Chapter 6
The first person I suspected was Daniel Foster.
He had managed security at the mansion for eight years.
He knew every entrance.
Every camera.
Every access code.
And he had been on duty the morning Marcus entered Grandma's study.
But suspicion wasn't evidence.
I reminded myself of that before accusing anyone.
Grandma had taught me that anger made people careless.
And I had already been careless enough.
Angela arranged a meeting with Daniel.
He entered the office looking confused.
"Ms. Whitmore?"
I folded my hands.
"Daniel, we need to ask you some questions."
He nodded.
"Of course."
Angela showed him the security footage.
He watched silently.
Then she asked, "Why didn't the system flag Marcus entering the study?"
Daniel looked surprised.
"Because Mr. Bennett used an authorized access code."
"Did you give it to him?"
"No."
I looked at him.
"I did."
Daniel nodded.
"Then the system wouldn't treat it as unauthorized."
Angela continued.
"Did anyone request changes to the camera retention settings?"
Daniel hesitated.
"Yes."
My heart tightened.
"Who?"
"Mr. Bennett."
I sat straighter.
"When?"
"About two weeks before the wedding."
My stomach dropped.
"What did he ask?"
"He wanted certain interior cameras disabled for privacy during wedding preparations."
Angela leaned forward.
"Did you comply?"
"No."
I stared at Daniel.
"Why not?"
He looked almost offended.
"Your grandmother had written policies requiring owner approval for changes to security coverage."
I felt tears rise.
Even now, Grandma's rules were protecting me.
Daniel continued.
"I told Mr. Bennett I'd need written authorization from you."
"What did he say?"
"He seemed irritated."
I nodded slowly.
"Thank you."
Daniel looked toward Angela.
"Is something wrong?"
She explained that evidence suggested unauthorized access and possible financial misconduct.
His expression changed.
Then he reached into his jacket.
"I may have something useful."
My heart began pounding.
He removed a small notebook.
"I record unusual security requests."
Angela looked interested.
"Why?"
"Your grandmother asked me to."
I almost smiled.
Of course she had.
Daniel opened the notebook.
He pointed to an entry dated three weeks before the wedding.
MARCUS BENNETT REQUESTED SERVICE ACCESS FOR VICTOR HALE.
I froze.
"What?"
Daniel looked at me.
"I refused because Mr. Hale was on the restricted visitor list."
My stomach tightened.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I reported the request to the estate security administrator."
Angela frowned.
"Who was that?"
Daniel answered.
"Robert Gaines."
My heart stopped.
Robert.
Our longtime operations director.
The man Grandma trusted to oversee major properties.
He had worked for Whitmore Holdings for eighteen years.
He attended every holiday dinner.
He gave a speech at my wedding.
I stared at Daniel.
"Did Robert tell you anything?"
"He said he'd handle it."
I felt sick.
Angela looked at me.
"We need to review Robert's access and communications."
I nodded.
"Do it."
Over the next two days, the investigation widened.
The forensic accountants discovered unusual consulting payments.
Several had gone to companies connected to Victor Hale.
The payments had been approved under Robert's department.
Some were legitimate-looking development expenses.
Others lacked proper supporting documents.
When confronted through counsel, Robert initially denied wrongdoing.
Then investigators recovered messages between him and Victor.
The messages discussed internal company valuations.
Acquisition targets.
Board voting procedures.
And my grandmother's trust.
I read one message three times.
SHE WON'T SELL. WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE GIRL.
The message was dated six years earlier.
Before Grandma's death.
Before I met Marcus.
I felt sick.
They had been waiting for me.
Not as a person.
As an opportunity.
Angela placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Simone, don't read any more right now."
I shook my head.
"I need to know."
She hesitated.
"There's more."
I looked up.
"What?"
"The evidence suggests Robert provided Victor with confidential information after your grandmother fired him."
I stared at her.
"All these years?"
"Yes."
I covered my face.
Robert had hugged me at Grandma's funeral.
He had told me she would be proud.
He had promised to support me.
And all the while, he was apparently helping the people who wanted to destroy her company.
I felt physically ill.
Then my phone rang.
Marcus.
I almost ignored it.
But Angela nodded toward the screen.
"Let it go to voicemail."
I did.
A message arrived immediately.
SIMONE, I KNOW YOU'RE INVESTIGATING ROBERT.
My stomach tightened.
Another message followed.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHO HE REALLY WORKS FOR.
I showed Angela.
She frowned.
Then Marcus called again.
This time, he left a voicemail.
I played it on speaker.
"Simone, listen to me. I know you're angry. I know you think I planned everything. But there's something you're missing."
His voice sounded strained.
"Robert wasn't helping my father because he wanted money."
A pause.
Then he whispered, "He was helping because of what happened to your parents."
I froze.
My parents.
My mother and father had died in a highway accident when I was eleven.
Their car was struck during a storm.
The police concluded that the driver lost control.
Grandma never spoke much about the investigation.
She said she couldn't bear to revisit it.
I stared at the phone.
Marcus continued.
"Ask Margaret about the accident. Ask her why your grandmother changed her will afterward."
The recording ended.
I couldn't move.
Angela watched me carefully.
"Simone, don't assume this is true."
I knew she was right.
Marcus had every reason to distract me.
Every reason to confuse the investigation.
But the mention of my parents cut through my defenses.
I turned toward Margaret, who had been reviewing documents across the room.
"Did Grandma change her will after my parents died?"
Margaret looked up.
"Yes."
My heart tightened.
"Why?"
She hesitated.
"Because you became her primary heir."
I shook my head.
"Marcus says Robert's betrayal has something to do with their accident."
Margaret's expression changed.
"That's a serious allegation."
"Did Grandma ever suspect anything?"
She remained silent.
I stepped closer.
"Margaret."
She slowly removed her glasses.
"Your grandmother requested an independent review of the crash."
I stopped breathing.
"What?"
"She was never satisfied with the original explanation."
My hands began shaking.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"Because the review found no conclusive evidence of wrongdoing."
I stared at her.
"What did it find?"
She hesitated.
"An unexplained discrepancy in the vehicle maintenance records."
My stomach dropped.
For twenty years, I had believed my parents died in an ordinary accident.
Now the man who married me to steal my company was using their deaths as leverage.
I felt the room spinning.
Then Angela spoke firmly.
"Simone, we need to separate verified facts from Marcus's claims."
I nodded.
She was right.
But one question wouldn't leave my mind.
If Robert had been helping Victor for years, what else had he done?
And why was Marcus suddenly trying to connect my parents' deaths to the takeover?
May you like
I looked toward Grandma's portrait.
For the first time, I wondered whether she had spent the last years of her life protecting me from a danger I never knew existed.
