Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
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Claire stayed until sunrise.
She told us everything.
After my father's death, she had gone into hiding.
He had suspected someone inside his company was feeding information to Northstar.
That person was not Blake.
It was someone much closer.
Claire opened her laptop.
A series of encrypted files appeared.
“Your father created a dead-man switch.”
“For what?”
“To expose Northstar if anything happened to him.”
Damien leaned forward.
“Why hasn't it activated?”
“Because he didn't trust the trigger.”
I frowned.
“What trigger?”
Claire looked at me.
“You.”
I stared.
“My father trusted me?”
“He trusted you more than anyone.”
“Then why didn't he tell me?”
“Because if you knew, Northstar would come after you.”
Damien asked:
“What was the dead-man switch supposed to release?”
“Evidence.”
“How much?”
Claire smiled bitterly.
“Enough to destroy several billion-dollar corporations.”
She opened the first file.
Bank transfers.
Political donations.
Secret acquisition agreements.
Bribery records.
And names.
Lots of names.
Some belonged to senior executives at AeroSpace Dynamics.
One belonged to Blake's father.
Another belonged to Seraphina's father.
I looked at Damien.
“That's why they chose Blake and Seraphina.”
“They were already connected,” Claire said.
“And you?”
“I was inconvenient.”
“Why didn't they kill you?”
Claire looked down.
“They tried.”
She rolled up her sleeve.
A scar crossed her forearm.
“I escaped.”
Then she showed us the final file.
A document titled:
PROJECT ECLIPSE.
“What is that?”
“The plan to acquire AeroSpace Dynamics.”
Damien read the details.
“The company would be stripped.”
“Exactly.”
Factories closed.
Employees laid off.
Patents sold.
The company dissolved.
Blake wouldn't just lose my family business.
He would destroy it.
My father's life's work.
Claire pointed at another section.
“Look here.”
AeroSpace's retirement fund.
“What's wrong?”
“They planned to siphon it.”
My stomach turned.
Thousands of employees.
Their pensions.
Their futures.
Everything would disappear.
I stood.
“No.”
Damien looked at me.
“What?”
“I won't let them.”
He nodded.
Claire smiled slightly.
“Now you sound like Dad.”
Then her expression changed.
“There's one thing you don't know.”
“What?”
Claire closed the laptop.
“Your mother wasn't innocent.”
I froze.
“What did she do?”
“She signed the original agreement with Northstar.”
“No.”
“She did.”
“Why?”
Claire looked at me.
“She thought she was saving you.”
The answer made no sense.
“How?”
“Northstar promised they would leave you alone if she cooperated.”
I felt dizzy.
“My mother betrayed my father?”
“Yes.”
“And me?”
“No.”
Claire reached across the table.
“She betrayed herself.”
Then she revealed something even worse.
My mother's signature appeared on a confidential transfer.
AeroSpace voting rights.
Transferred to—
Blake's father.
I looked at the date.
The day before my wedding.
My mother had transferred control shortly before she died.
But there was another signature beside hers.
Blake.
My husband.
He hadn't discovered the scheme years later.
He had been part of it from the beginning.
I felt my heart break all over again.
Eight years of marriage.
Eight years of lies.
Then my phone rang.
Private number.
I answered.
Blake.
“Audrey.”
I said nothing.
“You found Claire.”
“Yes.”
His voice changed.
“Then you know what happens next.”
“What?”
“You have forty-eight hours.”
“For what?”
“To give me your shares.”
I laughed.
“You're still demanding my company?”
“No.”
He whispered:
“I'm giving you a chance to save your sister.”
The line went dead.
I looked at Claire.
She had heard everything.
Her face was pale.
“They have someone.”
“Who?”
May you like
Claire whispered:
“My daughter.”
