The Trust No One Was Supposed to See
Chapter 02 - The Trust No One Was Supposed to See
Paramedics treated Eleanor beside the pool while Daniel gave Vanessa’s phone to Detective Maya Ortiz. Vanessa objected, claiming it contained private business information, but the livestream was still connected to an account registered to Marcus Vale, the Hart family attorney.
Marcus had advised Daniel since his father’s death. He had prepared every contract involving the company, including the trust that protected Eleanor’s shares. Daniel called him three times. Marcus did not answer.
Inside the house, the study had been searched. Drawers were open, the safe stood empty, and Eleanor’s laptop was missing. Vanessa said she knew nothing about it.
Eleanor told Ortiz that she had requested an independent audit after noticing payments to construction companies that did not exist. That morning, she found copies of an emergency guardianship petition declaring her mentally unfit. Attached were edited videos of her forgetting names, repeating questions, and wandering through the house.
“I do forget things,” Eleanor admitted. “But those clips were arranged to make me look helpless.”
Vanessa had offered to help organize Eleanor’s medical appointments. She had access to every calendar, prescription, and security camera in the villa.
Daniel searched Vanessa’s phone with Ortiz’s permission. The private account contained dozens of videos. Some showed Eleanor on difficult days. Others had been cut together with false dates and subtitles. The newest file was titled FINAL INCIDENT.
The pool scene was meant to become proof that Eleanor was dangerous and confused. If she survived, Vanessa could claim she had fallen during an episode. If she did not, Marcus could activate a disputed amendment giving Vanessa control until Daniel’s upcoming marriage.
The velvet ring box in Daniel’s pocket suddenly felt like a stone.
Ortiz asked Vanessa to remain at the house. Vanessa agreed, then requested a moment to change out of her wet dress. Ten minutes later, a side door alarm sounded.
She was gone.
So was Daniel’s car, Eleanor’s laptop, and the original trust certificate.
On the kitchen counter, Daniel found a handwritten note.
By midnight, the company will belong to the person smart enough to take it.
Eleanor looked toward the dark driveway. “She can’t move the shares without Marcus.”
Daniel checked the clock. It was 8:17 p.m.
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Then Ortiz received an alert: Marcus had booked a private flight leaving at 12:30.
They had barely four hours to stop them.
