Chapter 5: The Brother Who Sold My Name
I couldn't stop looking at the photograph.
Nathan stood beside Daniel outside a restaurant, wearing the navy suit I'd bought him for his fortieth birthday.
He was smiling.
Daniel had one hand on his shoulder.
On the back, beneath the date, someone had written three words.
Phase Two: Remove Olivia.
My younger brother.
The boy who used to follow me around our father's garden.
The man I'd helped financially after his business failed.
I turned toward Richard.
"Where did you get this?""
"From the original trustee's investigation. Your father instructed us to monitor any unauthorized attempts to interfere with the trust.""
"Why didn't anyone tell me?""
Richard looked uncomfortable.
"Until recently, we had no evidence of an active scheme.""
Daniel interrupted.
"Enough. That photograph proves nothing.""
I faced him.
"Then explain it.""
He shrugged.
"Nathan approached me. He wanted an investment. We discussed a possible partnership. That's all.""
"Why does the note say 'Remove Olivia'?""
"Ask your brother.""
I pulled out my phone and called Nathan.
He answered after four rings.
"Olivia?""
"Where are you?""
Silence.
"Nathan, answer me.""
"I'm at home.""
"Did you meet Daniel six months ago?""
Another pause.
"Yes.""
"Did you agree to help him remove me from the company?""
His breathing changed.
"Who told you that?""
"That's not an answer.""
"Olivia, please. Not over the phone.""
I closed my eyes.
"Did you know about the forged share-transfer agreement?""
"No.""
"Did you know Daniel and Vanessa were trying to sell my shares?""
"I swear I didn't know about that.""
"Then why is your business address listed as the buyer's registered address?""
He didn't respond.
I looked at the photograph again.
"Nathan, I'm asking you one last time. What did you do?""
His voice cracked.
"I borrowed money from Daniel.""
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"How much?""
"Three hundred thousand dollars.""
The ballroom seemed to tilt.
"For what?""
"My business. I was trying to rebuild it.""
"And what did Daniel want in return?""
Nathan exhaled shakily.
"He said he needed help restructuring some assets. He told me it was temporary. He wanted to use my company as a holding entity.""
"Did you sign anything?""
"I signed a preliminary agreement.""
"What did it say?""
"I thought it was a financing arrangement.""
I stared at James.
He was already reaching for his pen.
"Nathan, listen carefully. I need you to come to the hotel.""
"Olivia, I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because Daniel said if I ever spoke to you, he'd make sure I lost everything.""
I felt something inside me break.
"You're my brother. You should have called me.""
"I know.""
"You watched me struggle after Dad died. You knew how much this company meant to me.""
"I know, Olivia. I'm sorry.""
I lowered my voice.
"Are you sorry because you betrayed me, or because Daniel's plan is falling apart?""
He began crying.
I ended the call.
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
James placed a hand on the table.
"Olivia, we need to establish exactly what Nathan signed before making any assumptions.""
I nodded.
"Find out.""
Michael approached us.
"There's another problem. The board's preliminary review has uncovered a series of payments from Bennett Global to a company registered in Delaware. The amounts total more than one million dollars.""
James frowned.
"Is it connected to Vanessa?""
"Not directly. The beneficiary appears to be a holding company controlled by an unidentified third party.""
I remembered the address on the forged transfer agreement.
"Could it be Nathan's company?""
Michael shook his head.
"No. The registration is different.""
Daniel, who had been standing near the stage, suddenly interrupted.
"Michael, that's enough. You're conducting an investigation based on incomplete information.""
Michael turned.
"Then cooperate with the investigators.""
Daniel laughed.
"You really think Olivia can run this company? She hasn't negotiated a major contract in years.""
I looked at him.
"You're right about one thing.""
His eyes narrowed.
"I haven't negotiated a major contract in years because I trusted you to do it.""
"Exactly.""
"But I still remember every client I introduced to this company. Every investor. Every agreement. And I remember the people who stood beside us when the bank nearly took everything.""
I paused.
"Do you?""
Daniel said nothing.
I turned toward Michael.
"I want an independent forensic audit. Every transfer, every vendor, every executive expense. No exceptions.""
Michael nodded.
"That can be arranged.""
"And I want all company accounts protected against unauthorized transfers immediately.""
"Understood.""
Daniel stepped toward me.
"You can't freeze my accounts.""
"Company accounts," I corrected.
"The accounts belonging to a business you no longer have unilateral authority to control.""
His jaw tightened.
Then Vanessa made a strange noise behind him.
She was staring at her phone.
"Daniel?""
He ignored her.
"Daniel, look at this.""
"What?""
She turned the screen toward him.
His face changed instantly.
I watched as he grabbed the phone.
"What did you do?""
Vanessa pulled it away.
"Nothing! I just received it.""
James approached.
"What's happened?""
Vanessa looked at me.
For the first time, there was genuine fear in her eyes.
"Someone sent me a copy of the transfer agreement.""
"Who?""
"I don't know.""
She swallowed.
"But there's another page. A page Daniel told me had been destroyed.""
Daniel seized her wrist.
"Give me the phone.""
She screamed.
"Stop grabbing me!""
Security moved closer.
I stepped forward.
"Daniel, let her go.""
He released her.
Vanessa stared at me, trembling.
Then she said something I hadn't expected.
"Olivia, I can prove Daniel didn't act alone.""
James immediately opened his folder.
"Who else was involved?""
Vanessa looked toward the ballroom entrance.
Then she whispered a name.
"Someone from your father's legal team.""
James went completely still.
"That's impossible.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"He prepared the original transfer documents. He told Daniel exactly how to bypass the trust.""
I stared at James.
"Who?""
Vanessa turned her phone around.
A photograph appeared on the screen.
It showed an older man standing beside Daniel and Nathan.
The man was holding a document.
James recognized him immediately.
His face lost all color.
"That's Thomas.""
"Who is Thomas?"" I asked.
James slowly lowered his eyes.
"Thomas Whitmore.""
May you like
His older brother.
And the man who had served as my father's personal financial adviser for twenty-three years.
