Chapter 5 - Patricia Strikes Back
Patricia did not sleep that night.
Neither did Daniel.
At 3:15 a.m., Patricia stood in the kitchen staring at the city through the glass wall.
Daniel entered.
"Mom."
She turned.
"What?"
"I know."
Patricia's expression changed.
"Know what?"
"The transfers."
She remained silent.
"The shell companies."
Still silent.
"The money."
Patricia's jaw tightened.
"You don't understand."
"Then explain it."
"I was protecting this family."
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"By stealing forty-eight million dollars?"
"I was moving money away from people who would destroy us."
"Who?"
Patricia looked away.
Daniel stepped closer.
"Who?"
She didn't answer.
Daniel's voice hardened.
"Was it Emily?"
"No."
That answer surprised him.
Patricia looked at him.
"Emily was never the enemy."
Daniel froze.
"Then why did you make me believe she was?"
Patricia looked exhausted.
"Because if you trusted her, she would discover everything."
Daniel's face hardened.
"What everything?"
Patricia whispered:
"Your father's debt."
Daniel frowned.
"What debt?"
Patricia closed her eyes.
"Your father didn't build this company."
"What?"
"He inherited it."
She sat down.
"Seventeen years ago, your father borrowed money from private investors."
Daniel listened.
"He couldn't repay them."
"So?"
"One of the investors was Emily's father."
Daniel froze.
"What?"
Patricia nodded.
"He bought part of the company."
"Then how did we still control it?"
"Because the agreement was hidden."
Daniel suddenly understood.
Emily's father hadn't simply invested.
He had built a protective position.
A position that could be activated.
Patricia whispered:
"Your wife has been sitting on the key to this company since before she married you."
Daniel's eyes filled with disbelief.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I was afraid."
"Of Emily?"
"No."
Patricia looked toward the dark hallway.
"Of the person behind your father's old debt."
Daniel stared.
"Who?"
Before Patricia could answer, the lights went out.
The mansion became completely dark.
Then every phone in the kitchen buzzed simultaneously.
Daniel looked down.
A message appeared.
YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT EMILY ALONE.
Patricia's face went white.
Another message.
THE NEXT TRANSFER WILL NOT BE FINANCIAL.
Daniel looked at his mother.
"Who is this?"
She whispered:
"I don't know."
A crash came from upstairs.
Daniel immediately ran toward the staircase.
Patricia followed.
They found the study door open.
Papers were scattered everywhere.
The safe was open.
But nothing had been stolen.
Instead, one document had been placed carefully on the desk.
Daniel picked it up.
It was an old photograph.
His father.
Emily's father.
And George.
Standing together.
Daniel's breathing stopped.
On the back were handwritten words.
THREE MEN MADE A DEAL. ONLY ONE KEPT HIS PROMISE.
Daniel looked at Patricia.
"Mom."
She didn't answer.
"Who was the third man?"
Patricia's lips trembled.
"George."
Daniel stepped backward.
Suddenly, everything became clear.
The mysterious uncle.
The hidden debt.
Emily's father's investigation.
The money transfers.
And perhaps even the reason Emily had been targeted.
Daniel grabbed his phone.
He called Emily.
This time, she answered.
"Daniel?"
"I need to see you."
"Why?"
"I know about George."
There was silence.
May you like
Then Emily said:
"Come alone."
