Chapter 9: The Last Person Edward Trusted
The board meeting ended without a vote.
Nobody was willing to challenge the trust, but the fraudulent documents had created a legal complication.
The Meridian's ownership was secure under Edward's original declaration.
However, the forged revocation had to be formally challenged.
Evelyn recommended an emergency hearing.
Malcolm agreed.
Dashiell said almost nothing.
I watched him sitting at the end of the conference table, staring at the photograph of his father.
Finally, he spoke.
"Mom, can I talk to you alone?""
I nodded.
Everyone left except Malcolm.
Dashiell looked at his uncle.
"Please.""
Malcolm stood.
"I'll be outside.""
When the door closed, my son lowered his head.
"I knew something was wrong.""
I waited.
"Not about Dad's death. Not about the money. But I knew Harlow was meeting Richard.""
"How long?""
"About six months.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
He looked ashamed.
"She said she was trying to get me promoted. She said Richard could help me become the next chief operating officer.""
I folded my hands.
"And you believed her?""
"I wanted to.""
I looked toward the window.
"Your father spent forty years building that hotel.""
"I know.""
"He worked holidays. He missed birthdays. He slept in his office during renovations.""
"I know, Mom.""
"And you were willing to hand it to a stranger because your wife promised you a better title?""
He began crying.
I didn't comfort him immediately.
Sometimes love requires allowing someone to feel the weight of their choices.
After a while, I spoke.
"Did Harlow ever mention your father's medication?""
His head snapped up.
"What?""
"Did she ask about his prescriptions?""
He looked confused.
"No. Why?""
I told him what Malcolm had said.
Dashiell stood so quickly that his chair fell backward.
"No.""
I remained still.
"She had access to Dad's house.""
"She visited him.""
"She helped me bring groceries when he was sick.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"Did she ever handle his medicine?""
He didn't answer.
That silence told me enough.
I called Malcolm back into the room.
He listened without interrupting.
Then he reached into his coat pocket and removed a small envelope.
"There's something Edward left with me.""
He placed it on the table.
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph of a woman standing outside a pharmacy.
She was wearing a beige coat and carrying a prescription bag.
I recognized her immediately.
Harlow.
The date was printed on the back.
It was the day before Edward's final hospital admission.
I looked at Malcolm.
"Where did you get this?""
"From a private investigator Edward hired.""
"Why didn't you show me before?""
"Because the investigator disappeared shortly after Edward died. I only recovered his files last week.""
Dashiell sat down.
"That's her.""
I stared at the photograph.
"Who filled the prescription?""
Malcolm opened another envelope.
A pharmacy receipt.
The medication was listed.
So was the name of the person who collected it.
Harlow Bellmont.
Dashiell began shaking his head.
"No. She told me she was picking up vitamins.""
Malcolm looked at him.
"She used your family information to collect the prescription.""
I felt cold.
"Was the medication altered?""
"We don't know yet. The original medical records are being reviewed.""
I stared at the receipt.
Edward had trusted Harlow enough to welcome her into our home.
He had treated her like family.
And she had used that trust against him.
My phone rang.
It was Victor.
"Mrs. Bellmont, we have located the second account.""
"Where?""
"An offshore account registered under a company called Bellmont Legacy Services.""
I looked at Malcolm.
"Who owns it?""
Victor hesitated.
"Your late husband's brother.""
I turned toward Malcolm.
He looked stunned.
"That's impossible.""
Victor continued.
"The account was opened using Mr. Malcolm Bellmont's identity documents.""
Malcolm slowly sat down.
"Someone used my identity.""
"Apparently.""
"Can you trace the transactions?""
"Yes. And there's something else. The account received a transfer of seven million dollars yesterday morning.""
I closed my eyes.
The missing money.
But why would someone use Malcolm's name?
He looked at me.
"Corinthia, I need to tell you something.""
I was beginning to dread those words.
"What?""
"Edward and I were never completely honest with each other.""
