Chapter 2 - THE WOMAN WHO WAS ERASED
Theodore dismissed Graham from the library.
Amelia remained.
She couldn't stop thinking about the photograph.
“My mother-in-law gave Graham the ring.”
“No.”
Theodore shook his head.
“She couldn't have.”
“Why?”
“Because I personally locked that ring away after my wife's death.”
“Then how did Graham get it?”
“That is what I intend to find out.”
He opened a hidden drawer.
Inside was an old ledger.
The cover was cracked.
Dust covered the pages.
Theodore opened it carefully.
“This is the original Hale family registry.”
Amelia looked down.
Names filled the pages.
Births.
Deaths.
Marriages.
Inheritance transfers.
Then Theodore stopped.
A page had been torn out.
“Who was here?”
“My sister.”
“Margaret?”
“Yes.”
“Why was her page removed?”
“Because someone wanted her erased.”
Amelia stared at him.
“Why?”
Theodore's eyes grew distant.
“Margaret was supposed to inherit half of the family company.”
“What happened?”
“She accused my father of stealing from her.”
“And was she right?”
“Yes.”
Amelia looked shocked.
Theodore continued.
“My father had been hiding money overseas.”
Margaret discovered it.
She threatened to expose him.
Then she disappeared.
“What happened to her?”
“We were told she died.”
“You don't believe that?”
“I never found a body.”
Amelia felt a chill.
“So you think she survived?”
“I know she survived.”
He opened another document.
A marriage certificate.
The name of the bride had been blacked out.
But the groom's name was visible.
Richard Morgan.
Amelia's eyes widened.
“Celeste Morgan.”
Theodore nodded.
“Celeste is Margaret's granddaughter.”
Amelia sat down.
“Then she isn't just Graham's mistress.”
“No.”
“She belongs to the family.”
“By blood.”
“But why hide it?”
“Because Margaret hated the Hales.”
“Why?”
Theodore closed the ledger.
“Because she believed we stole her inheritance.”
Amelia remembered the sapphire.
“Then the ring…”
“Was Margaret's.”
A strange silence filled the room.
“She gave it to Celeste?”
“Perhaps.”
“But why would Celeste wear it in front of me?”
Theodore looked at Amelia.
“Because she wanted you to notice.”
Amelia frowned.
“What?”
“She wanted you to understand that she believed she had a claim on this family.”
“Graham knows?”
“I don't know.”
“And if she is Margaret's granddaughter…”
Theodore finished the sentence.
“She may have a legal claim to assets Graham doesn't even know exist.”
Amelia stood.
“Then why does Graham think he's helping her?”
“Because someone has convinced him that marrying Celeste will secure his position.”
Amelia's stomach tightened.
“Marrying her?”
Theodore nodded.
“Graham has been asking lawyers about divorce.”
She stared at him.
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
Exactly when Graham's behavior changed.
Amelia felt something inside her harden.
“He was never planning to leave quietly.”
“No.”
Theodore looked at the torn registry page.
“He was planning to replace you.”
“With Celeste.”
“And use her family connection to unlock something.”
“What?”
Theodore looked toward the safe.
“The Hale Trust.”
Amelia knew the name.
Every Hale heir knew it.
The trust controlled the most valuable family properties.
But no one could access its restricted holdings without approval from two family branches.
One belonged to Theodore.
The other had supposedly died with Margaret.
Theodore whispered:
“Celeste believes she is the missing heir.”
Amelia stared at him.
“But she isn't.”
Theodore's expression was grim.
“No.”
“She isn't?”
“No.”
“Then who is?”
May you like
Theodore looked directly at Amelia.
“You.”
