Chapter 10 - THE COMPANY THAT DIDN'T EXIST
Someone had built an entire fake version of me
The company was called Isabella Hail Holdings.
It had a website.
A business address.
A tax identification number.
And an executive profile with my photograph.
But I had never created it.
Someone had taken an old professional headshot from my LinkedIn page.
They had copied my bio.
They had even included my college history.
My attorney stared at the screen.
“This is identity theft at a level I don't see often.”
I couldn't look away.
The company had existed for eleven months.
Eleven months.
Before the renovation.
Before the fake POA.
Before the lender.
“This was the real plan.”
“Yes.”
The company had been positioned to receive proceeds from future sales.
If the trust assets were sold, the money would move into a company that appeared to belong to me.
Then the money could be transferred again.
And again.
Until it disappeared into accounts I didn't control.
The genius of it was simple.
If anyone accused them of stealing money, they'd say I had authorized it.
I looked at my attorney.
“How do we prove it wasn't me?”
“We already have the evidence.”
“Enough?”
She nodded.
“Your bank records. Your travel records. The metadata on the documents. The IP addresses. The registration timestamps.”
I exhaled.
“Then why am I still scared?”
“Because evidence doesn't undo what happens if the transfer closes.”
She pointed to a date.
November 23.
Three days before Thanksgiving.
The closing date.
“Three days.”
“Yes.”
I called Richard.
He answered immediately.
“I know about the company.”
There was silence.
Then:
“Then you know your father has been planning this for a year.”
“One year?”
“He started the shell structure after your grandmother's trust valuation changed.”
“What changed?”
“You did.”
“Me?”
“You became the controlling beneficiary.”
I looked at the file.
“So when Grandma died…”
“You became more powerful than your father realized.”
“Why didn't anyone tell me?”
Richard sighed.
“Your grandmother instructed the trustee to keep the structure quiet until you were ready.”
“I wasn't ready.”
“She knew.”
I closed my eyes.
“What else did she know?”
“That your father would eventually come for it.”
I opened the blue packet again.
There was another envelope hidden beneath the documents.
I hadn't seen it before.
My name was on the front.
I opened it.
Inside was a letter from my grandmother.
Bella,
Your father will make you choose between family and yourself.
Do not accept the choice.
He will tell you loyalty means obedience.
It does not.
He will tell you money belongs to the family.
It does not.
He will tell you peace is worth any price.
It is not.
Then one final sentence:
The day he tries to take what is yours, do not fight him with anger.
Fight him with the truth.
I started crying.
Not because I was hurt.
Because someone had known.
Someone had seen what was coming.
My attorney looked at me.
“You okay?”
“No.”
I wiped my face.
“But I know what I'm doing.”
“What?”
“I want the closing stopped.”
“It already is.”
“Then I want the people behind it exposed.”
She gave me a small nod.
“That we can do.”
My phone buzzed.
Marcus.
I answered.
He was breathing hard.
“Bella.”
“What?”
“Dad found out about Richard.”
I stood.
“How?”
“I told him.”
My stomach sank.
“Why?”
“Because I couldn't take it anymore.”
“What happened?”
Marcus was silent.
Then:
“He threatened Jennifer.”
I gripped the phone.
“What does that mean?”
“He said if I backed out, he'd make sure she lost the baby.”
My blood went cold.
“Where are you?”
“At Dad's office.”
“Leave.”
“I can't.”
“Marcus.”
“I found something.”
“What?”
His voice dropped.
“A safe.”
“What about it?”
“Your name is on it.”
My pulse raced.
“What is inside?”
“I haven't opened it.”
“Then don't.”
“I have to.”
“Marcus…”
The line crackled.
Then I heard a metallic click.
A gasp.
And Marcus whispered,
“Bella…”
May you like
“What?”
“I found the originals.”
