Chapter 6: The Price of My Father's Betray## Chapter 6: The Price of My Father's Betrayal
For several seconds, I couldn't hear anything.
The auditorium was still full of people, but their voices seemed to disappear beneath the pounding of my heartbeat.
My father'sal
For several seconds, I couldn't hear anything.
The auditorium was still full of people, but their voices seemed to disappear beneath the pounding of my heartbeat.
My father's name remained on the tablet.
*Daniel Carter.*
The man who had walked out of my life six years earlier.
The name remained on the tablet.
*Daniel Carter.*
The man who had walked out of my life six years earlier.
The man who hadn't called when my grandmother was hospitalized.
The man who hadn't attended her funeral.
And apparently, the man who had accepted money from Vanessa Whitmore man who hadn't called when my grandmother was hospitalized.
The man who hadn't attended her funeral.
And apparently, the man who had accepted money from Vanessa Whitmore.
I stared at Evelyn Lawson.
“How much did he receive?””
She checked the document.
“One hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars.””
I laughed once.
It wasn't because anything was funny.
It was because the number seemed too absurd to belong to my life.
“One hundred and twenty-five thousand.
I stared at Evelyn Lawson.
“How much did he receive?””
She checked the document.
“One hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars.””
I laughed once.
It wasn't because anything was funny.
It was because the number seemed too absurd to belong to my life.
“One hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars for what?””
Evelyn glanced at Richard.
He nodded for her to continue.
“The payment authorization references a transfer of rights relating to the Carter family design archive. It also references a beneficiary declaration signed by your father.””
Richard dollars for what?””
Evelyn glanced at Richard.
He nodded for her to continue.
“The payment authorization references a transfer of rights relating to the Carter family design archive. It also references a beneficiary declaration signed by your father.””
Richard's expression hardened.
“Let me see that.””
Evelyn handed him the tablet.
He read the document carefully.
Then he looked at me.
“Nia, your father may have represented himself as having authority over your grandmother's intellectual property.””
's expression hardened.
“Let me see that.””
Evelyn handed him the tablet.
He read the document carefully.
Then he looked at me.
“Nia, your father may have represented himself as having authority over your grandmother's intellectual property.””
“But he didn't.””
“Correct. According to the trust documents, he had no ownership rights.””
I swallowed.
“Then why would Vanessa pay him?””
Richard didn't answer immediately.
Across the room, Vanessa was“But he didn't.””
“Correct. According to the trust documents, he had no ownership rights.””
I swallowed.
“Then why would Vanessa pay him?””
Richard didn't answer immediately.
Across the room, Vanessa was whispering urgently to Brianna.
Her hand was gripping her daughter's elbow.
When she noticed us looking, she turned away.
I stepped toward her.
“Mrs. Whitmore.””
She whispering urgently to Brianna.
Her hand was gripping her daughter's elbow.
When she noticed us looking, she turned away.
I stepped toward her.
“Mrs. Whitmore.””
She stopped.
“Did you pay my father to steal my grandmother's designs?””
Vanessa's face tightened.
“That's an outrageous accusation.””
“His name is on the payment authorization.””
“Your father approached the school with certain business proposals. We stopped.
“Did you pay my father to steal my grandmother's designs?””
Vanessa's face tightened.
“That's an outrageous accusation.””
“His name is on the payment authorization.””
“Your father approached the school with certain business proposals. We believed he had legitimate authority.””
“You believed him?””
“We had no reason to question his documents.””
Richard interrupted.
“That's not accurate. Carter Atelier's ownership records were available to verify believed he had legitimate authority.””
“You believed him?””
“We had no reason to question his documents.””
Richard interrupted.
“That's not accurate. Carter Atelier's ownership records were available to verify. Any competent licensing review would have identified the trust as the sole authority.””
Vanessa glared at him.
“I will not discuss confidential business arrangements in front of students.””
“Then you should have thought about. Any competent licensing review would have identified the trust as the sole authority.””
Vanessa glared at him.
“I will not discuss confidential business arrangements in front of students.””
