"Your father called me at 9:40 p.m. He said he'd found something important in the account records. He wanted to meet the following morning.""
"And?""
"He never made it.""
My father had suffered a fatal heart attack at home.
At least, that was what the family had been told.
I sat down slowly.
"Are you suggesting something happened to him?""
"No," Thomas replied quickly.
"I don't know that. I have no evidence that anyone caused his death.""
Margaret reached across the table.
"Olivia, your father's medical records indicated a cardiac event. We cannot turn suspicion into an accusation.""
I pulled my hand away.
"Then why was his bank account accessed that night?""
Margaret looked down.
"Because I was trying to retrieve the records before Daniel could.""
I stared at her.
"You accessed his private account?""
"Yes.""
"Without my permission?""
"Your father had given me written authorization to retrieve certain business documents. I believed the account contained evidence that could protect you.""
"Did you find it?""
Margaret nodded.
She opened her briefcase and removed a small black USB drive.
"Your father made a backup.""
Thomas looked surprised.
"You still have it?""
"I kept it because I didn't know whom I could trust.""
I took the drive.
"What's on it?""
"Bank statements, correspondence, and an audio recording.""
My fingers tightened around the device.
"An audio recording of what?""
Margaret looked directly at me.
"Your father speaking to Daniel.""
The room fell silent.
I connected the drive to Margaret's laptop.
A folder appeared.
Inside was one audio file.
The date was eleven years old.
I pressed play.
At first, there was static.
Then my father's voice filled the room.
"Daniel, I gave you an opportunity to explain the missing money.""
A younger version of my husband's voice answered.
"Edward, you're misunderstanding the transactions.""
"Then show me the invoices.""
A pause.
"I don't have them with me.""
"You've moved six hundred thousand dollars out of this company.""
"That money was an investment.""
"An investment in what?""
Silence.
Then Daniel spoke again.
"You're not going to tell Olivia.""
My father sounded furious.
"She's my daughter. And she's about to inherit everything I own.""
"She doesn't understand business.""
"She understands honesty.""
Another pause.
Then Daniel said something that made my blood run cold.
"If you give her control of the company, she'll eventually find out what I've done.""
My father answered immediately.
"Then perhaps you should have thought about that before betraying her.""
The recording ended.
I stared at the laptop.
Daniel hadn't simply changed after becoming successful.
He had been hiding things before I ever married him.
Robert stood.
"We need to secure this evidence and notify independent counsel.""
Margaret nodded.
"Agreed.""
I looked at her.
"Why did you keep working for Daniel after my father died?""
Her eyes filled.
"Because your father made me promise to protect your inheritance. I believed staying inside the company was the only way to do that.""
"Did you know about Vanessa's consulting company?""
"No.""
"Did you know about the forged transfer?""
"No. I discovered it during the current investigation.""
I wanted to believe her.
But trust was no longer something I could afford to give away.
I stood and placed my father's letter inside my handbag.
"From now on, every document goes to an independent forensic team. Nobody handles evidence alone.""
Margaret nodded.
"Of course.""
Thomas suddenly cleared his throat.
"There's another reason I came tonight.""
I turned.
He removed a second envelope.
"This was sent to my home yesterday. I think Daniel knows I've started talking.""
I opened it.
Inside was a printed photograph of my house.
Taken from across the street.
On the back, someone had written:
*People who dig up old secrets sometimes end up buried with them.*
I felt my stomach turn.
Robert immediately called hotel security.
Thomas looked terrified.
"I can't go home tonight.""
"You're coming with us," I said.
Margaret took the photograph and examined the timestamp.
Then her expression changed.
"Olivia, this picture was taken yesterday morning.""
"So?""
She pointed to the front of the house.
There was a black SUV parked beside the driveway.
I recognized it.
It belonged to Daniel.
But that wasn't what frightened me.
Standing on the front porch was a woman I hadn't seen in eleven years.
May you like
My father's former personal assistant.
And according to the records, she had died six months after my father.
