Chapter 9 - THE TRUTH HIS MOTHER BURIED
Thomas had spent his entire life believing his mother had been the gentle center of the family.
She had taught him kindness.
She had taught Sarah loyalty.
She had protected them from their father's temper.
Now Jonathan was telling him she had built the machine behind the fortune.
“I don't believe you.”
Jonathan nodded.
“You shouldn't.”
He placed a folder on the table.
“Read.”
Thomas opened it.
Inside were letters from his mother.
Instructions.
Transfers.
Secret accounts.
Thomas felt his world collapse.
“She did all this?”
“She started it,” Jonathan said.
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
Thomas laughed bitterly.
“Everyone says that.”
Jonathan's expression softened.
“She knew your father would destroy the family.”
“So she built a second empire?”
“Yes.”
“To control him.”
“Yes.”
Thomas stared at the documents.
Then Evelyn spoke.
“Your mother recruited me.”
Thomas turned.
“What?”
“Years ago.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because she made me promise.”
Thomas shook his head.
“How much of our relationship was real?”
Evelyn stepped closer.
“All of it.”
Thomas looked at her.
“I loved you before I knew any of this.”
He studied her face.
She didn't look away.
Then Thomas understood.
She had lied about being his mistress.
She had lied about why she stayed.
But her feelings had been real.
His phone rang.
Genevieve.
“Dad?”
Thomas answered immediately.
“What happened?”
“There is someone outside the house.”
Thomas's blood froze.
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“Lock the doors.”
“We did.”
Toby's voice could be heard crying in the background.
Thomas stood.
“We're coming.”
Jonathan grabbed his coat.
“No.”
Thomas looked at him.
“You're not going.”
“Why?”
“Because they want you there.”
Thomas stared.
Jonathan continued.
“They don't want your money.”
“What do they want?”
Jonathan looked toward Evelyn.
“They want the ledger.”
Thomas's stomach tightened.
“What ledger?”
“The one your mother kept hidden.”
Evelyn suddenly understood.
“The USB.”
Thomas shook his head.
“No.”
He remembered Toby's drive.
It wasn't the ledger.
It was a key.
The real ledger was hidden somewhere else.
Thomas thought about his mother's letter.
If Evelyn is still beside you, listen to her.
He looked at Evelyn.
“Where would my mother hide something nobody could find?”
Evelyn answered immediately.
“Somewhere you would never search.”
Thomas smiled faintly.
“The wedding.”
They returned to Boston.
The ballroom had been closed since the ceremony.
Thomas walked onto the empty stage.
He looked at the altar.
Then at the enormous floral arrangement.
He remembered his mother's favorite flowers.
White roses.
He moved toward the centerpiece.
Inside the hollow base was a metal box.
Thomas opened it.
The ledger was inside.
May you like
And on the first page was a single sentence.
This is not the end.