“Then you should have thought about that before presenting a stolen design to an auditorium full of witnesses.””
Brianna suddenly spoke.
“Mom, just tell them.””
Vanessa turned sharply.
“Be quiet.””
“But you said—”
“I that before presenting a stolen design to an auditorium full of witnesses.””
Brianna suddenly spoke.
“Mom, just tell them.””
Vanessa turned sharply.
“Be quiet.””
“But you said—”
“I said be quiet!””
The force of her voice made Brianna flinch.
I stared at them.
For the first time, I realized that their relationship was not built on the unconditional love Vanessa pretended to display.
It said be quiet!””
The force of her voice made Brianna flinch.
I stared at them.
For the first time, I realized that their relationship was not built on the unconditional love Vanessa pretended to display.
It was built on control.
Brianna wanted approval.
Vanessa wanted obedience.
And both of them had been willing to destroy me to preserve the arrangement.
Richard closed the tablet.
“We need the original payment records, Mrs was built on control.
Brianna wanted approval.
Vanessa wanted obedience.
And both of them had been willing to destroy me to preserve the arrangement.
Richard closed the tablet.
“We need the original payment records, Mrs. Whitmore. The audit will determine whether this was negligence or intentional misconduct.””
Vanessa straightened her jacket.
“You're making a serious mistake.””
Richard smiled faintly.
“No. We're correcting one.””
He turned to. Whitmore. The audit will determine whether this was negligence or intentional misconduct.””
Vanessa straightened her jacket.
“You're making a serious mistake.””
Richard smiled faintly.
“No. We're correcting one.””
He turned to Evelyn.
“Preserve every document. I want the payment trail, the authorization logs, and the correspondence between Whitmore and Daniel Carter.””
Evelyn nodded.
“I'll have the compliance team begin immediately.””
I looked at Richard.
“I want Evelyn.
“Preserve every document. I want the payment trail, the authorization logs, and the correspondence between Whitmore and Daniel Carter.””
Evelyn nodded.
“I'll have the compliance team begin immediately.””
I looked at Richard.
“I want to speak to my father.””
He studied my expression.
“Are you certain?””
“No.””
I took a breath.
“But I need to know why.””
Richard retrieved his phone.
“We have a contact number to speak to my father.””
He studied my expression.
“Are you certain?””
“No.””
I took a breath.
“But I need to know why.””
Richard retrieved his phone.
“We have a contact number in the payment file.””
He dialed.
It rang four times.
Then a familiar voice answered.
“Hello?””
My throat tightened.
“Dad.””
Silence.
Then a sharp intake of in the payment file.””
He dialed.
It rang four times.
Then a familiar voice answered.
“Hello?””
My throat tightened.
“Dad.””
Silence.
Then a sharp intake of breath.
“Nia?””
I closed my eyes.
“Yes.””
“Where did you get this number?””
I almost laughed.
“You're asking me that?””
He hesitated.
“Listen, sweetheart—”
“Don't call me that.””
Another silence breath.
“Nia?””
I closed my eyes.
“Yes.””
“Where did you get this number?””
I almost laughed.
“You're asking me that?””
He hesitated.
“Listen, sweetheart—”
“Don't call me that.””
Another silence.
Then he lowered his voice.
“What's happened?””
I looked at Vanessa.
At Brianna.
At the gown.
“Why did you take money from Vanessa Whitmore?””
He didn't answer.
“Dad, why?””
“It's complicated.””
“No. It's a question.””
He sighed.
“Your grandmother was making things difficult.””
My fingers went numb.
“My grandmother?””
“She wouldn't listen.
Then he lowered his voice.
“What's happened?””
I looked at Vanessa.
At Brianna.
At the gown.
“Why did you take money from Vanessa Whitmore?””
He didn't answer.
“Dad, why?””
“It's complicated.””
“No. It's a question.””
He sighed.
“Your grandmother was making things difficult.””
My fingers went numb.
“My grandmother?””
“She wouldn't listen to anyone. She was getting older, and she was determined to keep everything under her control.””
