CHAPTER 2 — HER FATHER’S FINAL ORDER
Detective Grant stepped into the living room.
“Put the box down.”
Preston tightened his grip.
“This is private property.”
Attorney Lydia Shaw entered behind the detective.
“No,” she said calmly. “This property legally belongs to Emily Bennett.”
Preston laughed.
But no one joined him.
Lydia placed a sealed document on the table.
“Charles Bennett transferred ownership of this mansion, seventy-two percent of Bennett Meridian Holdings, and all emergency funding accounts to his daughter.”
Eleanor stood.
“That is impossible.”
“It became effective at midnight,” Lydia replied.
Preston looked at Emily.
“You knew about this?”
“No.”
She truly had not.
Her father had mentioned changing his will, but she never imagined he had placed Preston’s entire empire in her hands.
Vanessa stepped away from the chair.
Detective Grant blocked her.
“You’re staying.”
“I haven’t done anything.”
“You screamed when he opened that box.”
Vanessa’s eyes shifted toward Preston.
A silent warning passed between them.
Detective Grant noticed.
So did Emily.
Preston suddenly moved.
He opened the black box, grabbed a flash drive, and threw it toward the fire.
Emily screamed.
Grant knocked it away with an iron poker before it reached the flames.
Two officers seized Preston.
“Get off me!” he shouted.
Lydia lifted another document.
“Charles Bennett also created a trust for Emily’s unborn child.”
Preston stopped struggling.
A slow smile returned to his face.
“My son.”
Lydia looked directly at him.
“You are specifically excluded from the trust.”
His smile disappeared.
“The child’s guardian, trustee, and sole legal protector is Emily.”
Preston lunged toward her.
Grant forced him back.
“You think a piece of paper changes anything?” Preston shouted. “She is still my wife. That baby is still mine.”
Emily covered her stomach.
Attorney Daniel Mercer entered carrying a leather folder.
He had served her father for more than twenty years.
He looked at Emily’s bruised face.
His expression darkened.
“Charles suspected you were in danger,” he said.
Emily stared at him.
“Why didn’t he tell me?”
“Because he believed Preston was monitoring your calls.”
Daniel opened the folder.
“Three days before his death, your father wrote a final instruction.”
He unfolded a page.
Emily recognized the handwriting immediately.
If Emily is harmed, open the black box and contact Detective Grant.
Preston’s mother moved toward Daniel.
“My son had nothing to do with Charles’s death.”
Daniel looked at her.
“No one accused him.”
Eleanor went still.
That was the first moment Emily saw fear in her eyes.
Detective Grant examined the damaged flash drive.
“What was Charles investigating?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Missing money.”
“How much?”
“Over sixty million dollars.”
The executives near the fireplace looked at each other.
Preston shook his head.
“This is ridiculous.”
Daniel continued.
“The money moved through companies controlled by the Ashford family.”
Vanessa suddenly spoke.
“Charles was confused before he died.”
Emily turned toward her.
“How would you know?”
Vanessa’s face changed.
Only for a second.
But it was enough.
Before anyone could question her, footsteps sounded upstairs.
The housekeeper appeared at the top of the staircase holding a stained envelope.
“Mrs. Bennett,” she whispered. “I found this hidden behind the baby’s crib.”
Emily took one step forward.
May you like
Across the front, written in her father’s handwriting, were the words:
Emily, the woman in your house is not Vanessa Crane.
