Chapter 16 - Claire’s Lie
For a moment, Leo forgot about the guns, the deputies, and Martin trapped behind glass.
He only saw his mother.
“You destroyed Grandpa’s first trust?”
Claire nodded, tears in her eyes.
“Not because I wanted the company.”
Henry’s voice went hard. “Then why?”
“Because I found out Richard was stealing, and I thought you would cover for him again.”
“I never covered for him.”
“You covered for everyone, Dad. Every scandal. Every bad decision. You kept calling it protecting the family.”
Henry flinched.
Claire continued. “The first trust named me controlling heir. I was terrified that if you died, Richard would come after me. So I destroyed my copy and begged you to change it.”
Henry looked at Leo.
“And I did.”
Leo felt anger rising.
“So I got dragged into this because you two were too scared to tell each other the truth?”
Neither adult answered.
“Great.”
It was the most eleven-year-old thing he had said all night, and somehow it made Claire laugh through her tears.
Henry almost did too.
Then Martin smashed a chair through the control-room glass.
The cracked pane burst outward.
He lunged through the opening.
Cross tackled him before he made three steps.
The will slid across the wet floor and stopped at Leo’s shoes.
Leo picked it up.
Martin, pinned face-down, turned his head.
“You think that family deserves what Henry built?”
Leo looked at the document.
Then at Richard in cuffs outside.
Then at his mother.
Then at Grandpa.
“No,” Leo said.
Martin smiled.
Leo continued, “But neither do you.”
Cross hauled Martin to his feet.
As deputies led him away, Martin looked at Henry.
“You still haven’t figured out the worst part.”
Henry did not react.
Martin laughed.
“You think I started this because Richard came to me for help. Richard was just the door.”
He nodded toward the will in Leo’s hand.
“The company was already bleeding before he stole a dollar.”
Henry’s face tightened.
May you like
Martin called back as he disappeared through the loading bay.
“Check the pension fund.”
