Chapter 5: The Hale Family Was Involved
For several seconds, Grayson didn't move.
Then he turned toward Martin.
"Tell me she's lying.""
Martin didn't answer immediately.
That silence was enough.
Grayson grabbed the edge of the table.
"Martin. Tell me.""
The attorney removed another folder from his briefcase.
"Your father, Richard Hale, operated several investment partnerships with Robert Bennett. Some were legitimate. Others were not.""
I stared at him.
"My father and Grayson's father were business partners?""
"Yes. They had known each other for decades.""
Grayson shook his head.
"My father died before our wedding. He never mentioned any of this.""
Martin opened the folder.
"Because the partnership had collapsed years earlier. Your father believed Robert had been hiding substantial liabilities.""
My mother laughed bitterly.
"Your father was hardly innocent, Grayson.""
Grayson turned toward her.
"Don't drag my father into this to protect yourself.""
"I'm not protecting myself. I'm telling the truth.""
Martin placed a financial statement in front of us.
"Between 2016 and 2019, approximately eleven million dollars moved through accounts connected to both families. Three million came directly from Claire's trust.""
I looked at the figures.
The dates.
The account numbers.
The company names.
Everything seemed to blur.
"Where did the money go?"" I asked.
Martin pointed to a series of transactions.
"Several accounts were used to acquire commercial properties. Others funded a private investment company registered under a different name.""
Grayson read the company's name.
His face went rigid.
"Northbridge Holdings.""
Daniel stepped closer.
"What's that?""
Grayson looked at his brother.
"It's one of the companies our father used before he died.""
Martin nodded.
"Northbridge was later transferred to a holding structure connected to Hale Development.""
I stared at my husband.
"Your company?""
Grayson didn't answer.
Instead, he called his chief financial officer.
"Peter, I need you to check something immediately.""
A man's voice answered.
"Grayson? Is everything all right?""
"Pull the historical ownership records for Northbridge Holdings. I want every transaction from 2016 onward.""
There was a pause.
"Is this related to the Miami project?""
Grayson frowned.
"What Miami project?""
Another pause.
"Nothing. I'll send the records.""
Grayson ended the call.
I watched him.
"What Miami project?""
He looked uncomfortable.
"I don't know.""
Vanessa, who had been standing silently near the stage, suddenly spoke.
"Maybe I can explain.""
Everyone turned toward her.
Grayson frowned.
"Nobody asked you.""
Vanessa ignored him.
"Your father had an arrangement with Margaret. They were supposed to keep the money moving until the trust matured.""
My mother stepped forward.
"Vanessa, shut your mouth.""
But Vanessa had already started.
"I was told the inheritance belonged to the Hale family eventually. I was only supposed to help make sure Claire couldn't interfere.""
I felt sick.
"You knew about my inheritance?""
Vanessa nodded.
"Your mother hired me six months ago.""
Grayson stared at her.
"How did you get involved?""
Vanessa looked toward my mother.
"She said you were planning to divorce Claire.""
I turned toward Margaret.
"What?""
My mother lifted her chin.
"You and Grayson had been having problems.""
"Every married couple has problems.""
"Not like yours.""
I remembered the arguments about children. The nights Grayson returned home after midnight. The business trips. The distance we'd both pretended wasn't growing.
But none of that explained this.
My mother continued.
"Your father made a mistake appointing Grayson. He gave him access to money that should have remained under my control. I needed a way to separate you before he discovered the remaining assets.""
Grayson stepped forward.
"So you invented an affair?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"The pregnancy was real.""
The ballroom went silent again.
Grayson looked at her.
"Then prove I'm the father.""
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
"I thought you would believe me.""
"Why?""
"Because we had a history.""
"We dated years ago. That doesn't make me responsible for your child.""
Daniel suddenly spoke.
"Vanessa, tell them about the Miami appointment.""
She turned toward him.
"What appointment?""
"The one where you asked me to accompany you to the clinic.""
My mother closed her eyes.
Daniel continued.
"You said you needed someone listed as an emergency contact. You told me it was because Grayson wouldn't help you.""
Vanessa started shaking her head.
"That was different.""
"Then why did the attorney send me the appointment card?""
Daniel removed a photograph from his jacket.
It showed a medical appointment card with a name printed beneath the emergency contact field.
Daniel Hale.
But beneath it was another handwritten notation.
Father information pending verification.
Grayson looked at the card.
"Why is Daniel listed?""
Vanessa began crying.
"I was scared.""
Daniel's voice became cold.
"You weren't scared. You were negotiating.""
I stepped closer.
"Vanessa, how far along are you?""
"Five months.""
"And when did you last see Grayson?""
She hesitated.
"Six months ago.""
Grayson shook his head.
"That's impossible. I haven't been alone with you in almost two years.""
Vanessa opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Martin examined the card.
"Claire, there's something important here.""
He pointed to the appointment date.
"Your father died before this appointment was scheduled. But the account number printed at the bottom belongs to a medical billing arrangement established through Northbridge Holdings.""
Grayson stared at him.
"Why would Northbridge pay her medical bills?""
Martin looked at Vanessa.
"That's what I'd like to know.""
Before anyone could answer, Grayson's phone rang.
Peter, his CFO.
Grayson put it on speaker.
"Tell me you found something.""
Peter sounded breathless.
"I found the Northbridge records.""
"And?""
"Grayson, there's a problem. The company has been paying Vanessa Monroe for almost eleven months.""
Vanessa stopped crying.
Grayson stared at her.
"How much?""
"One hundred and eighty thousand dollars.""
My stomach dropped.
Peter continued.
"And that's not the worst part. The payments were authorized through an account controlled by your wife.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
"That's impossible.""
Grayson looked at me.
"Claire, did you authorize anything?""
"No.""
May you like
Peter's voice became quieter.
"Then someone has been using your digital signature.""