“She built that company.””
“And I was her son!””
His voice suddenly rose.
“I had a right to something to anyone. She was getting older, and she was determined to keep everything under her control.””
“She built that company.””
“And I was her son!””
His voice suddenly rose.
“I had a right to something!””
Richard watched me carefully.
I turned away from the audience.
“You had a right to abandon us?””
“That's not fair.””
“You had a right to miss her funeral?””
“Nia, I was going through things.””
“You had a right to sell!””
Richard watched me carefully.
I turned away from the audience.
“You had a right to abandon us?””
“That's not fair.””
“You had a right to miss her funeral?””
“Nia, I was going through things.””
“You had a right to sell something that didn't belong to you?””
He fell silent.
I pressed the phone closer.
“Did you know Vanessa was going to take my gown?””
“I didn't know about the gown.””
“But you knew about the designs.””
Another pause something that didn't belong to you?””
He fell silent.
I pressed the phone closer.
“Did you know Vanessa was going to take my gown?””
“I didn't know about the gown.””
“But you knew about the designs.””
Another pause.
Then he said something that made my stomach turn.
“Your grandmother should have left the business to me.””
I stared at the floor.
“She left it to me because she knew.
Then he said something that made my stomach turn.
“Your grandmother should have left the business to me.””
I stared at the floor.
“She left it to me because she knew you would sell it.””
He exhaled sharply.
“You don't understand how business works.””
“I understand that you accepted money for something you didn't own.””
“Nia, listen. We can settle this privately.””
I looked toward Richard.
you would sell it.””
He exhaled sharply.
“You don't understand how business works.””
“I understand that you accepted money for something you didn't own.””
“Nia, listen. We can settle this privately.””
I looked toward Richard.
He shook his head.
“No private agreements,” he mouthed.
I returned my attention to the call.
“What else did you give them?””
“Nothing.””
“Dad.””
He sighed.
“I gave them copies of someHe shook his head.
“No private agreements,” he mouthed.
I returned my attention to the call.
“What else did you give them?””
“Nothing.””
“Dad.””
He sighed.
“I gave them copies of some old sketches. That's all.””
“Which sketches?””
“I don't remember.””
“Did you give them Grandma's original design archive?””
He hesitated.
Then he said, “They already had copies.””
My stomach dropped.
“How old sketches. That's all.””
“Which sketches?””
“I don't remember.””
“Did you give them Grandma's original design archive?””
He hesitated.
Then he said, “They already had copies.””
My stomach dropped.
“How?””
“I don't know.””
I heard a door slam on his end.
Then his voice became quieter.
“Nia, there's something you need to understand. Vanessa promised me that nobody would ever question the transfer.””
I froze.
“Why would she promise that?””
“Because she said the trust documents had been changed.””
Richard stepped?””
“I don't know.””
I heard a door slam on his end.
Then his voice became quieter.
“Nia, there's something you need to understand. Vanessa promised me that nobody would ever question the transfer.””
I froze.
“Why would she promise that?””
“Because she said the trust documents had been changed.””
Richard stepped closer.
“Ask him who changed them.””
I repeated the question.
My father went silent.
Then he whispered:
“Your grandmother's lawyer.””
Richard's face changed.
“Which lawyer?”” he asked closer.
“Ask him who changed them.””
I repeated the question.
My father went silent.
Then he whispered:
“Your grandmother's lawyer.””
Richard's face changed.
“Which lawyer?”” he asked.
I repeated it.
My father answered with a name I recognized.
“Richard Bennett.””
The room seemed to tilt.
I turned toward the man standing beside me.
Richard didn't move.
He simply stared at the phone.
And for the first time since he had arrived, I wasn't sure I could trust the person who had promised to protect.
I repeated it.
My father answered with a name I recognized.
“Richard Bennett.””
The room seemed to tilt.
I turned toward the man standing beside me.
Richard didn't move.
He simply stared at the phone.
May you like
And for the first time since he had arrived, I wasn't sure I could trust the person who had promised to protect me.
me.
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