Chapter 8 - The Woman Behind the MoneyWe confronted Steve that night.
He was waiting inside my house.
Sitting calmly at my kitchen table.
As if he owned it.
I stopped in the doorway.
“How did you get in?”
He smiled.
“Your mother gave me the code.”
I looked at Lucy.
She covered her mouth.
I held up my phone.
“Explain the transfers.”
Steve glanced at the screen.
Then sighed.
“You found the account.”
“You stole from me.”
“No.”
“You moved nine hundred thousand dollars.”
“I moved money that was already supposed to come to your family.”
I laughed.
“You're unbelievable.”
He stood.
“Jenny, your father created a mess. Your mother has spent years cleaning it up.”
“By stealing twelve million dollars?”
“You don't understand business.”
“I understand theft.”
Steve's smile disappeared.
“Careful.”
“Or what?”
He stepped closer.
“I know things about you.”
“Go ahead.”
“You've never checked your financial records properly.”
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
He pulled out a folder.
Inside were loan documents.
Credit reports.
Bank records.
My name.
My social security number.
My signature.
But I had never signed these documents.
Steve watched my face.
“Someone opened accounts under your identity.”
I felt dizzy.
“When?”
“Over the last five years.”
“Who?”
He slid one page toward me.
A mailing address.
My mother's old house.
I stared at it.
“No.”
Steve nodded.
“Yes.”
Lucy whispered, “Mom.”
I looked at Steve.
“Why are you showing me this?”
“Because your mother is about to transfer the remaining trust money.”
“Where?”
He didn't answer.
“Where?”
“Overseas.”
My heart pounded.
“How much?”
“All of it.”
A voice came from behind us.
“Not if I stop her first.”
Everyone turned.
My mother stood in the doorway.
She looked exhausted.
Older than she had that morning.
She held a folder.
“Jenny.”
I felt my hands curl into fists.
“You lied to me.”
She looked at me.
“Yes.”
The honesty shocked me.
“About everything?”
“No.”
“Tell me one thing that's true.”
She stared at me.
“Your father loved you.”
I almost laughed.
“Then why did he leave me with nothing?”
“He didn't.”
She placed the folder on the table.
“Your father left you more than you can imagine.”
I opened it.
Inside were records from Northbridge Holdings.
My name appeared as the beneficiary of every major asset.
The house.
The company.
The trust.
Everything.
I looked at her.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
She whispered:
“Because if you knew, they would come for you.”
“Who?”
She looked at Steve.
Then Lucy.
Then Daniel.
And finally me.
“The people your father betrayed.”
Steve suddenly pulled a gun from his coat.
Lucy screamed.
My mother froze.
Steve pointed it at me.
“Everyone needs to stop talking.”
Then the front door slammed open.
Police officers rushed inside.
Steve turned toward them.
And my mother smiled.
Not afraid.
Relieved.
“It's over,” she whispered.
But then one officer said:
“Jenny Carter?”
May you like
“Yes?”
“We're here to arrest you.”
