Chapter 13 - THE WOMAN WHO CONTROLLED EVERYTHING
“Margaret Whitlock?”
Aurora could barely believe it.
Braden's mother had always treated her like an inconvenience.
Cold smiles.
Cruel comments.
Carefully disguised insults.
But attempted murder?
Elena nodded.
“Margaret controlled the offshore accounts. Richard handled the paperwork. Victor supplied the threats.”
Dante turned toward the lead federal investigator.
“You need to find Margaret immediately.”
“We're already moving.”
Elena explained that Margaret had discovered Northstar Capital's legitimate assets were worth far more than Victor realized.
She intended to gain control of them through forged documents.
But Elena had uncovered the scheme.
The staged accident was meant to eliminate her.
When Elena survived, Margaret and Victor agreed to keep her hidden rather than risk exposing the fraud.
Aurora felt physically sick.
Richard had attended Elena's funeral.
He had held Aurora's hand.
He had promised to protect her.
All while knowing her mother was alive.
“I trusted them,” Aurora whispered.
Elena touched her cheek.
“You were a child. They were the ones responsible.”
Dante's phone rang.
It was Evelyn.
“We found Margaret.”
“Where?”
“At a private airfield outside the city.”
“Arrested?”
“Not yet. She's attempting to leave the country.”
Federal agents reached the airfield before Margaret's plane departed.
She was detained after attempting to destroy a laptop containing encrypted financial records.
Investigators recovered the device.
Inside were detailed records linking Margaret, Richard, and Victor to years of fraud, coercion, and illegal transfers.
But one email stood out.
It had been sent just six months earlier.
The subject line read:
BRADEN MUST MARRY AURORA BEFORE HER THIRTIETH BIRTHDAY.
Aurora read the message.
Then she noticed the attached photograph.
It showed Braden standing outside her apartment.
On the back of the photograph was a handwritten message.
IF SHE LEAVES HIM, WE USE PLAN B.
Dante examined the accompanying files.
His expression changed.
May you like
Because Plan B contained a name neither of them expected.
DANTE MORETTI.
