The Candle That Should Have Been White
Chapter 02 - The Candle That Should Have Been White
Rebecca quickly called the red wax meaningless.
She said dozens of candles had been used during Victor’s memorial and anyone could have touched the holder. Eleanor seemed ready to accept that explanation, but Emma remembered the service clearly. Rebecca had insisted on arranging the candles herself, saying Victor had once told her red represented loyalty.
Emma had spent most of the memorial upstairs, struggling through early labor. At 3:00 in the morning, she had awakened to the sound of the study door closing. She assumed it was Daniel checking on company documents before his flight.
Now she remembered the perfume left in the hallway.
Rebecca wore the same scent.
Emma asked Eleanor to open the trust’s security records. The older woman hesitated. The transfer looked complete, and the bank had already frozen the remaining accounts. Still, she entered the administrator code.
The authorization log showed the transaction had been initiated from Daniel’s study. Facial verification displayed Emma’s photograph. The security phrase was correct.
Claire stood and demanded that Emma hand over the baby until police arrived.
That was the first moment Eleanor’s composure cracked. “No one takes that child from her mother.”
Rebecca glanced toward the door.
Emma asked to see the photograph used for verification. When Eleanor enlarged it, everyone saw Emma’s face against a white wall. At first it looked convincing. Then Emma pointed to the lower corner.
A hospital identification band was visible around her wrist.
The photograph had been taken while Emma was asleep after delivery.
Only three visitors had entered her room: Daniel, Eleanor, and Rebecca.
Rebecca claimed she had taken a harmless family picture. Emma reminded her that the original image had shown the baby in her arms. Someone had cropped Lily out and used Emma’s sleeping face to authorize the transfer.
Mark said that still did not explain the security phrase.
Emma looked at the candle again.
Victor had hidden important phrases inside family traditions. During every memorial, the first letters of the candle colors formed the password for the trust. Rebecca had arranged the candles, photographed the order, and learned the phrase.
Eleanor’s face went pale.
She turned the phone toward Rebecca. “Where did the money go?”
Rebecca rose from her chair.
Before she could answer, the front door opened.
May you like
Daniel walked into the house carrying a black laptop case.
He had never boarded the plane.
