Chapter 16 - The Final Transfer
George looked at Emily.
Then Caroline.
Then Daniel.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
Emily stood between her sister and Daniel.
"You're finished."
George laughed.
"No."
He held up his phone.
"You are."
He tapped the screen.
Every phone in the room buzzed.
Emily looked down.
A bank alert.
Her eyes widened.
TRANSFER INITIATED.
Another.
PROPERTY CONTROL CHANGE PENDING.
Daniel looked at his phone.
"What's happening?"
Emily realized.
"The trust."
George smiled.
"You activated it."
Emily shook her head.
"No."
"You did."
George stepped closer.
"Every time you moved an asset, you created another legal link."
Emily's face changed.
George continued.
"And now I've activated the final clause."
Emily's heart pounded.
"What clause?"
"The one that transfers everything to the original beneficiary."
Emily froze.
"Who?"
George smiled.
"Caroline."
Caroline stared at him.
"What?"
"You were always the heir."
Emily looked at Caroline.
George continued.
"Emily was the decoy."
Caroline shook her head.
"No."
"Your father raised Emily because he needed someone to hold the trust."
Caroline stared.
"You lied to me."
George smiled.
"Perhaps."
Emily suddenly understood.
George wanted the sisters to fight.
He wanted Caroline to believe she was the rightful heir.
He wanted Emily to surrender control.
He had manipulated them both.
Emily looked at Caroline.
"Don't listen to him."
Caroline stepped backward.
George shouted:
"She stole your life!"
Caroline shook her head.
"No."
"She took your father."
"No."
"She took your inheritance."
Caroline looked at Emily.
Emily stepped forward.
"I didn't know you existed."
Caroline's eyes filled with tears.
"I believe you."
George's expression changed.
Emily smiled faintly.
"That's what you were afraid of."
George raised his weapon.
Daniel moved.
A gunshot exploded.
Everyone screamed.
Daniel fell.
"Daniel!"
Emily rushed toward him.
Blood stained his shirt.
But he was breathing.
The police stormed into the station.
George tried to escape.
Caroline blocked his path.
"You used me."
George stopped.
Caroline looked at him.
"You lied to me."
He raised the weapon.
Then Patricia stepped between them.
"Enough."
George froze.
Patricia's voice was steady.
"For thirty years, I was afraid of you."
She stared at him.
"Not anymore."
The police surrounded George.
He dropped the weapon.
He was arrested.
Emily knelt beside Daniel.
"Are you okay?"
He smiled weakly.
"It's just my shoulder."
Emily closed her eyes.
Relief flooded through her.
Caroline knelt beside them.
"I am so sorry."
Emily looked at her.
Then reached for her hand.
"It's not your fault."
Caroline cried.
"I believed him."
"So did I."
Daniel looked at both sisters.
"Maybe we can stop blaming ourselves."
Emily smiled.
For the first time...
the two sisters held hands.
The war was ending.
But there was still one final mystery.
The bank alerts continued.
Emily looked at her phone.
One final notification appeared.
TRANSFER COMPLETE.
But this time...
the assets had not gone to Caroline.
They had gone somewhere else.
Emily's eyes widened.
"The foundation."
Caroline looked confused.
"What does that mean?"
May you like
Emily smiled through her tears.
"My father won."
