Chapter 6 - HER MOTHER’S HOUSE
Audrey did not go alone.
She also didn’t tell Derek that.
Police were interested now.
So was the hospital’s legal department.
So was the county investigator reviewing the forged deed.
Nathan arranged for two detectives to remain several minutes behind Audrey while she drove toward her mother’s property.
Maisie stayed with Nathan’s wife.
Leaving her daughter, even somewhere safe, felt physically wrong.
But Audrey needed both hands free.
Helena Vance’s house stood at the end of a wooded lane.
Derek’s car was outside.
So was Lorraine’s.
Audrey entered through the front door.
“Mom?”
No answer.
Derek appeared from the dining room.
He looked terrible.
Same clothes as yesterday.
No arrogance now.
No practiced irritation.
“Audrey.”
“Where is my mother?”
“She’s fine.”
“Show me.”
Lorraine stepped into view.
“You really couldn’t follow one simple instruction.”
Audrey ignored her.
“Mom!”
A voice answered from the study.
“I’m here.”
Audrey ran.
Helena sat in an armchair.
Unhurt.
Angry.
Beside her stood Charles Vance.
Audrey stopped.
Her uncle smiled.
“Hello, sweetheart.”
She hadn’t heard him call her that since she was nineteen.
“Why are you here?”
“To stop a mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“You.”
The word landed softly.
That made it worse.
Charles poured himself a drink.
“Your grandfather handed control of an entire family empire to a child who never wanted it.”
“I’m thirty-four.”
“You were twenty-eight when the voting shares vested.”
“And?”
“And you treated the family company like a spreadsheet.”
Audrey almost laughed.
“Is that supposed to insult me?”
“You sold sentimental assets.”
“I sold failing assets.”
“You closed businesses.”
“I closed businesses losing nine million dollars annually.”
Charles’s jaw tightened.
“You think numbers make you right.”
“Usually in finance, they help.”
Derek stared at the floor.
Audrey turned toward him.
“So this is what you wanted?”
He looked up.
“It wasn’t supposed to go this far.”
Lorraine exploded.
“Stop saying that!”
Audrey looked at her.
There it was again.
Control.
Charles calmly said:
“Derek was supposed to obtain temporary voting authority while you recovered.”
“By forging documents?”
“Those were Lorraine’s improvisations.”
Lorraine’s face changed.
“You told me—”
“I told you to create pressure. I didn’t tell you to commit amateur fraud.”
The alliance cracked.
Audrey watched.
Derek looked between them.
“You said Audrey would sign.”
“She should have.”
“She was giving birth!”
Charles’s eyes hardened.
“And you were supposed to make her dependent on you.”
Audrey understood.
The missed calls.
The absence.
The girlfriend.
Maybe even Sienna had been useful because infidelity could destabilize Audrey emotionally.
Charles continued.
“If Audrey became overwhelmed, Derek would step in. Lorraine would reinforce the narrative. Keller would evaluate her. Then Audrey would authorize temporary control.”
“And after temporary?”
Charles smiled.
“You know how temporary things work.”
Audrey felt almost nothing now.
Too much betrayal had burned emotion down to precision.
“What does my mother know?”
Helena spoke before Charles could.
“Everything.”
Audrey turned.
Her mother looked ashamed.
“You knew?”
“I knew Charles was back.”
“Did you know about Derek?”
“No.”
“Did you know he wanted my shares?”
Helena hesitated.
Audrey’s throat tightened.
“Mom.”
“I knew he believed the company should return to joint family control.”
“You mean his control.”
“He is your uncle.”
“So?”
Helena flinched.
Audrey realized something devastating.
Her mother hadn’t helped Charles forge documents.
But she had helped him get close.
“Who gave him access to the trust records?”
Helena closed her eyes.
Audrey whispered:
“You did.”
Before anyone answered, red and blue lights flashed through the windows.
Derek spun toward Charles.
“You called police?”
Charles smiled.
“No.”
Audrey did.
Two detectives entered moments later.
Lorraine began shouting.
Charles remained perfectly calm.
Then one detective looked at Audrey.
“Ms. Vance?”
“Yes?”
“We have a problem.”
“What?”
He held up his phone.
“We just received an emergency family-court order.”
Audrey stared.
“For what?”
His face tightened.
“Temporary custody of your daughter.”
May you like
Audrey stopped breathing.
The petitioner’s name was Derek Halston.
