Chapter 3: The Night Their Father Died
The wedding coordinator knocked again.
This time, Marcus opened the door himself.
A young woman in a black suit stood outside holding a clipboard..
A young woman in a black suit stood outside holding a clipboard. Behind her, the corridor glowed with warm lights, and the distant sound of a string quartet floated up from the ballroom.
“Mr Behind her, the corridor glowed with warm lights, and the distant sound of a string quartet floated up from the ballroom.
“Mr. Whitmore, the guests are seated,” she said carefully.
“The officiant is asking. Whitmore, the guests are seated,” she said carefully.
“The officiant is asking whether we should delay the ceremony.””
Marcus glanced at the clipboard.
His name appeared beside Aaliyah's, printed in elegant gold letters.
For months, whether we should delay the ceremony.””
Marcus glanced at the clipboard.
His name appeared beside Aaliyah's, printed in elegant gold letters.
For months, those names had represented everything he wanted.
Now they looked like an appointment those names had represented everything he wanted.
Now they looked like an appointment he had forgotten to cancel.
“Tell them there will be a delay,” he said.
“How long?””
“I he had forgotten to cancel.
“Tell them there will be a delay,” he said.
“How long?””
“I don't know.””
The coordinator looked past him and saw Aaliyah standing beside the bed, still don't know.””
The coordinator looked past him and saw Aaliyah standing beside the bed, still in her wedding gown.
Her smile was gone.
“Of course,” the woman replied.
“I'll inform the guests.””
When she left, Marcus in her wedding gown.
Her smile was gone.
“Of course,” the woman replied.
“I'll inform the guests.””
When she left, Marcus closed the door.
He turned to his mother.
“You said Dad wasn't supposed to be alone. Explain closed the door.
He turned to his mother.
“You said Dad wasn't supposed to be alone. Explain.””
Evelyn sat down on the gold chair beneath the veil.
For several seconds, she sm.””
Evelyn sat down on the gold chair beneath the veil.
For several seconds, she smoothed the fabric of her dress without looking at him.
“Your father called me at eleven forty-five that night,” she said.
“He was frightenedoothed the fabric of her dress without looking at him.
“Your father called me at eleven forty-five that night,” she said.
“He was frightened.””
“Dad? Frightened of what?””
“He said someone had entered his study and removed a file.””
“Dad? Frightened of what?””
“He said someone had entered his study and removed a file from the locked cabinet.””
“What file?””
“The original documents establishing the family trust.””
Marcus frowned from the locked cabinet.””
“What file?””
“The original documents establishing the family trust.””
Marcus frowned.
“But those were in the lawyer's office.””
“The copies were. Your father kept the originals because he didn't trust electronic records. He believed somebody.
“But those were in the lawyer's office.””
“The copies were. Your father kept the originals because he didn't trust electronic records. He believed somebody had been trying to change the ownership structure without his permission.””
Marcus felt his stomach tighten.
“Did he say who?””
“No. He told me to come home had been trying to change the ownership structure without his permission.””
Marcus felt his stomach tighten.
“Did he say who?””
“No. He told me to come home immediately.””
“Did you?””
“I was at a charity dinner across town. By the time I reached the house, the ambulance was already there.””
Marcus stared at her immediately.””
“Did you?””
“I was at a charity dinner across town. By the time I reached the house, the ambulance was already there.””
Marcus stared at her.
He remembered that night vividly.
The rain had hammered against the windows. Nathan had called him at two in the morning,.
He remembered that night vividly.
The rain had hammered against the windows. Nathan had called him at two in the morning, his voice trembling as he explained that their father had collapsed in his study.
Marcus had his voice trembling as he explained that their father had collapsed in his study.
Marcus had driven through the storm with his hands shaking on the steering wheel.
At the hospital, Nathan had embraced driven through the storm with his hands shaking on the steering wheel.
At the hospital, Nathan had embraced him and whispered that their father had suffered a massive heart attack.
There had been no time for him and whispered that their father had suffered a massive heart attack.
There had been no time for questions.
No time to ask why the study door had been locked.
No time to ask why Nathan had arrived at the hospital before the ambulance.
“What happened to the file questions.
No time to ask why the study door had been locked.
No time to ask why Nathan had arrived at the hospital before the ambulance.
“What happened to the file?”” Marcus asked.
“I never found it.””
“And you never told me?””
“I was grieving. The police found no evidence of a?”” Marcus asked.
“I never found it.””
“And you never told me?””
“I was grieving. The police found no evidence of a break-in, and the doctor said your father had died from natural causes.””
“Then why did Dad tell you someone had taken it break-in, and the doctor said your father had died from natural causes.””
“Then why did Dad tell you someone had taken it?””
“Because he knew something was wrong.””
