Chapter 5: The Inheritance Nobody Knew About
Daniel read the document three times.
Still, the words didn’t make sense.
A hidden inheritance.
A private account.
A condition his father had created decades ago.
He looked at Laura.
“What is this?””
Laura sat down at the nearest chair.
For the first time that night, she looked tired.
“Your father knew someone would try to take Carter Holdings.””
Daniel shook his head.
“My father left me the company.””
“Yes.””
“Then why create this?””
“Because he knew the company wasn’t the only thing valuable.””
Daniel looked at the document again.
“What else is there?””
Laura hesitated.
“A research archive.””
Daniel frowned.
“What?””
“Your father invested in medical technology before Carter Holdings became what it is today.””
Daniel looked confused.
“My father never told me that.””
“He didn’t tell anyone.””
Laura pointed at the papers.
“The archive contains patents and research contracts worth millions.””
The guests whispered.
Daniel felt numb.
“So this was the real target.””
Laura nodded.
“Exactly.””
Vanessa finally spoke.
“You’re making this sound worse than it was.””
Daniel turned.
“Worse?””
She stepped forward.
“I didn’t know everything.””
Victor immediately looked at her.
Daniel noticed.
“You didn’t know everything?””
Vanessa looked nervous.
Victor said nothing.
Daniel understood.
They weren’t even fully trusting each other.
“How much did you know?””
Vanessa looked away.
Daniel’s voice became colder.
“Answer me.””
She swallowed.
“I knew about the documents.””
“And?””
“I knew Victor wanted access.””
“And?””
She hesitated.
“I knew the pregnancy would make you move faster.””
Daniel felt sick.
“But you didn’t know about the archive?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
Victor suddenly laughed.
Everyone turned.
“You really think she was innocent?””
Vanessa looked at him.
“What?””
Victor smiled.
“You were always useful because you wanted the same thing.””
Daniel stared.
“What are you talking about?””
Victor looked at Vanessa.
“She came to me first.””
The room exploded with shocked reactions.
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
“No.””
Vanessa’s face went white.
“Victor, stop.””
But he continued.
“She found out about your father’s documents before I did.””
Daniel couldn’t move.
“You approached him?””
Vanessa looked desperate.
“Daniel, it wasn’t like that.””
“How was it?””
She had no answer.
Victor stepped forward.
“She searched for someone who knew how to get close to you.””
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
“And you found him.””
Vanessa started crying.
“I did love you.””
Daniel almost laughed.
“You don’t get to say that anymore.””
The words hurt.
But they were true.
Then Ethan spoke quietly.
“Dad.””
Daniel looked at him.
The boy was holding something.
A small notebook.
“Where did you get that?””
Ethan looked at Laura.
“She gave it to me.””
Laura nodded.
“I found it with your mother’s belongings.””
Daniel took it.
The cover was old.
Worn.
He opened the first page.
His mother’s handwriting.
Daniel’s hands shook.
“My son…”
He stopped.
He hadn’t seen her handwriting in years.
He read silently.
“If you are reading this, someone has found the archive.””
Daniel looked up.
Laura watched him.
His mother knew.
She knew this day might come.
He continued.
“I need you to understand one thing. The person who comes for this information may not be a stranger.””
Daniel’s eyes moved lower.
“And they may already be inside your life.””
A cold feeling spread through him.
He looked at Vanessa.
Then Victor.
His mother had warned him.
Years before.
Daniel turned the page.
There was only one sentence.
One sentence that made him stop breathing.
“The person you should fear most is not the one who wants your money.””
Daniel whispered:
“What?””
Laura stepped closer.
“What does it say?””
Daniel looked at the page.
“The person you should fear most…”
He swallowed.
“…is the one who wants your trust.””
Nobody spoke.
Then the ballroom lights flickered.
Everyone turned.
A phone started ringing.
Not Daniel’s.
Not Ethan’s.
Vanessa’s.
She looked terrified.
The screen showed a name.
A name Daniel didn’t recognize.
But Victor did.
His face changed immediately.
“No.””
Daniel noticed.
“Who is that?””
Victor didn’t answer.
The phone kept ringing.
Vanessa stared at it.
Finally, Daniel picked it up.
“Answer.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“Daniel, don’t.””
“Why?””
Silence.
“Because who is calling you right now?””
The phone rang again.
Daniel pressed the answer button.
A man’s voice came through.
“Vanessa?””
Daniel said nothing.
The voice continued.
“Did you get the boy away from him?””
Daniel’s blood ran cold.
The entire room heard it.
The man continued:
“Because if Ethan knows the truth…”
A pause.
Then:
“…he can expose what we did.””
Daniel looked at Ethan.
Then at Vanessa.
“What did you do?””
The voice on the phone went silent.
Because the person on the other end finally realized.
Daniel was listening.
And then the man whispered:
“Oh no.””
A long pause.
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Then one final sentence.
“Daniel Carter was never supposed to hear this.””
