Chapter 7 - The Grandmother's SecretCharlotte couldn't move.
Margaret Vale stood beneath the hallway light.
Elegant.
Calm.
Untouchable.
The woman who had held Charlotte's hand at her father's funeral.
The woman who had cried beside her when Eleanor died.
The woman who had told Charlotte, "Family is all we have."
Now she aimed a gun at her granddaughter.
Charlotte whispered, "Why?"
Margaret's face remained expressionless.
"Because your mother refused to obey me."
Mara raised her weapon.
Margaret immediately aimed at Charlotte.
"Lower it."
Mara hesitated.
Margaret smiled.
"Good."
Charlotte stared at the woman who had helped raise her.
"You killed my father."
"Yes."
The answer was so calm that Charlotte almost stopped understanding the words.
"You killed him."
"He discovered the family was insolvent."
Charlotte shook her head.
"Solmere was never insolvent."
Margaret sighed.
"Not publicly."
She stepped closer.
"Your grandfather built an empire with debt hidden behind luxury."
Charlotte stared.
"You're lying."
"No."
Margaret placed the gun against Charlotte's chest.
"Your mother discovered the truth."
Daniel stepped forward.
"Margaret, please."
She turned toward him.
"You have already betrayed me once."
"You threatened Eleanor."
"I protected the family."
Charlotte laughed bitterly.
"You call this protection?"
Margaret's eyes narrowed.
"Your mother wanted to hand control to you."
"Because I was the heir."
"Because she wanted the empire destroyed."
Charlotte froze.
"What?"
Margaret continued.
"Your mother planned to expose everything."
Charlotte looked at Mara.
"Is this true?"
Mara remained silent.
Charlotte's heart sank.
Margaret smiled.
"Your mother knew Solmere could collapse if the hidden liabilities were exposed."
Charlotte remembered the financial records.
The shell companies.
The secret trusts.
The missing money.
"How much debt?"
Margaret hesitated.
"Twenty-eight billion."
Charlotte's face went pale.
Daniel whispered:
"That's impossible."
Margaret looked at him.
"You always knew."
Charlotte turned toward Daniel.
He wouldn't meet her eyes.
"How much is actually left?"
"Less than one billion in liquid assets."
Charlotte felt dizzy.
"Then why does everyone think we're worth more?"
Margaret laughed.
"Because perception is the business."
Charlotte understood.
The hotels.
The luxury.
The private jets.
The billion-dollar valuations.
A beautiful shell built around a financial grave.
Margaret raised the gun.
"So now you understand."
"No."
Charlotte looked directly into her eyes.
"I understand why you were afraid."
Margaret frowned.
Charlotte continued.
"But you still don't understand me."
Margaret's smile faded.
Charlotte pulled out the ownership documents.
"I'm not afraid of a company collapsing."
"You should be."
"I can rebuild it."
"You can't."
"I can."
Margaret stared at her.
Charlotte stepped forward.
"Because I found something you didn't."
"What?"
"The original debt agreements."
Margaret froze.
"They were hidden in the executive archive."
A tiny crack appeared in Margaret's composure.
Charlotte smiled.
"And the creditors don't know about the fraudulent transfers."
Margaret whispered:
"Where are they?"
Charlotte didn't answer.
Margaret's finger tightened.
Suddenly the window shattered.
A bullet struck the wall.
Margaret ducked.
Mara fired.
Daniel pulled Charlotte behind the piano.
Another shot.
Then another.
Margaret ran toward the back door.
Charlotte chased her.
They reached the hallway.
Margaret suddenly turned.
Charlotte stopped.
The gun was pointed directly at her.
"You're just like your mother."
Charlotte stared.
"You say that like it's an insult."
Margaret smiled.
"It is."
She pulled the trigger.
Click.
Nothing.
Charlotte looked down.
The magazine had been removed.
Mara stood behind Margaret holding it.
"You're getting old," Mara said.
Margaret laughed.
"You have no idea."
Then she pressed a button hidden inside her sleeve.
The apartment doors locked.
Gas began pouring into the room.
May you like
Margaret smiled.
"Let's see which generation survives."