Evelyn reached into her handbag and removed another sheet of paper.
“This was tucked inside the letter.?””
“Because he knew something was wrong.””
Evelyn reached into her handbag and removed another sheet of paper.
“This was tucked inside the letter. I found it only last week.””
Marcus took it.
It was a photocopy of a handwritten note.
*If anything happens to me, look at the second ledger. Not I found it only last week.””
Marcus took it.
It was a photocopy of a handwritten note.
If anything happens to me, look at the second ledger. Not the company accounts. The one nobody knows exists.
Marcus read the sentence aloud.
“The the company accounts. The one nobody knows exists.*
Marcus read the sentence aloud.
“The second ledger?””
Evelyn nodded.
“Your father kept a private record of major second ledger?””
Evelyn nodded.
“Your father kept a private record of major transfers, unusual payments, and anything he believed might threaten the company. He called it his insurance policy.””
“Where is it?””
“I don't know.””
A transfers, unusual payments, and anything he believed might threaten the company. He called it his insurance policy.””
“Where is it?””
“I don't know.””
Aaliyah, who had been standing silently near the bed, suddenly spoke.
“Nathan knows.””
aliyah, who had been standing silently near the bed, suddenly spoke.
“Nathan knows.””
Every head turned toward her.
Marcus looked at her with disbelief.
“How would you know that?””
She gripped the edge of the vanity.
“Because he askedEvery head turned toward her.
Marcus looked at her with disbelief.
“How would you know that?””
She gripped the edge of the vanity.
“Because he asked me to find it.””
Marcus felt the room tilt.
“You were looking for me to find it.””
Marcus felt the room tilt.
“You were looking for Dad's private ledger?””
“I didn't know what it was at first.””
“What did you think you were looking for?””
“A Dad's private ledger?””
“I didn't know what it was at first.””
“What did you think you were looking for?””
“A document.””
“What document?””
She swallowed.
“Nathan said it would prove your father had promised him a larger share of the company.””
Marcus let out a short breath.
“My father promised Nathan nothing document.””
“What document?””
She swallowed.
“Nathan said it would prove your father had promised him a larger share of the company.””
Marcus let out a short breath.
“My father promised Nathan nothing of the sort.””
“He said there was a letter.””
“Did you find it?””
“No.””
“Did you search his study?””
Aaliy of the sort.””
“He said there was a letter.””
“Did you find it?””
“No.””
“Did you search his study?””
Aaliyah nodded once.
“When?””
“Two weeks ago.””
Marcus stepped away from her.
Two weeks ago, he had been in Boston closingah nodded once.
“When?””
“Two weeks ago.””
Marcus stepped away from her.
Two weeks ago, he had been in Boston closing a major contract. Aaliyah had stayed at the family home, supposedly helping Evelyn prepare for the wedding a major contract. Aaliyah had stayed at the family home, supposedly helping Evelyn prepare for the wedding.
She had walked through his father's study looking for evidence that might undermine the very inheritance he had been entrusted to protect.
“You stood in that room,”.
She had walked through his father's study looking for evidence that might undermine the very inheritance he had been entrusted to protect.
“You stood in that room,” Marcus said, “and watched me talk about how much I missed him.””
Aaliyah began to cry.
“I was going to stop.””
“When Marcus said, “and watched me talk about how much I missed him.””
Aaliyah began to cry.
“I was going to stop.””
“When?””
“After the wedding.””
“After you got everything you wanted?””
“No!””
She reached toward him, but he moved away.
“Please, Marcus. Nathan?””
“After the wedding.””
“After you got everything you wanted?””
“No!””
She reached toward him, but he moved away.
“Please, Marcus. Nathan said the ledger contained evidence that your father had manipulated the inheritance. He told me you would eventually lose said the ledger contained evidence that your father had manipulated the inheritance. He told me you would eventually lose everything if we didn't act first.””
“So you decided to help him take it.””
“I thought I was protecting myself.””
“From me everything if we didn't act first.””
“So you decided to help him take it.””
“I thought I was protecting myself.””
“From me?””
“From everybody!””
Her voice echoed through the suite.
For a moment, she seemed to realize what?””
“From everybody!””
Her voice echoed through the suite.
For a moment, she seemed to realize what she had admitted.
She lowered her head.
Marcus looked at his mother.
“Did Dad she had admitted.
She lowered her head.
Marcus looked at his mother.
“Did Dad leave anything else?””
Evelyn hesitated.
Then she removed a small brass key from a chain around her neck.
“Your father gave me this on leave anything else?””
Evelyn hesitated.
Then she removed a small brass key from a chain around her neck.
“Your father gave me this on the evening he died. He told me to keep it safe.””
Marcus took it.
“What's it for?””
