CHAPTER 7: THE REVELATION
The financial records were delivered to Eleanor's office in a massive crate.
We spent days going through them. Every transaction. Every transfer. Every dollar.
And we found it.
A series of transfers. Large amounts. Hidden accounts. Shell companies.
"Payments," Eleanor said. "From Charles's accounts to a series of offshore accounts."
"Who owns them?"
She looked at the documents.
"Madison Blackwell."
I stared at her.
"Madison? His daughter?"
"Yes. Charles has been funneling money to Madison for years. Millions. But that's not the interesting part."
"What is?"
"The payments stopped six months ago."
"Six months ago? That's when Ethan started seeing her."
"Exactly. Charles was paying Madison to stay away from Ethan. And then she stopped getting paid."
"Why?"
"Because she decided she didn't need his money anymore. She was going to get it from Ethan."
"Ethan doesn't have any money."
"Not yet. But he will. When he marries Madison, he'll have access to Charles's empire."
"So Ethan was never in love with Madison. He was just using her."
"Exactly. And Madison was using him. To get back at her father."
I felt the pieces falling into place.
"So Charles didn't want Ethan and Madison together?"
"No. He wanted Madison to marry someone else. Someone he could control."
"Who?"
"His partner. A man named James."
"James?"
"James Whitmore. The man who raised you."
I stared at her.
"My father?"
"No. Your stepfather. The man who's been lying to you your whole life."
I felt the world tilt.
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying your father isn't your father. He's your stepfather. Charles sent him to take care of you. To keep you under control."
I didn't know what to say.
"So everything I thought I knew—"
"Was a lie. I'm sorry, Sophie. But you deserve to know the truth."
I sat down heavily.
I didn't know who I was anymore.
But I knew one thing.
I was going to find out.
May you like
No matter what it took.
END OF CHAPTER 7
