Chapter 9 - THE BROTHER AND SISTER WHO CHOSE DIFFERENT SIDES
Arthur admitted he remembered my father.
Barely.
"I knew him as Mr. Carter."
"You never realized he was my father?"
"Not until years after we married."
I almost dropped the phone.
"You knew?"
"My mother told me when Leo was born."
Seven years.
Arthur had known for seven years that my father and his family had shared a history.
"And you said nothing."
"She told me your father betrayed my grandfather."
"Did you believe her?"
Arthur didn't answer quickly enough.
That was answer enough.
Then he surprised me.
"I'm coming to Barcelona."
"No."
"Emma—"
"If you get on a plane expecting to walk into this house, don't."
"I'm not coming for you."
"Then why?"
"My sister disappeared."
I froze.
"Brooke?"
"She emptied a safe-deposit box, left her phone at home, and vanished."
The timing was impossible to ignore.
Brooke's initials were all over the hidden accounts.
Arthur had confronted Victoria.
Now Brooke was gone.
Two hours later, Thomas received an encrypted email.
No sender name.
One attachment.
A photograph.
Brooke stood beside a train station sign in southern France, holding that day's newspaper.
Alive.
Beneath the photograph was a message.
EMMA, DON'T TRUST ARTHUR WITH THE LEDGERS.
I read it twice.
Then another message arrived.
I MOVED THE MONEY, BUT I DID IT FOR VICTORIA.
SHE SAID IT BELONGED TO US.
A third message appeared seconds later.
SHE LIED.
Thomas tried tracing the email.
No luck.
Brooke continued.
THERE IS AN ACCOUNT SHE NEVER TOLD ARTHUR ABOUT.
IT ISN'T IN AMERICA.
IT ISN'T IN SPAIN.
AND IT CONTAINS ENOUGH TO DESTROY THE FAMILY.
Then came an account number.
Switzerland.
Thomas handed it immediately to forensic accountants.
Arthur called again.
"Did Brooke contact you?"
I hesitated.
That was enough.
"She did."
"Emma, whatever she told you—"
"She told me not to trust you."
His voice went quiet.
"Maybe you shouldn't."
That answer caught me off guard.
Arthur continued.
"I spent years protecting my mother because it was easier than admitting what she was."
For once, there was no arrogance.
Only exhaustion.
"I can't ask you to trust me."
"No."
"But I can give you something."
He emailed a file.
It was a scan of an internal Vance Holdings memo.
Signed by Victoria.
Dated six months before our marriage.
At the top was my full name.
EMMA CARTER — SUCCESSION EXPOSURE ANALYSIS.
May you like
My marriage to Arthur had not been a coincidence to Victoria.
She had investigated my inheritance before Arthur ever proposed.
