Chapter 12 - THE HOUSEWe returned to the estate at dawn.
The gates were open.
The guards were gone.
The mansion looked untouched.
That was the terrifying part.
I walked inside.
Everything was exactly where I'd left it.
The flowers.
The portraits.
The furniture.
The piano.
My wedding photograph.
Aaron stood behind me.
“I didn't know.”
“You signed the deed.”
“I thought it was temporary.”
“To whom?”
“A holding company.”
“Meridian.”
“Yes.”
I looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because Eleanor told me it would protect the company.”
“It protected her.”
“Yes.”
We entered the library.
I remembered my father's ledger.
The hidden compartment.
I pressed the carved wooden panel.
It opened.
Inside was a safe.
No password.
Just a fingerprint scanner.
I put my hand on it.
The safe opened.
Inside was another file.
And a cassette.
Old fashioned.
Aaron frowned.
“What is that?”
I inserted it.
My father's voice filled the room.
“Alyssa, if you've reached this point, then Aaron has already betrayed you.”
Aaron closed his eyes.
My father's voice continued.
“But betrayal was only the final step.”
A pause.
“The true danger is Eleanor.”
Then:
“She knows the trust's final beneficiary.”
Aaron looked at me.
“Noah.”
“Yes.”
My father's voice said:
“Noah controls the final share.”
I stared.
“What share?”
The document explained it.
When Noah turned eighteen, he would inherit the remaining twelve percent of the trust.
That twelve percent would be enough to permanently control Asteris.
But there was more.
Until then, the voting rights were held by a guardian.
That guardian was supposed to be me.
Unless I was removed.
Unless I was declared legally incompetent.
Unless my marriage was used to establish that I had voluntarily surrendered control.
I looked at Aaron.
“That was the plan.”
He said nothing.
“You were going to make me disappear legally.”
“No.”
“Were you?”
He finally whispered:
“Yes.”
My knees weakened.
“How?”
“Eleanor arranged doctors.”
I stared.
“What doctors?”
“Psychiatric evaluators.”
My blood ran cold.
“She wanted to create a record.”
“Of what?”
“That you were unstable.”
I laughed once.
A terrible laugh.
“So the spoiled socialite story wasn't gossip.”
“No.”
“It was preparation.”
“Yes.”
I looked at the wedding photograph.
It suddenly seemed like a crime scene.
“How long?”
“Two years.”
“And Jasmine?”
“She knew part of it.”
I turned.
Jasmine stood in the doorway.
Her eyes were filled with tears.
“I knew.”
I walked toward her.
“You watched?”
“I was afraid.”
“You helped.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She lowered her head.
“Because Eleanor had my family.”
I stopped.
“What does that mean?”
“My younger brother is alive.”
I stared.
“We were told he died.”
“He didn't.”
“Where is he?”
“Eleanor has him.”
Silence.
Then the mansion lights came on.
Every television switched on simultaneously.
Eleanor appeared on every screen.
Elegant.
Calm.
Smiling.
“Alyssa.”
I stared.
“You found the house.”
“You lost.”
She smiled.
“No.”
A click.
The front door locked.
Then another.
The security system came alive.
“Your father built the house to protect you.”
“That's why you're here.”
“Yes.”
Eleanor tilted her head.
“But protection only works when you know whom to trust.”
Aaron stepped forward.
“I trusted you.”
She laughed.
“You were always useful, Aaron.”
He flinched.
“But never important.”
I looked at him.
For the first time, I saw his humiliation.
He had spent years believing himself powerful.
Eleanor had made him powerful enough to be useful.
Not enough to be free.
She continued:
“Your husband was supposed to bring the trust under my control.”
I stared.
“And Noah?”
“The boy was insurance.”
I felt rage rise.
“You're talking about a child.”
“I am talking about ownership.”
I stepped toward the screen.
“Then listen carefully.”
Eleanor smiled.
“What?”
“You've made one mistake.”
“Which one?”
“You forgot that I stopped needing Aaron.”
Her smile disappeared.
“You think you can fight me?”
I looked at the safe.
Then at the documents.
Then at Noah.
“Yes.”
Eleanor laughed.
“Your trust is frozen.”
“Not for long.”
“Your board hates you.”
“Not anymore.”
“Your husband abandoned you.”
I looked at Aaron.
Then back at the screen.
“No.”
“He betrayed you.”
“Yes.”
“But he didn't survive what came after.”
Eleanor's eyes narrowed.
“Meaning?”
Aaron stepped forward.
“Meaning I resign.”
The room froze.
Eleanor's smile vanished.
“Aaron.”
He pulled a folded document from his pocket.
“I signed it this morning.”
“You idiot.”
He looked at me.
“I should have done this four years ago.”
He placed the resignation on the table.
Eleanor screamed something.
The screen cut to black.
Then every door in the mansion unlocked.
Martin's voice came through the intercom.
“Mrs. Prescott.”
“Yes?”
“The board is assembled.”
“Where?”
“Prescott Tower.”
“And?”
“We have a quorum.”
I smiled.
“Then let's go.”
Aaron looked at me.
“You're going to fight her.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
“Then what?”
May you like
I picked up the resignation.
“I'm going to expose her.”
