Chapter 12 - The Enemy in the PhotographRobert stared at the man.
“No.”
The man smiled.
“Hello, Robert.”
Oliver looked between them.
“Who is he?”
Robert could barely speak.
“Marcus.”
Victoria, who had followed them despite Robert’s orders, stopped in the doorway.
“Marcus Sterling?”
Evelyn nodded.
“My uncle.”
Robert shook his head.
“Marcus died twenty-six years ago.”
Marcus laughed.
“That is what everyone was told.”
Oliver stepped closer.
“Why did my mother trust you?”
Marcus smiled.
“Because she believed I wanted to save her.”
“Did you?”
“For a while.”
Robert’s voice became furious.
“What happened?”
Marcus descended the stairs.
“Your family destroyed mine.”
Robert stared.
“What?”
“Your father ruined my father.”
“And you retaliated.”
Marcus shook his head.
“No. I built something.”
“What?”
“A system.”
He spread his arms.
“Politicians. Judges. Banks. Police. Corporations.”
Oliver understood.
“You controlled everything.”
Marcus smiled.
“Almost everything.”
Robert stepped forward.
“And Clara discovered it.”
“She discovered the ledger.”
“Why didn't you kill her?”
Marcus laughed softly.
“Because she had something more valuable than the ledger.”
Oliver looked at him.
“Me.”
Marcus nodded.
“She was the only person who could produce the heir that gave us access to the trust.”
Robert’s face hardened.
“So you planned all of this.”
Marcus looked at Oliver.
“Not everything.”
“What do you mean?”
Marcus smiled.
“Your mother made one mistake.”
Oliver's eyes narrowed.
“What?”
“She trusted Victoria.”
Victoria went pale.
“No.”
Marcus turned toward her.
“Your father never told you what he did.”
Victoria shook her head.
“What did he do?”
Marcus smiled.
“He gave me the final key.”
Robert frowned.
“What key?”
Marcus looked at Oliver.
“The one your mother never found.”
Oliver touched the ring.
“You already have the ledger.”
“Yes.”
“Then what do you need?”
Marcus answered:
“You.”
Silence.
Oliver understood.
“You need me to unlock the trust.”
Marcus nodded.
Robert stepped in front of him.
“You will never get him.”
Marcus laughed.
“You still think this is about money.”
He snapped his fingers.
The church doors opened.
Armed men entered.
Robert immediately raised his hands.
Marcus continued:
“It is about legitimacy.”
He pointed at Oliver.
“The company needs an heir.”
Robert said:
“He doesn't owe you anything.”
Marcus looked amused.
“You don't understand.”
He reached into his coat and pulled out a document.
“The trust states that if Robert Hale has a legitimate biological son, control transfers.”
Oliver looked confused.
Marcus smiled.
“But if the son signs away his claim…”
He paused.
“…control returns to the board.”
Robert understood.
“You want Oliver to surrender his inheritance.”
Marcus nodded.
“And in exchange, everyone walks away.”
Oliver stared.
“Everyone?”
Marcus smiled.
“No.”
He looked at Robert.
“Robert does not.”
Oliver turned.
Marcus continued:
“Your father will take responsibility for every illegal operation.”
Robert froze.
“They'll imprison him.”
“Yes.”
Oliver looked at Robert.
Marcus smiled.
“You can save him.”
He held out a pen.
“Sign.”
Oliver did not move.
Robert whispered:
“Don't.”
Marcus raised the gun.
“Sign.”
Oliver looked at his father.
Then at the contract.
He picked up the pen.
Marcus smiled.
But Oliver's eyes changed.
He leaned over the document.
And instead of signing his name, he wrote three words:
Read the footnote.
Marcus frowned.
Then he looked down.
His smile disappeared.
Because Oliver had noticed something none of them had.
May you like
A hidden clause.
A clause that could destroy Marcus completely.
