Chapter 12 - THE LAST FAMILY MEETING“You wanted me here,” I shouted.
My father's voice answered.
“Yes.”
“Come out.”
A camera rotated toward us.
“We're all here.”
A screen descended from the ceiling.
My father appeared.
Tabitha stood beside him.
I felt my blood run cold.
My sister looked bruised.
Her hands were tied.
“Tabitha!”
She looked at me.
“Don't trust him.”
My father smiled.
“You see? She still lies.”
“What do you want?”
“The red box.”
“You already know where it is.”
“I want the key.”
“What key?”
“The trust key.”
I looked at Claire.
She shook her head.
My father continued.
“You never understood why your grandfather chose Juniper.”
“Why?”
“Because he knew I was incapable of protecting the family.”
I laughed.
“You're the one trying to kill my daughter.”
“No.”
His voice became cold.
“I'm trying to keep her alive.”
“By drugging her?”
“By making everyone believe she's sick.”
I stared.
“What?”
He explained.
“Your grandfather's trust has a medical condition attached to it.”
I felt sick.
“What kind?”
“An heir can only inherit if she survives until the age of eighteen.”
“That makes no sense.”
“It does when you understand the second clause.”
The screen changed.
A legal document appeared.
If the heir is deemed permanently incapacitated, the trust transfers to the appointed guardian.
I looked at Juniper.
“They've been making her sick.”
My father nodded.
“Exactly.”
“So you could control the trust.”
“Yes.”
Claire stepped toward the camera.
“You destroyed our lives for money.”
My father looked at her.
“No.”
Then he smiled.
“For control.”
The screen changed again.
A photo appeared.
It showed my grandfather and my father.
Then another.
My father standing beside Tabitha.
Then another.
My father and me as a child.
He said quietly:
“I spent my entire life being second.”
Nobody spoke.
“I wanted what was mine.”
The screen went black.
Then Tabitha's voice played.
“I am sorry.”
My father looked furious.
The audio continued.
“I knew about the plan.”
Tabitha appeared on the screen.
She was tied to a chair.
“But I didn't know how far he'd go.”
My father turned toward her.
“You betrayed me.”
Tabitha looked at me.
“I stole the inhaler because I knew they were searching for the tracking chip.”
I stared.
“I thought I could keep Juniper safe.”
My father smiled.
“You couldn't.”
The screen went black.
A loud click sounded behind us.
A hidden door opened.
Three armed men entered.
My father's voice whispered through the speakers.
“You have one hour.”
“What happens then?”
He answered calmly.
“I release every piece of evidence proving Claire is alive.”
I froze.
“Why would you do that?”
“So the police come for her.”
Then the speakers clicked off.
Claire looked at me.
“He wants me arrested.”
“Why?”
“For the accident.”
“But you didn't cause it.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
Then Tabitha screamed from the screen.
“ETHAN!”
I turned.
She was crying.
“THE ACCIDENT WAS SET UP!”
May you like
Her face filled the screen.
“By me.”
