Chapter 3 - The Man Who Mourned TwiceRichard Sterling arrived at nine the next morning.
He arrived alone.
No driver.
No assistant.
No warning.
Meredith watched him through the security monitors.
Her uncle walked into the estate wearing a black overcoat and carrying a silver cane.
Three years earlier, he had stood beside her at her father’s funeral.
He had embraced her.
He had told her grief would eventually become easier.
He had cried harder than anyone else.
Now he walked through her home as if nothing had happened.
Julian waited in the library.
Meredith stood beside the fireplace.
When Richard entered, he smiled.
“My children.”
Nobody returned the greeting.
Richard noticed the tension.
“What happened?”
Meredith held up the photograph.
His smile disappeared.
Only for a fraction of a second.
But she saw it.
“You recognize this?”
Richard looked at the image.
He did not answer.
Julian stepped forward.
“Where was Father?”
Richard’s hand tightened around his cane.
“Your father is dead.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
Silence.
Richard looked at Meredith.
“You should not have this photograph.”
Meredith felt her heartbeat accelerate.
“Why?”
“Because whoever gave it to you wants you to believe something that isn’t true.”
“So he was alive?”
Richard shook his head.
“No.”
Julian slammed a folder onto the desk.
“Then explain this.”
He spread the bank records across the table.
Richard stared at them.
“You broke into my files.”
“No,” Meredith said.
“Someone gave them to us.”
Richard slowly sat down.
“That means they’re coming.”
“Who?”
Richard looked toward the windows.
“People your father made enemies with.”
Julian’s voice became colder.
“What people?”
Richard said nothing.
Meredith stepped closer.
“You lied to us.”
“I protected you.”
“You manipulated us.”
“I kept you alive.”
That stopped her.
Richard looked at her.
“You think your father was a powerful man because he owned half the city.”
His voice lowered.
“He was powerful because he knew where the bodies were buried.”
Julian frowned.
“What bodies?”
Richard closed his eyes.
“Not literal bodies.”
A pause.
“Most of them.”
Meredith felt sick.
Richard continued.
“Your father discovered a network.”
“What network?”
“Money laundering. Political influence. Corporate blackmail.”
Julian’s jaw tightened.
“How big?”
Richard looked at him.
“Bigger than the Sterling family.”
Meredith suddenly remembered the flash drive.
“Genevieve’s family.”
Richard’s eyes snapped toward her.
“What about Genevieve?”
“Her mother appears in the records.”
Richard stood abruptly.
“You need to stay away from that woman.”
Julian laughed bitterly.
“She was my fiancée.”
“She was assigned to you.”
The room fell silent.
Meredith stared at him.
“What does that mean?”
Richard looked terrified now.
“She wasn’t sent to marry Julian because of the money.”
“Then why?”
“To obtain access.”
“To what?”
Richard looked directly at Meredith.
“The trust.”
Meredith’s stomach tightened.
“But the trust can’t be transferred.”
“Not normally.”
Richard reached into his coat.
He withdrew a folded document.
“Your father created a second trust.”
Meredith unfolded it.
Her eyes widened.
“There’s another trustee.”
Richard nodded.
“Your father didn’t trust me.”
“Who is the trustee?”
Richard hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Genevieve’s father.”
Julian froze.
“Frank Vance?”
“Your father believed the Vances would eventually come for the Sterling fortune.”
Meredith shook her head.
“Then why would he put one of them in control of anything?”
“Because the second trust was designed as a trap.”
Richard leaned closer.
“Your father wanted whoever tried to steal the first trust to expose themselves.”
Julian stared.
“So the engagement…”
“Was exactly what your father predicted.”
Meredith looked toward the document.
There was something written at the bottom.
She recognized her father’s handwriting.
WHEN THEY COME FOR MY CHILDREN, LET THEM BELIEVE THEY HAVE WON.
Meredith whispered:
“He expected this.”
Richard nodded.
“Yes.”
Julian stared at the old man.
“Then what did he leave us?”
Richard looked toward the door.
“Not money.”
He lowered his voice.
“A witness.”
Before anyone could ask what he meant, the library doors slammed open.
One of the security guards fell backward.
Blood stained his shirt.
A masked figure stood behind him.
Richard grabbed Meredith.
“Run!”
The lights went out.
May you like
And in the darkness, someone whispered:
“Finally.”
