Chapter 8: The Woman Who Finally Told the Truth
I opened the garage door.
Naomi stepped inside quickly.
Her face was pale.
Her hair was disheveled, and she was wearing the same coat she had worn during our last conversation.
“Lock the door,” she whispered.
I stared at her.
“Why?””
“Please, Cedric.””
I locked it.
She placed the envelope on my workbench.
Then she looked around.
“Is Rebecca here?””
“No.””
“Call her.””
“First, tell me why you're here.””
Naomi swallowed.
“Because Xavier was right. My father-in-law—”
I interrupted.
“Arthur isn't your father-in-law.””
She flinched.
“I know.””
“Then stop talking like you're part of their family.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Cedric, please. I know I hurt you.””
I folded my arms.
“You didn't simply hurt me. You gave away my family's work.””
“I know.””
“You lied to me.””
“I know.””
“You stood beside another man while I was proposing to you.””
She looked down.
“I know.””
I waited.
For once, I wanted her to say something without defending herself.
She finally whispered:
“I'm sorry.””
The words sounded small in the enormous garage.
I pointed to the envelope.
“What's inside?””
“The original patent file.””
My chest tightened.
“You have it?””
She nodded.
“Xavier gave it to me.””
“Why?””
“Because he wants to protect himself. He thinks his father is going to destroy every copy.””
I opened the envelope.
Inside were several documents, photographs, and an old handwritten letter.
The first page contained my mother's full name.
*Evelyn Marie Walls.*
Underneath it was the original patent application.
My mother was listed as the primary inventor.
My father was listed as co-inventor.
And the date was twenty-two years earlier.
I turned another page.
A technical diagram showed the same mechanical release mechanism I had discovered in the black notebook.
But there was something else.
A handwritten amendment.
*The system shall remain under the ownership of its inventors and their direct descendants unless all registered inventors provide written consent.*
I read it twice.
“Naomi, where did you get this?””
“From Xavier.””
“Why did he give it to you?””
She sat on an old chair.
“Because he knows his father forged the transfer.””
I looked at her.
“How long have you known?””
She covered her face.
“Since last year.””
My stomach tightened.
“Last year?””
She nodded.
“Xavier asked me to examine the company's archived research files. He told me he was looking for opportunities to modernize older patents.””
“And you found my mother's work.””
“Yes.””
“What did you do?””
She looked at the floor.
“I told him who your father was.””
I stared at her.
She continued.
“At first, I thought it was an incredible opportunity. I thought Xavier could help you turn your prototype into something big.””
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
“Because his father told him the patent belonged to Vantage.””
“And you believed him?””
“I wanted to.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Why?””
She began crying.
“Because I was already involved with Xavier.””
I looked away.
There it was.
The truth without decoration.
Naomi continued.
“He promised to help me establish a research foundation after graduation. He said I could lead a new academic division.””
“And what did he want in return?””
She hesitated.
“Your patent.””
I stared at her.
“So I was never just a friend to him.””
“No.””
“You were his way into my life.””
She nodded.
“I didn't understand how far he intended to take it.””
I leaned against the workbench.
“Naomi, did you know about the $500,000 offer?””
“Yes.””
“Did you know about the forged signatures?””
She hesitated.
“Yes.””
The room went quiet.
I looked at her.
“You knew.””
She wiped her cheeks.
“I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“Losing everything.””
I looked at her graduation photographs hanging on the wall.
The woman in those pictures had looked so proud.
Now I wondered how much of that achievement had been built on things she had chosen not to question.
“You had a choice,” I said.
She nodded.
“I know.””
“You could have told me.””
“I know.””
“You could have returned the drawings.””
“I know.””
“You could have stopped Xavier.””
She began sobbing.
“I know!””
I turned away.
She stood and stepped toward me.
“Cedric, I don't expect you to forgive me. But I need you to understand something. Xavier isn't simply afraid of his father. He's afraid of what his father did to your mother.””
I turned back.
“What did he do?””
Naomi opened the envelope again.
She removed a photograph.
It showed my mother standing outside a courthouse.
Beside her was a younger Arthur Reed.
They were arguing.
On the back, someone had written:
*September 14. Evelyn refuses the final settlement.*
I stared at the photograph.
“Where did you get this?””
“It was in the archive.””
I looked at the date.
The same date as the alleged transfer agreement.
My mother had refused the settlement.
Which meant the company had produced a document claiming she agreed to something she had explicitly rejected.
Naomi handed me another sheet.
A typed memorandum.
*Internal instruction: Remove Evelyn Walls from all future correspondence. Secure secondary authorization through Samuel Bennett.*
My throat tightened.
Dr. Bennett.
I looked at Naomi.
“Why does this mention him?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know.””
I picked up my phone.
I called Rebecca.
She answered immediately.
“Cedric?””
“Naomi has the original file.””
“What?””
“She's here. We have the patent application, the amendment, and internal correspondence.””
Rebecca's voice sharpened.
“Don't let anyone touch those documents. I'm coming.””
I lowered my phone.
Naomi stood quietly.
“Cedric, there's one more thing.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
She reached into her handbag and removed a small USB drive.
“Xavier recorded a conversation with his father.””
I took it.
“What's on it?””
“Arthur discussing the forged agreement.””
I stared at her.
“Why didn't Xavier give it to Rebecca?””
“He wants something first.””
“What?””
Naomi looked directly at me.
“He wants you to help him remove his father from the company.””
I shook my head.
“I'm not interested in their family business.””
“He says if Arthur goes to prison, he'll lose control of the company.””
“That sounds like his problem.””
She lowered her voice.
“Cedric, Arthur knows about the original patent file now.””
I froze.
“How?””
“He found out I took it.””
A vehicle engine started outside.
Naomi rushed toward the security monitor.
The black car was back.
Its headlights were pointed directly at the garage.
She whispered:
“That's his security team.””
A heavy knock struck the metal door.
Then another.
A man's voice called out.
“Ms. Carter, Mr. Reed would like his documents returned.””
Naomi backed away.
I looked at the envelope.
Then at the USB drive.
The documents that could finally prove what had happened to my parents were sitting on my workbench.
And the men outside weren't asking politely anymore.
Rebecca's car pulled into the driveway.
I heard her shout from outside.
“Police! Step away from the door!””
The knocking stopped.
A moment later, tires screeched against the road.
The black car disappeared.
Rebecca entered, breathing hard.
She looked at Naomi.
Then at the envelope.
“Tell me you have everything.””
I nodded.
“Almost.””
I held up the USB drive.
“There's a recording.””
Rebecca took it carefully.
“Then we may finally have enough.””
But before she could continue, my phone rang.
Dr. Bennett.
I answered.
His voice was weak.
“Cedric, I need you to listen carefully.””
“Where are you?””
“Hospital.””
My stomach dropped.
“What happened?””
“They found me in the archive.””
“Who?””
He coughed.
“Arthur's men.””
I gripped the phone.
“Are you okay?””
“I'm alive. But they took something.””
“What?””
The professor paused.
May you like
Then whispered:
“The original patent register.””
