Chapter 5 - THE SON WHO KNEW
When Margaret and Emily returned to the mansion, Richard was waiting in
the library.
He stood beside the fireplace with a glass of whiskey.
“You went to see Thomas Vale.”
Margaret stopped.
“How did you know?”
“Because I still have people looking after the family.”
“People who report my movements to you?”
“People who protect this house.”
Margaret placed Thomas’s letter on the table.
“Your father sent Eleanor away.”
Richard’s face hardened.
“Thomas is old and confused.”
“He remembered everything.”
“He’s been paid to tell stories.”
“By whom?”
Richard looked at Emily.
“By someone who wants money.”
Emily stepped forward.
“I didn’t know this family existed until tonight.”
“And now you expect us to believe you just happened to recognize a
necklace?”
“My mother told me about it.”
Richard gave a bitter laugh.
“Convenient.”
Margaret raised her hand.
“Enough. I want the truth.”
Richard put down his glass.
“The truth is that Eleanor was going to destroy this family. She stole
company documents and threatened to expose your husband. Father sent her
away to prevent a scandal.”
“Did he know she had a child?”
Richard said nothing.
Margaret moved closer.
“Did you know?”
He looked at Emily.
“Yes.”
The word struck the room like a slap.
Emily felt her knees weaken.
“You knew about me?”
Richard’s jaw tightened.
“I knew she had a child. I didn’t know where you were.”
“You knew my mother was alive?”
“For some years.”
Margaret stared at him.
“You let me believe she was dead.”
“Mother, you were grieving. The truth would have destroyed you.”
“The truth was that my daughter was alive!”
“She had made her choice.”
“She was twenty-four years old!”
Richard’s voice rose.
“She was going to expose the company. Do you understand what that would
have done? Thousands of employees depended on us. The family could have
lost everything.”
“So you protected the company by destroying your sister?”
Richard’s face twisted.
“I protected what Father built.”
Emily looked at him.
“Did you ever try to find my mother?”
“No.”
“Did you ever help her?”
“No.”
“Then don’t tell me you protected anyone.”
Margaret turned away, struggling to breathe.
Richard reached for her.
“Mother—”
“Don’t touch me.”
He stopped.
Margaret looked at him with a grief that had hardened into something
stronger.
“You will give the investigators every document connected to Eleanor.
Every account. Every letter. Every report.”
Richard laughed once.
“You cannot be serious.”
“I am.”
“You’ll ruin the company.”
“If the company cannot survive the truth, it deserves to fall.”
Richard’s expression became cold.
“You’ve become sentimental.”
“No,” Margaret said. “I have finally become a mother again.”
Richard walked out.
Emily watched him leave.
Then she noticed the library door had not closed fully.
May you like
A small red light blinked near the frame.
Someone had been recording them.
