Chapter 5 - Victoria's BetrayalDaniel looked at Victoria.
Then at Charlotte.
"Put the gun down."
Victoria laughed bitterly.
"You've lied to me my whole life."
"I protected you."
"You protected yourself."
The gun shook in her hands.
Charlotte stepped forward.
"Victoria."
"Don't."
"You don't have to do this."
Victoria looked at her.
"You think I wanted this?"
Charlotte said nothing.
"My father told me you were dangerous."
"He lied."
"I know."
Victoria's voice cracked.
"He told me your mother abandoned you."
Charlotte's face tightened.
"She never did."
Victoria lowered her gun slightly.
"I found her files."
Daniel looked alarmed.
"Where?"
"In Dad's office."
Victoria stared at Charlotte.
"He had photographs of you."
Charlotte frowned.
"Why?"
"Because he was monitoring you."
Mara interrupted.
"Where's Richard?"
Victoria looked toward the elevator.
"He's going upstairs."
Charlotte's eyes narrowed.
"To the boardroom."
Victoria nodded.
"He's holding an emergency meeting."
Daniel's expression changed.
"He'll transfer the company."
Charlotte understood immediately.
"He needs enough board votes to invalidate my ownership claim."
"Exactly."
Charlotte turned toward the stairs.
Mara grabbed her arm.
"No."
Charlotte looked back.
"What?"
"That's what he wants."
"Then where should I go?"
Mara pointed to the service elevator.
"The roof."
Charlotte stared.
"Why?"
"Because Richard's helicopter is there."
Daniel shook his head.
"He's running?"
"Not yet," Mara said.
"He intends to leave with the original records."
Charlotte's eyes sharpened.
"Then we're not letting him."
They reached the rooftop.
Rain had begun to fall.
The helicopter waited near the landing pad.
Richard stood beside it holding a leather briefcase.
Two armed men guarded him.
Charlotte stepped into the rain.
"Leaving already?"
Richard turned.
For the first time, genuine fear crossed his face.
"Charlotte."
She smiled.
"You forgot something."
Richard looked at the briefcase.
"I have everything I need."
"No."
Charlotte raised her phone.
"You forgot to destroy the recording."
Richard froze.
She pressed play.
Eleanor's recorded voice filled the rooftop.
"Richard Ashford knows more than anyone."
Richard's guards looked at him.
Charlotte continued.
"I also found the financial records."
Richard's face hardened.
"You think evidence changes anything?"
"It changes everything."
Richard stepped toward her.
"You're still a child playing in a man's world."
Charlotte laughed.
"My name is on the ownership papers."
Richard smiled.
"Not for long."
The helicopter blades began spinning.
Mara drew her weapon.
"Stop!"
One guard raised his gun.
Gunfire erupted.
Charlotte dropped behind a concrete barrier.
Victoria screamed.
Daniel pulled her down.
Mara fired back.
The rooftop became chaos.
Richard ran toward the helicopter.
Charlotte saw the briefcase.
She ran.
One guard blocked her.
Charlotte slammed into him.
They crashed onto the wet concrete.
He tried to grab her.
She drove her elbow into his ribs.
The briefcase flew open.
Documents scattered through the rain.
Charlotte grabbed one.
A transfer agreement.
Signed.
Her heart stopped.
At the bottom was her mother's signature.
But something was wrong.
Charlotte stared.
"I've seen this signature."
Richard stopped.
Charlotte looked up.
"The signature is fake."
Richard said nothing.
Charlotte held the document up.
"My mother never signed this."
Richard smiled.
"Then prove it."
A voice came from behind them.
"I can."
Everyone turned.
Daniel stood holding a sealed envelope.
Charlotte stared.
"What is that?"
Daniel looked at Richard.
"The original."
Richard's face collapsed.
Daniel stepped forward.
"I lied for years."
Charlotte stared at him.
"Why?"
"Because Eleanor ordered me to."
Richard shouted.
"You're a traitor."
Daniel looked at him.
"No."
He opened the envelope.
"I'm finally done being afraid."
Inside was a notarized document.
The true ownership transfer.
Charlotte's full legal name appeared at the top.
And beneath it...
Eleanor Vale's final instruction.
Charlotte becomes sole owner upon my death.
Victoria stared at her father.
"Dad..."
Richard backed toward the helicopter.
Charlotte walked toward him.
"It's over."
Richard smiled strangely.
"No."
He reached into his coat.
Charlotte saw the weapon.
Before she could react...
a gunshot cracked across the rooftop.
May you like
Richard fell.
But Charlotte wasn't the one who fired.
