Chapter 7 - THE CONFESSION THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
Everett appeared at Madison's parents' house two days later.
He arrived alone.
No bodyguards.
No expensive car waiting outside.
He stood on the porch wearing the same dark coat he had worn at the wedding.
Madison opened the door but didn't invite him inside.
“What do you want?”
“To talk.”
“You've said that before.”
“Please, Maddie.”
She studied his face.
He looked tired.
For a moment, she remembered the man who had once fallen asleep on her shoulder during a late-night movie.
Then she remembered the wedding.
“Five minutes,” she said.
They sat in the living room.
Her father remained nearby.
Everett glanced at him.
“Could we have some privacy?”
“No,” Madison replied.
Everett nodded.
“All right.”
He placed a document on the table.
“I'm signing away my interest in the property transaction.”
Madison didn't touch it.
“Why?”
“Because I don't want you dragged into this.”
“You already dragged me into it.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
He looked down.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Everett began explaining.
His father had discovered that Joanne was diverting money from the family company.
He had planned to report the transactions.
But before he could do so, he died in the boating accident.
Everett had been told that his father had been drinking.
The investigation concluded that the accident was caused by dangerous weather conditions.
However, several financial records disappeared afterward.
“Did your mother cause the accident?” Madison asked.
Everett shook his head.
“I don't know.”
“Do you believe she did?”
He didn't answer.
Madison felt her anger rise.
“You knew she was involved in something illegal, and you still let her use my name.”
“I thought I could fix everything.”
“How?”
“By getting control of the company.”
“And then?”
“Paying back the money.”
“With what?”
Everett looked at her.
“Your grandmother's property.”
Madison stared.
He had planned to use her inheritance to cover the losses.
“And Camille?”
Everett closed his eyes.
“I thought she could help.”
“Help you steal from me?”
“She had access to Bellamy's financing.”
Madison leaned back.
“Did you ever love her?”
Everett looked genuinely wounded.
“That's not fair.”
“Neither was what you did to me.”
He reached toward her.
She moved her hand away.
“I loved you,” he said.
Madison's voice was quiet.
“You loved what I made possible.”
Everett swallowed.
“I know I made mistakes.”
“Mistakes are forgetting an anniversary. You made choices.”
His eyes filled.
“I was going to tell you everything after the wedding.”
“After I became legally connected to you?”
“I thought marriage would give us time.”
Madison almost laughed.
“You wanted a wife, a financial shield, and a woman who wouldn't question you.”
He lowered his head.
Then he said something she hadn't expected.
“Camille wasn't supposed to come to the wedding.”
Madison frowned.
“What?”
“Joanne arranged it.”
Everett explained that his mother had threatened to expose certain financial records unless he followed her instructions.
Camille had been brought to the ceremony to create a public emotional crisis.
Joanne believed Madison would be embarrassed into accepting Everett's explanation afterward.
“She thought you'd come home,” Everett said.
Madison stared at him.
“So the whole scene was planned?”
“Not exactly.”
“What wasn't planned?”
“Camille genuinely lost control. I didn't know she would start crying.”
Madison felt cold.
“You still walked away from me.”
“I thought I could calm her down.”
“You thought she mattered more.”
Everett covered his face.
“I didn't know you would leave.”
That was the most honest thing he had said.
Madison stood.
“You should go.”
“Maddie—”
“Go.”
He walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he turned.
“There is one more thing.”
Madison didn't respond.
“My father left a letter. My mother has it.”
“What does it say?”
Everett looked at her.
“I think it explains why your grandmother kept those records.”
He hesitated.
“And I think it proves my father knew who was responsible for the money disappearing.”
“Your mother?”
Everett nodded.
“But there's something else.”
His voice dropped.
“The letter says someone helped her.”
Madison felt her heart pound.
“Who?”
Everett looked toward the hallway.
Then back at her.
“Someone in your family.”
He left before she could ask another question.
Madison stood frozen.
Her father came into the room.
“Don't believe everything he says.”
“I don't.”
But when she turned toward the table, she noticed something.
Everett had left behind a small envelope.
Inside was a photograph of her grandmother standing beside a man Madison had never seen before.
The man wore a Cross family company badge.
May you like
On the back, three words were written.
Your grandfather lived.