Dashiell frowned.
"What does that mean?""
Malcolm opened his leather folder.
He removed a second photograph.
This one showed Edward and Malcolm standing outside a courthouse.
Between them was a young woman holding a baby.
I stared at the photograph.
"Who is she?""
Malcolm looked at me.
"Her name is Olivia.""
"Why is she holding a baby?""
"Because that baby is Edward's granddaughter.""
The room tilted.
I looked at him.
"Edward had a daughter?""
Malcolm nodded.
"Before he met you. He was very young. The child's mother died shortly after the birth, and the girl was raised by relatives.""
I stared at the photograph.
"Why didn't he tell me?""
"He intended to. But he believed the girl's family would use her to claim a portion of the business.""
"Did they?""
"No. Olivia never knew who her father was.""
I felt a new kind of pain.
Edward had kept a secret from me.
A daughter.
A granddaughter.
A whole branch of his life I had never known existed.
Malcolm placed another document on the table.
"Edward created a separate trust for Olivia. It was supposed to be funded through the seven-million-dollar account.""
I looked at the transaction record.
"So Harlow stole money intended for Edward's granddaughter?""
"Yes.""
Dashiell stood.
"Where is Olivia now?""
Malcolm hesitated.
"She works at the Meridian.""
I blinked.
"What?""
"She's been here for almost two years.""
"What does she do?""
"She's a night-shift accountant in the hotel finance office.""
I remembered a young woman with dark hair who always greeted me politely in the lobby.
She had once helped me carry a box of Edward's old photographs.
I had thanked her.
She had smiled.
I had never known who she was.
"Does she know?""
Malcolm shook his head.
"Not yet.""
I looked at the photograph.
The baby in Olivia's arms was now a little girl.
Edward's granddaughter.
And Harlow had stolen the money intended to protect her future.
"Where is Olivia tonight?"" I asked.
Malcolm checked his phone.
"She was scheduled for the night shift.""
I stood.
"Then take me to her.""
We found Olivia in the finance office shortly after midnight.
She was sitting behind a computer, wearing a navy cardigan and reading glasses.
When she saw me, she stood immediately.
"Mrs. Bellmont?""
I smiled gently.
"Hello, Olivia.""
"Is everything all right?""
I looked at her face.
She had Edward's eyes.
The same slight crease near the left eyebrow.
The same expression when she was concentrating.
I held out the photograph.
"Do you know this man?""
She studied it.
Her face changed.
"That's... Mr. Edward.""
I nodded.
"Yes.""
She looked at me.
"Why do you have a picture of him?""
I took a breath.
"Because he was my husband.""
Olivia went very still.
Then I said the words that changed her life.
"And he was your father.""
She dropped the photograph.
For a moment, she didn't move.
Then she whispered:
"That's impossible.""
I reached for her hand.
"I wish I could explain everything tonight.""
Her eyes filled.
"Why didn't he come looking for me?""
I swallowed.
"Because he was afraid. And because he made mistakes.""
She turned away.
"I don't want money.""
I shook my head.
"This isn't about money.""
"Then what is it about?""
I looked at the photograph on the floor.
"It's about making sure nobody ever steals what he intended for you.""
Olivia covered her mouth.
Then her computer chimed.
A new message had arrived.
She looked at the screen.
Her face went pale.
"Mrs. Bellmont...""
"What is it?""
She turned the monitor toward me.
An internal message had been sent from the hotel executive account.
The subject line read:
*URGENT: TERMINATION OF CORINTHIA BELLMONT'S TRUST RIGHTS.*
And the sender was listed as:
*DASHIELL BELLMONT.*
I turned slowly toward my son.
He was standing behind us.
He looked horrified.
"Mom, I didn't send that.""
Then Olivia opened the attachment.
The document contained a new authorization.
This time, it wasn't forged.
It carried a valid digital certificate.
May you like
And beneath it was a signature that belonged to the one person Edward had trusted most after me.
Malcolm Bellmont.
