Chapter 6 - Eleanor's BrotherMark spent the next hour searching old records.

There was no Thomas Cross listed in Eleanor's family documents.

Daniel noticed the problem immediately.

"If he was her brother, why is he missing from every record?"

Maria answered.

"Because Eleanor's father disowned him."

"Why?"

"He stole money."

Mark looked at the photograph again.

"From whom?"

Maria pointed toward the trust documents.

"From the family."

Daniel's expression changed.

"How much?"

"Enough to destroy them."

Mark sat down.

"Then why would Eleanor trust him?"

Maria shook her head.

"She didn't."

She stepped closer.

"She was trying to stop him."

Mark looked up.

"From stealing Lily's trust?"

"No."

Maria hesitated.

"From helping Victoria."

The room fell silent.

Daniel immediately opened his laptop.

"I'll search financial transfers."

Minutes later, he found something.

Money had moved between three accounts.

Victoria's.

Richard's.

And an offshore account registered to a company called North Vale Holdings.

Mark recognized the name.

"That's Thomas's old company."

Daniel nodded.

"And it's still active."

Mark felt a chill.

"Who controls it?"

Daniel stared at the screen.

"I can't access the final ownership record."

"Why?"

"Because it was established through a trust."

"What trust?"

Daniel looked at Mark.

"Eleanor's."

Mark stood.

"No."

"The trust wasn't created for Lily."

Daniel turned the laptop toward him.

"It was created years before Lily was born."

Mark read the documents.

The beneficiary was listed as:

Thomas Cross.

Mark's mind raced.

"If Eleanor created a trust for her brother, why did she transfer money into it?"

"Maybe because she was protecting him."

"From what?"

Daniel didn't answer.

Lily suddenly spoke.

"Mommy told me not to be afraid of Uncle Thomas."

Mark looked down.

"You remember him?"

"A little."

"Where?"

"In the garden."

"What did he say?"

Lily frowned.

"He told me one thing."

"What?"

"Never trust the woman who smiles when she says she's sorry."

Mark's blood ran cold.

That was exactly how Victoria had apologized after breaking the music box.

Daniel closed the laptop.

"We need to find Thomas."

Before Mark could respond, the mansion intercom turned on.

A man's voice filled the house.

"Mark."

Everyone froze.

The voice was calm.

Old.

Familiar.

Thomas.

Mark stepped toward the speaker.

"Where are you?"

"In the place where Eleanor left me."

"You're alive."

A pause.

"Technically."

Mark's heart pounded.

"Did you help Victoria?"

"No."

"Did you help Eleanor?"

Another pause.

"Too late."

The lights flickered again.

Thomas continued.

"Your wife didn't die because of the trust."

Mark gripped the edge of the table.

"Then why?"

"Because she discovered who Lily's real enemy was."

Mark's breath caught.

"Who?"

Thomas answered:

"The man standing beside you."

Mark turned slowly.

Daniel's face had gone pale.

Thomas spoke again.

"Ask your wife's attorney why he changed the beneficiary list six months before her death."

The intercom clicked off.

Every eye in the room turned toward Daniel.

He didn't move.

Mark's voice became cold.

"Daniel."

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Daniel closed his eyes.

"There's something I never told you."