“I don't know. He said the second ledger would the evening he died. He told me to keep it safe.””
Marcus took it.
“What's it for?””
“I don't know. He said the second ledger would explain everything.””
Daniel, who had been searching through the papers, suddenly raised his head.
“Wait.””
He pulled a document from the folder explain everything.””
Daniel, who had been searching through the papers, suddenly raised his head.
“Wait.””
He pulled a document from the folder.
“Your father owned a private storage unit downtown. The estate inventory lists it as closed, but there's no record of its contents.
“Your father owned a private storage unit downtown. The estate inventory lists it as closed, but there's no record of its contents being transferred.””
Marcus took the paper.
The storage facility was on the other side of Charleston, near the old freight yards being transferred.””
Marcus took the paper.
The storage facility was on the other side of Charleston, near the old freight yards.
He looked at the key.
Then at his watch.
The wedding was supposed to begin in.
He looked at the key.
Then at his watch.
The wedding was supposed to begin in twenty minutes.
“I'm going to find that ledger,” he said.
Aaliyah stepped in front of him.
“Marcus, you can't leave me here twenty minutes.
“I'm going to find that ledger,” he said.
Aaliyah stepped in front of him.
“Marcus, you can't leave me here.””
He stared at her.
“You were planning to leave me with nothing.””
“That isn't what I wanted.””
“Then what did you want?””
She looked at.””
He stared at her.
“You were planning to leave me with nothing.””
“That isn't what I wanted.””
“Then what did you want?””
She looked at him through swollen eyes.
“I wanted to belong somewhere.””
Marcus's anger softened at the edges, but his decision did him through swollen eyes.
“I wanted to belong somewhere.””
Marcus's anger softened at the edges, but his decision did not change.
“You already belonged somewhere. You belonged with me.””
He moved toward the door.
Behind him, Aaliyah spoke not change.
“You already belonged somewhere. You belonged with me.””
He moved toward the door.
Behind him, Aaliyah spoke again.
“Nathan said something else.””
Marcus stopped.
“What?””
“He said if your father had lived another week, again.
“Nathan said something else.””
Marcus stopped.
“What?””
“He said if your father had lived another week, none of this would have happened.””
The room went cold.
Marcus turned slowly.
“What exactly did he mean?””
Aaliyah pressed a trembling none of this would have happened.””
The room went cold.
Marcus turned slowly.
“What exactly did he mean?””
Aaliyah pressed a trembling hand against her chest.
“I don't know. But when I asked him why, he told me your father had discovered a payment that could put somebody in hand against her chest.
“I don't know. But when I asked him why, he told me your father had discovered a payment that could put somebody in prison.””
Evelyn stood up so quickly that the chair scraped against the floor.
“What payment?””
Aaliyah shook her head.
“He wouldn't tell me.””
Marcus looked at Daniel.
“ prison.””
Evelyn stood up so quickly that the chair scraped against the floor.
“What payment?””
Aaliyah shook her head.
“He wouldn't tell me.””
Marcus looked at Daniel.
“Get the car.””
Daniel nodded and hurried out.
Marcus turned back to his mother.
“Are you coming?””
Evelyn picked up her handbag.
“Yes.””
Aaliyah grabbed MarcusGet the car.””
Daniel nodded and hurried out.
Marcus turned back to his mother.
“Are you coming?””
Evelyn picked up her handbag.
“Yes.””
Aaliyah grabbed Marcus's wrist.
“Please don't go. If you leave now, everyone downstairs will know something is's wrist.
“Please don't go. If you leave now, everyone downstairs will know something is wrong.””
He gently removed her hand.
“Something is wrong.””
He opened the door.
Aaliyah's voice followed him into the corridor.
“ wrong.””
He gently removed her hand.
“Something is wrong.””
He opened the door.
Aaliyah's voice followed him into the corridor.
“Marcus! If you go to that storage unit, Nathan will know!””
Marcus stopped.
Then he turned around.
“How would he know where we're going?””
AMarcus! If you go to that storage unit, Nathan will know!””
Marcus stopped.
Then he turned around.
“How would he know where we're going?””
Aaliyah's face went white.
She looked down at her phone.
The screen was lit.
A message had just arrived.
**Don't let them reachaliyah's face went white.
She looked down at her phone.
The screen was lit.
A message had just arrived.
**Don't let them reach the storage unit. Get the key. Whatever happens, the ledger cannot leave that the storage unit.
Get the key. Whatever happens, the ledger cannot leave that building.**
Marcus stared at the message.
Then he looked at Aaliyah.
She had not typed a single word.
Which meant somebody else knew building.**
Marcus stared at the message.
Then he looked at Aaliyah.
She had not typed a single word.
May you like
Which meant somebody else knew exactly where they were going.
And somebody was already waiting for them.
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