Chapter 8: The Woman Who Finally Told the Truth
Daniel spent the next two days working with the university's legal department.
The forged agreement had created a serious problem.
Apex temporarily suspended its acquisition discussions until the ownership dispute could be resolved.
The company's attorneys demanded authentication of every document connected to Project Horizon.
Meanwhile, Mitchell Industrial began contacting former employees.
Some refused to speak.
Others suddenly claimed they remembered my father agreeing to transfer the rights.
It was becoming clear that Richard Mitchell wasn't going to surrender quietly.
On the third morning, Daniel called me.
"We need to talk.""
I arrived at his office within thirty minutes.
He was standing beside a whiteboard covered with dates, names, and legal references.
Eleanor Brooks sat across from him.
Daniel pointed toward a document.
"Richard's attorney has filed a preliminary ownership claim.""
I looked at the page.
"Can they prove it?""
"They've submitted a signed assignment agreement. But Peter Lawson has provided evidence that the document was never executed.""
"What happens next?""
"We challenge its authenticity.""
Eleanor opened her laptop.
"There's another issue. The agreement includes a witness signature.""
I leaned forward.
"Whose?""
She turned the screen toward me.
The name appeared beneath the signature.
*NAOMI CARTER.*
I stared.
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
"That's impossible.""
Daniel nodded.
"She claims she witnessed the agreement being signed six months ago.""
I looked at him.
"Six months ago? My father died fifteen years ago.""
"Exactly.""
Eleanor enlarged the document.
"She claims this is a confirmation of an older transfer agreement. Not the original assignment.""
I felt sick.
"So Naomi signed a document saying my father transferred his rights?""
"That's what the document appears to establish.""
I stepped back.
"Why would she do that?""
Daniel closed the laptop.
"That's something we'll need to ask her.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Of course.""
I found Naomi outside the university library that afternoon.
She was speaking to a colleague when she noticed me.
Her smile disappeared.
"Cedric.""
I walked toward her.
"We need to talk.""
She glanced at her colleague.
"Can we do this later?""
"No.""
Her colleague quietly walked away.
Naomi folded her arms.
"What's going on?""
I took out a copy of the agreement.
"Why is your signature on this?""
She looked at the document.
Her face turned pale.
"Where did you get that?""
"That's not an answer.""
She glanced around.
"Cedric, not here.""
"You signed a legal document claiming my father transferred his patent rights to the Mitchell family.""
Her voice dropped.
"It wasn't like that.""
"Then explain it.""
She took a deep breath.
"Xavier asked me to review the document.""
"Why?""
"Because of my research background.""
"You're an engineer, Naomi. Not a patent attorney.""
"I know that.""
"Then why did you sign it?""
She looked down.
"Xavier said the document was only a technical acknowledgment.""
I stared at her.
"Technical acknowledgment?""
"He told me I was confirming that the original design principles were consistent with the current prototype.""
I held up the document.
"That's not what this says.""
Her eyes filled.
"I didn't understand the legal language.""
"You have a doctorate.""
"That doesn't make me a lawyer!""
Her voice rose.
I looked at her.
For a moment, she seemed to realize what she had said.
Then she lowered her head.
"I'm sorry.""
I shook my head.
"Did you read it before signing?""
She didn't answer.
"Naomi.""
"Yes.""
My stomach tightened.
"And you signed anyway?""
She began crying.
"Xavier said it would help protect the research.""
"Whose research?""
She looked at me.
"His family's.""
I felt something inside me go completely cold.
"So you knew.""
"I didn't know the full extent of what they were doing.""
"You knew enough to put your name on a document that could take away my father's work.""
She wiped her face.
"Cedric, I was trying to build my career.""
I stared at her.
"And what was I supposed to do? Lose mine?""
She shook her head.
"I didn't think it would come to this.""
I stepped back.
"That's the problem with you, Naomi. You never think about what happens to anyone else as long as your future is secure.""
She flinched.
Then she said something unexpected.
"Xavier lied to me.""
I stared.
"About what?""
She reached into her handbag and pulled out her phone.
"There are messages.""
She opened a conversation.
The messages were between her and Xavier.
The first was dated eight months earlier.
*XAVIER:* My father wants the prototype records reviewed before the end of the year.
*NAOMI:* Why me?
*XAVIER:* Because you know Cedric better than anyone.
I felt my stomach tighten.
Another message appeared.
*XAVIER:* You need to understand that if Cedric's design is connected to Project Horizon, the family has a claim.
*NAOMI:* He doesn't know about the old agreement.
*XAVIER:* Then don't tell him until we have the documents secured.
I looked at her.
"Keep going.""
She scrolled.
The next message was dated two months later.
*XAVIER:* Have you found the original sketches?
*NAOMI:* No. He keeps everything at his garage.
*XAVIER:* Find a way to get access.
My hands tightened.
"Did you?""
She began crying harder.
"Yes.""
I stared at her.
"When?""
"Last winter.""
"What did you take?""
"Photographs of some of his early drawings.""
I looked away.
She continued.
"I didn't think they would use them to claim ownership. Xavier said he wanted to compare the technical principles.""
I laughed without humor.
"You photographed my work and handed it to the man who was trying to take it.""
"I know.""
"And then you came to graduation and called me a friend.""
She covered her face.
"I know.""
I stepped closer.
"Did you ever love me?""
She looked up.
"Yes.""
"Then why?""
She had no answer.
For several seconds, the only sound was traffic passing behind us.
Then she handed me her phone.
"Take the messages.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"They prove Xavier knew about the plan before the agreement was filed.""
I studied her face.
"Why are you giving me this?""
"Because I can't keep lying.""
I took the phone and forwarded the messages to Daniel's secure email.
