Chapter 17 - THE COUNTERATTACK
Emily did not sleep.
Neither did Daniel.
Thomas had entered Charles’s car willingly.
The footage seemed clear.
Rose refused to believe it.
“He would never work with Charles.”
Emily looked at her.
“You said he would never use me too.”
Rose flinched.
“That was unfair.”
Emily immediately regretted it.
But exhaustion had made every emotion sharp.
Daniel studied traffic cameras.
Charles’s vehicle traveled south.
Then disappeared near an industrial district in Yonkers.
Federal teams searched.
Nothing.
Vanessa sat in the library.
She looked equally shaken.
“My father would not trust Thomas.”
Emily looked at her.
“Maybe they have been working together longer than we know.”
“No.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“Charles hates him.”
“Hate has not stopped anyone in these families from cooperating when money is involved.”
Vanessa could not argue.
Mia entered with documents.
“I found why Thomas left.”
Everyone looked at her.
“Charles filed a sealed agreement thirty years ago.”
“An escrow contract.”
Daniel frowned.
“Between who?”
“Thomas and Charles.”
Rose went pale.
Mia continued.
“Thomas transferred something to Charles in exchange for Rose and Emily being allowed to disappear.”
Emily stared.
“What?”
“The document doesn’t specify the asset.”
“Only that it would be released if Thomas reasserted his identity.”
Vanessa understood.
“My father has collateral.”
“Yes.”
Emily looked at Rose.
“What could Thomas have given him?”
Rose whispered.
“Eleanor’s foundation.”
Daniel frowned.
“The five percent?”
Rose shook her head.
“No.”
“A different foundation.”
“Eleanor controlled a collection of patents through a private entity.”
Daniel stood.
“Ashbourne Technologies.”
Rose nodded.
The patents generated licensing revenue.
Billions over decades.
Thomas had apparently signed a transfer contingent on remaining legally dead.
If he reappeared, Charles could seize them.
Emily understood.
“He stayed dead because coming back would make Charles richer.”
Mia nodded.
“And possibly give him leverage over Ashbourne Holdings.”
Daniel looked at the clock.
Board reconvening in three hours.
Court hearing in six.
They needed Thomas.
Then Vanessa’s phone buzzed.
A message.
From Charles.
COME ALONE.
She showed them.
Location attached.
An abandoned riverside warehouse.
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
Vanessa looked at Emily.
“He wants me.”
“He wants bait.”
Vanessa nodded.
“Probably.”
Emily surprised everyone.
“Then we use it.”
Owen looked at her.
“Police operation.”
“Yes.”
“No heroics.”
“Yes.”
Daniel smiled faintly.
“You’ve become very specific.”
“I have learned from watching all of you make terrible decisions.”
Federal agents prepared.
Vanessa wore a wire.
She entered the warehouse alone.
Emily watched from a command vehicle.
Daniel beside her.
Charles appeared.
Older than Emily expected.
Silver hair.
Perfect suit.
No visible fear.
Thomas sat nearby.
Untied.
Charles smiled at Vanessa.
“You finally came home.”
Vanessa’s voice shook.
“I am not coming anywhere with you.”
Charles looked disappointed.
“Your mother infected you with conscience.”
“You killed Ryan.”
“He became unstable.”
“He was a person.”
“He was a liability.”
Emily saw Vanessa’s face change.
Charles continued.
“You framed Emily beautifully.”
Vanessa looked toward Thomas.
“Was that his idea?”
Charles laughed.
“Thomas thinks it was.”
Thomas glared.
Charles turned.
“He installed the camera.”
“He thought triggering the forfeiture clause would give him control.”
Emily’s stomach tightened.
“So they weren’t working together,” Daniel whispered.
Thomas spoke.
“I did what was necessary.”
Charles smiled.
“Exactly like Richard.”
Thomas looked furious.
The insult hit.
Vanessa asked, “Why did he leave with you?”
Charles held up a folder.
“Because I own his mistake.”
“The escrow.”
Thomas looked toward the floor.
Charles continued.
“Thomas signed away Ashbourne Technologies to keep Rose alive.”
“He thought it was noble.”
“It was extremely profitable.”
Emily watched her father.
For once, his silence was understandable.
Vanessa asked, “What do you want?”
Charles looked toward her.
“The board.”
“Emily’s shares.”
“Daniel removed permanently.”
“And you.”
“For what?”
“You are still my daughter.”
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“You called me useful.”
Charles’s expression changed.
“You heard that.”
“Yes.”
“Then you misunderstood.”
“No.”
For the first time, Charles seemed irritated.
Vanessa continued.
“You used me.”
“Yes.”
“I used everyone.”
“Families are inefficient when emotions control them.”
Thomas looked at him.
“That is why you will lose.”
Charles laughed.
“To who?”
Then Emily’s voice came through the warehouse speakers.
“To me.”
Daniel looked at her.
She had taken the microphone.
Agents stared.
Owen almost protested.
Emily continued.
“Hello, Charles.”
Charles froze.
Thomas looked toward hidden cameras.
Emily spoke.
“You spent twenty-two years creating a criminal record for me.”
“You manipulated Vanessa.”
“You trapped Thomas.”
“You bought Ryan.”
“You controlled Victor.”
“You forged medical records.”
“And somehow you still made one mistake.”
Charles smiled.
“What mistake?”
“You assumed I wanted the company.”
Silence.
Emily looked at Daniel.
He understood the plan.
Earlier that morning, Emily signed a voting agreement.
Her recognized five percent foundation shares transferred voting authority temporarily to an independent employee trust.
If her remaining claims were validated, the same would happen to most of them.
No single Ashbourne.
No Vale.
No hidden heir.
Employees and an independent board would hold the balance.
Charles’s entire strategy depended on controlling one person.
Emily removed the person.
Herself.
Charles’s face changed.
“You cannot do that.”
“I already did.”
Daniel smiled.
“The filing went live eleven minutes ago.”
Charles looked toward Vanessa.
“You idiot.”
He grabbed her arm.
Agents moved.
Thomas stood.
Charles pulled a gun.
Everything happened quickly.
Vanessa froze.
Thomas stepped between them.
Charles pointed the weapon.
Emily’s heart stopped.
Federal agents shouted.
Charles hesitated.
That was enough.
Vanessa twisted free.
Thomas knocked the weapon aside.
Agents tackled Charles.
No shots were fired.
Emily exhaled.
Daniel gripped the edge of the console.
Thomas collapsed into a chair.
Not injured.
Shaking.
Charles was handcuffed.
As agents escorted him out, he looked toward the hidden camera.
“Emily.”
She stared at the screen.
He smiled.
“You think the shares are the secret.”
Her stomach tightened.
Charles continued.
“Ask Rose why Rachel really had to die.”
Then he disappeared through the warehouse door.
Emily turned slowly.
Rose stood behind them.
Her face had gone white.
Daniel looked at her.
“What does that mean?”
Rose said nothing.
Emily’s blood ran cold.
“Rose.”
Her biological mother finally whispered.
“Rachel’s cancer was real.”
Emily waited.
“But Charles knew she was sick before we did.”
Silence.
“How?”
Rose’s eyes filled.
“Because he was paying her doctor.”
Emily stopped breathing.
Charles had been arrested.
May you like
The counterattack had worked.
But Rachel’s death, the one loss Emily believed had nothing to do with Ashbourne or Vale, had just become part of the conspiracy.
