Chapter 6 - The Meeting
They met at a quiet restaurant before sunrise.
Daniel arrived first.
Emily entered ten minutes later.
She wore a simple black coat.
No jewelry.
No makeup.
No expression.
Daniel stood.
"Emily."
She sat.
"You have five minutes."
He stared at her.
"You knew."
"I suspected."
"About my uncle?"
"Yes."
"About my father?"
Emily nodded.
"Yes."
Daniel sat.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Would you have believed me?"
He opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Emily's eyes softened.
"That's what I thought."
Daniel looked down.
"I'm sorry."
Emily didn't answer.
"I treated you terribly."
Still nothing.
"I believed my mother."
Emily finally spoke.
"You didn't just believe her."
Daniel looked up.
"You helped her."
The words hurt.
But he didn't argue.
"I know."
Emily leaned back.
"Do you know why I transferred everything?"
"To protect yourself."
"Partly."
"Then why?"
"Because if I hadn't activated the trust, George would have gained control."
Daniel frowned.
"How?"
Emily placed a folder on the table.
"Your father's original agreement."
Daniel opened it.
His face changed.
George had been granted temporary control over several family entities seventeen years ago.
But the authority had never been revoked.
Instead, it had been quietly extended.
Daniel looked at Emily.
"How?"
"Forgery."
His hands tightened.
"Whose signature?"
"Your father's."
Daniel looked sick.
"Who forged it?"
Emily looked directly at him.
"We don't know yet."
Daniel whispered:
"George."
"Most likely."
"But why?"
Emily hesitated.
"Because your family owns something more valuable than the company."
Daniel stared.
"What?"
Emily leaned forward.
"Land."
"Land?"
"The Whitmore family's original estate."
Daniel frowned.
"That land isn't worth that much."
Emily shook her head.
"You're looking at the current valuation."
She opened another document.
"Your grandfather purchased the land before the city expanded."
Daniel stared.
Emily continued.
"A major development company has been trying to acquire it for years."
"How much?"
Emily gave him the number.
Daniel went silent.
It was staggering.
"George planned to sell it."
"Yes."
"And my mother?"
"Was helping him."
Daniel looked devastated.
"Why?"
"Because she believed he would save the family."
Daniel covered his face.
Emily watched him.
Then she said something unexpected.
"Daniel."
He looked up.
"You still have a chance."
"At what?"
"To stop him."
Daniel swallowed.
"What do you need?"
Emily slid a flash drive across the table.
"Your father's final financial records."
Daniel stared at it.
"I don't have them."
"You do."
"What?"
"Your father hid them inside the mansion."
Daniel remembered something.
The old study.
The painting behind the desk.
He looked at Emily.
"The safe."
She nodded.
"But there's a problem."
"What?"
"The safe requires two keys."
Daniel frowned.
"Where's the second?"
Emily looked at him.
"You have it."
Daniel's face changed.
He reached into his wallet.
Inside was a small brass key his father had given him years ago.
He had never known what it opened.
May you like
Emily smiled faintly.
"Now we know."
