Chapter 10 - The Ownership PapersWe had one hour.
Samuel wanted the original ownership papers.
The problem was, we didn't know where they were.
My mother did.
Or so I thought.
“Where are the documents?”
She looked at me.
“Under the hotel.”
I stared.
“We're already under the hotel.”
“Not deep enough.”
Daniel led us farther underground.
We entered an old vault.
Inside was a wooden box.
My mother opened it.
There were deeds.
Contracts.
Family records.
And a single sealed document.
She handed it to me.
“That's yours.”
I opened it.
The ownership agreement named me as sole beneficiary of the Solmere Hotel.
No board.
No corporation.
No shareholders.
Me.
Charlotte Vale.
But there was a second page.
A condition.
I could only assume full control after identifying the person who had attempted to steal the estate.
I looked at my mother.
“You knew this would happen.”
She nodded.
“My father built the trust because he knew someone would eventually try to destroy the family.”
“Why hide it from me?”
“Because once you knew, you became a target.”
A gunshot rang out.
The vault door shook.
Daniel pulled me down.
“They're here.”
Security cameras switched on.
Victoria appeared on screen.
She was holding Amelia.
“Charlotte!”
I stood.
“Let her go.”
Victoria smiled.
“Give me the papers.”
I looked at the document.
Then at my mother.
“How do I know you'll keep your promise?”
“You don't.”
That answer terrified me.
Then Samuel appeared beside her.
He looked directly into the camera.
“Charlotte.”
I stepped closer.
“You destroyed my family.”
“No.”
He smiled.
“Your family destroyed itself.”
He began revealing secrets.
Richard had once worked with him.
Victoria's father had funded the Circle.
Daniel had ordered disappearances.
My mother had lied.
My uncle had forged records.
Everyone had dirty hands.
Then Samuel looked at me.
“And you.”
He smiled.
“You are the only person in this entire story who still believes she's innocent.”
I looked down.
He was right.
I had spent years trusting people because I wanted the world to make sense.
But the world didn't care about sense.
It cared about leverage.
And Samuel had found mine.
I held up the ownership papers.
“You want these?”
“Yes.”
“Then come get them.”
Samuel's smile disappeared.
I tore the document in half.
Then again.
And again.
Victoria screamed.
“What are you doing?”
I dropped the pieces onto the floor.
Samuel stared.
Then laughed.
“Do you really think those are the original?”
I froze.
He pulled another document from his coat.
“The real ownership papers were never in that vault.”
My mother went pale.
“No.”
Samuel smiled.
“They're in my hands.”
The vault door exploded inward.
Men in black rushed inside.
Daniel fired.
Richard tackled one attacker.
My mother grabbed me.
We ran.
But the last thing I saw before the lights went out was Samuel holding the real document.
And on it…
was my mother's signature.
May you like
Authorizing the transfer of the entire Solmere Empire.
To Samuel Grant.
