Chapter 8 - WHAT ELEANOR TRIED TO FIX
Sabrina’s father, Thomas Cole, had died nine years earlier.
He had spent his adult life trying to prove Arthur Cole had been cheated.
Eleanor eventually believed him.
She secretly negotiated a settlement.
Not half the company.
A substantial minority stake and public restoration of Arthur’s name.
Thomas died before signing.
Then Eleanor became ill.
The settlement disappeared into legal limbo.
“Why didn’t she tell me?” Claire asked.
Martin answered, “Because she was ashamed.”
Claire hated that word.
It had protected too many secrets.
Ruth found draft agreements in an old archive.
They were real.
Sabrina had a legitimate historical claim.
Not to Claire’s mansion.
Not to Claire’s trust.
But possibly to money and shares worth hundreds of millions.
Claire sat alone in her mother’s blue room that night.
The furniture had been returned.
The portrait glass replaced.
Nothing felt restored.
Sabrina had betrayed her.
Daniel had betrayed her.
And Claire’s family might have betrayed Sabrina’s first.
At 11:40 p.m., Claire called Sabrina.
“I found the settlement drafts.”
Silence.
Then Sabrina whispered, “So I’m not crazy.”
“No.”
“Do you believe me now?”
“About your grandfather? Maybe.”
“About Voss?”
“I believe you hired him.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
Claire looked at the rain outside.
“No. I don’t trust you.”
Sabrina breathed out.
“Fair.”
Then she said, “You shouldn’t trust Martin either.”
Claire frowned.
“Why?”
“Voss found a payment from Martin to the man who notarized the forged proxy.”
Claire stood.
“How much?”
“Fifty thousand.”
“When?”
“Three days before you flew to Zurich.”
Claire’s grip tightened around the phone.
Across the hallway, a floorboard creaked.
Claire opened her bedroom door.
Martin stood outside.
He looked at the phone in her hand.
Then at her face.
“You spoke to Sabrina.”
May you like
It was not a question.
