Chapter 4 - The Brother Who Was Supposed to Be DeadRichard could not move.
“Julian.”
Olivia nodded.
“The man Ethan's family says died nineteen years ago.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I met him at a café.”
“When?”
“Six months ago.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because he told me not to.”
Richard stood.
“Why would you listen to a stranger claiming to be your husband's dead brother?”
“He knew things.”
“What things?”
“Things only my family knew.”
Richard's voice dropped.
“What did he tell you?”
Olivia looked at the ceiling.
“That my father's company had been infiltrated.”
Richard froze.
“My company?”
“Yes.”
“By whom?”
“I never found out.”
“Why did Julian approach you?”
“He said Ethan was being watched.”
Richard frowned.
“By who?”
“His mother.”
“Evelyn.”
“Yes.”
“And what did he want from you?”
Olivia swallowed.
“He wanted proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“That his father hadn't died naturally.”
Richard stared.
“Did you find anything?”
Olivia nodded.
“I found a ledger.”
“What ledger?”
“The one from the Bellamy Trust.”
Richard sat down again.
“Where is it?”
“I gave it to Julian.”
Richard's face hardened.
“You gave financial records to a man whose identity you couldn't verify?”
“He knew everything.”
“That doesn't make him trustworthy.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
“Because he saved my life.”
Richard leaned forward.
“How?”
Olivia's hands trembled.
“Someone followed me one night.”
She swallowed.
“I was leaving the office. A car followed me for twelve blocks.”
“And Julian?”
“He came out of nowhere.”
“What happened?”
“The car left.”
“Did you see the driver?”
“No.”
“Did Julian?”
“Yes.”
“Who was it?”
Olivia shook her head.
“He wouldn't tell me.”
Richard's eyes narrowed.
“What else did Julian say?”
Olivia hesitated.
“Ethan doesn't know everything.”
“What does that mean?”
“He told me the Cole family has been fighting over the trust for years.”
Richard suddenly remembered the insurance policy.
“Did he mention the million-dollar policy?”
Olivia looked at him.
“No.”
“Then how did he know about tonight?”
“I don't know.”
Richard stood.
He looked through the hospital room window.
Ethan was speaking with a police officer.
Evelyn was nowhere to be seen.
Richard turned back.
“Where can I find Julian?”
“I don't know.”
“Olivia.”
“I don't.”
“Did you have a number?”
“Yes.”
“Then give it to me.”
She hesitated.
“Dad, don't call him.”
“Why?”
“Because he told me something right before we stopped talking.”
“What?”
“He said if I ever got married, I should never trust the first person who congratulated me.”
Richard stared.
“What does that mean?”
Olivia looked terrified.
“I don't know.”
The door opened.
A detective stepped inside.
“Mr. Hart?”
“Yes?”
“I'm Detective Mason.”
Richard nodded.
“We need to ask your daughter a few questions.”
“About the attack?”
“Yes.”
The detective looked at Olivia.
“Mrs. Cole, do you remember who handed you the dessert?”
“No.”
“Who spoke to you before you collapsed?”
Olivia thought.
“Ethan.”
“What did he say?”
“He asked if I was hungry.”
“Anything else?”
She shook her head.
Detective Mason looked at Richard.
“There is something you should see.”
He held up a tablet.
Security footage.
Olivia watched herself enter the ballroom.
A waiter approached.
He placed the almond pastry on the table.
Olivia never touched it.
Then, thirty seconds later, someone else approached.
A woman in a champagne-colored shawl.
She reached across the table.
Her hand briefly touched the pastry.
Then she walked away.
Richard leaned closer.
“Who is that?”
Detective Mason shook his head.
“We're trying to identify her.”
The video continued.
The woman turned slightly.
For one second, her face was visible.
Olivia gasped.
“I know her.”
Richard turned.
“Who?”
Olivia's eyes filled with fear.
“She worked for my father.”
Richard stared at the image.
“What's her name?”
Olivia whispered,
“Grace.”
Richard felt a chill.
Grace had been his executive assistant for eleven years.
His most trusted employee.
The woman who handled his schedule.
His contracts.
His private meetings.
The woman who knew every detail of his life.
Detective Mason looked serious.
“Where is Grace now?”
Richard checked his phone.
No answer.
He called again.
Nothing.
Then his phone buzzed.
A text from Grace.
I'm sorry, Mr. Hart.
A second message appeared.
I was trying to protect Olivia.
Richard stared.
Then another message.
But now they know I failed.
His phone rang.
Grace.
Richard answered.
“Where are you?”
Only breathing came through.
“Grace?”
A whisper.
“Don't trust Ethan.”
Richard's heart raced.
“Why?”
“She isn't the one who poisoned Olivia.”
“Who?”
Silence.
“Grace!”
A muffled crash.
Then her voice screamed,
“Run!”
The call ended.
Richard looked at Ethan through the glass.
Ethan was already walking toward them.
Behind him stood Detective Mason.
May you like
And behind Detective Mason, barely visible in the hallway mirror, was a man Richard had never seen before.
A man wearing a silver watch.
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