Then I handed it back.
"You're going to need to give a formal statement.""
She nodded.
"I will.""
I turned to leave.
"Cedric?""
I stopped.
She was crying openly now.
"Is there any chance you could forgive me?""
I looked at her.
"I don't know.""
Her face lifted slightly.
Then I continued.
"But forgiveness doesn't mean I have to let you back into my life.""
I walked away.
That evening, Daniel called with an update.
"Naomi has agreed to cooperate.""
"Good.""
"Her messages may help establish that Xavier knowingly obtained your prototype drawings and used them in preparing the disputed ownership claim.""
"Can that prove forgery?""
"Not by itself. But it gives us a much clearer timeline.""
I sat down.
"What's next?""
Daniel hesitated.
"There's something else. Peter Lawson identified the witness on the original development agreement.""
"Who?""
"Margaret Lewis.""
I frowned.
"She told us she never saw a signed agreement.""
"Exactly. Her name appears on a document Richard claims was executed fifteen years ago. But Margaret says she never witnessed it.""
I felt a chill.
"So he forged her signature too?""
"That's what she believes. We're arranging a formal examination.""
Then Daniel lowered his voice.
"There's a second development.""
"What?""
"Xavier has requested a meeting with you.""
I laughed.
"Tell him no.""
"He's not asking to discuss the acquisition.""
"What does he want?""
Daniel paused.
"He's offering to withdraw the ownership claim if you agree to sell the original technology to Mitchell Industrial for a fraction of Apex's offer.""
I stood.
"How much?""
"Two hundred thousand dollars.""
I stared at the wall.
Two hundred thousand.
Less than a tenth of Apex's upfront offer.
After everything my father had sacrificed.
After everything I had built.
Daniel continued.
"He also wants you to sign a confidentiality agreement.""
I shook my head.
"Absolutely not.""
"I expected that answer.""
I walked toward the window.
"Why would he make an offer like that?""
"Because he knows the documents may not survive scrutiny.""
I looked down at the street.
Then I remembered something Naomi had shown me.
The messages.
The dates.
The photographs.
Xavier had known about my prototype before the graduation ceremony.
He had known about the old patent.
He had known that I was developing something valuable.
And he had approached Naomi to get information.
"Daniel?""
"Yes?""
"I think he knew the Apex offer was coming before I did.""
There was a pause.
"Why do you say that?""
"Because Naomi's messages show Xavier was asking about my drawings months before the university contacted me.""
Daniel became silent.
Then he said:
"That may be more important than you realize.""
The following morning, Daniel and I attended a formal meeting with Apex representatives.
Martin Shaw joined by video conference.
Eleanor Brooks presented the original development records, Margaret's laboratory report, and Peter's testimony.
Martin listened without interruption.
When she finished, he leaned toward his camera.
"Mr. Walls, we remain interested in your technology. But we need certainty.""
Daniel nodded.
"Understandable.""
Martin continued.
"There's one matter we need to clarify. Mitchell Industrial claims the original patent application was withdrawn because Thomas Walls had already assigned the rights.""
Eleanor answered.
"We have evidence contradicting that claim.""
Martin looked at me.
"Mr. Walls, would you be willing to undergo an independent technical review?""
"Yes.""
"And would you allow us to examine the original prototype?""
"Yes.""
He nodded.
"Then we can continue discussions, subject to legal clearance.""
I felt some of the pressure leave my chest.
But before the meeting ended, Martin added something.
"There's another reason we're interested in this project.""
I looked at him.
"What reason?""
He opened a document.
"One of our senior engineers previously worked with Richard Mitchell. He informed us that Mitchell Industrial had developed a competing emergency braking system based on Project Horizon.""
I leaned forward.
"Did it work?""
Martin shook his head.
"No. It was abandoned after repeated testing failures.""
I frowned.
"Why?""
"Because it lacked the independent mechanical backup that made your design reliable.""
I stared at him.
My father's idea.
My father's principle.
The very thing Richard had tried to remove.
Martin continued.
"However, we recently discovered that the failed system was sold to a private technology group.""
"Which group?""
Martin looked at his notes.
"Northbridge Engineering.""
I felt a chill.
I knew that name.
Northbridge was a company that had recently acquired several patents from smaller automotive manufacturers.
Martin looked directly at me.
"And the controlling shareholder is Richard Mitchell.""
Daniel slowly closed his notebook.
The room fell silent.
Because Richard hadn't simply tried to steal my father's invention.
He had spent fifteen years developing a competing system.
And now he was trying to acquire mine.
Before the meeting ended, Martin sent us a final document.
It was a technical comparison between the two systems.
At the bottom was a note from Apex's chief engineer.
*THE NORTHBRIDGE SYSTEM CONTAINS A COMPONENT THAT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN COPIED DIRECTLY FROM THE WALLS PROTOTYPE.*
I stared at the screen.
Then Daniel's phone rang.
He listened for several seconds.
His expression changed.
"What happened?"" I asked.
He ended the call.
"Peter Lawson's house was broken into last night.""
My blood ran cold.
"Was he hurt?""
"No. He wasn't home.""
"What was taken?""
Daniel looked at me.
"Every original Project Horizon document he had kept for fifteen years.""
I stood.
"Did they take the recordings?""
Daniel nodded.
"All of them.""
I stared at him.
Then he added:
"But the police found something they left behind.""
"What?""
"A note.""
He handed me a photograph.
The handwriting was unfamiliar.
The message was short.
*TELL CEDRIC WALLS TO STOP DIGGING, OR THE NEXT VISIT WON'T BE EMPTY.*
I looked at Daniel.
May you like
For the first time, I understood how far Richard Mitchell was willing to go.
And I knew we had to finish this before someone else got hurt.
