Chapter 6 — The Witness
Chapter 6 — The Witness
At 5:12 a.m., someone knocked on Charlotte Vale's door.
She was already awake.
She had barely slept.
The image from the security footage kept returning to her mind.
Her mother.
Marcus.
Richard.
And the unknown man wearing the silver cross.
Charlotte sat up.
Another knock.
This time, harder.
She reached for the phone beside her bed.
"Ethan?"
No answer.
The knock came again.
Charlotte quietly walked toward the door.
"Who is it?"
A woman's voice answered.
"Please."
Charlotte froze.
"I need to speak to you."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Elena."
Charlotte looked through the security monitor.
An older woman stood outside.
Early sixties.
Gray hair.
Dark coat.
Her hands were trembling.
Charlotte didn't recognize her.
"How did you get here?"
"I used the service entrance."
"Why?"
The woman looked toward the camera.
"Because if they know I'm here, they'll kill me."
Charlotte's expression changed.
She opened the door.
"Come in."
The woman stepped inside.
Charlotte locked the door immediately.
Elena stood in the middle of the room, breathing heavily.
"You shouldn't have come."
"I had no choice."
Charlotte studied her.
"Who are you?"
Elena looked at her.
"I worked for your mother."
Charlotte's heart skipped.
"What did you do?"
"I was her personal secretary."
Charlotte stared at her.
She had never heard the name Elena.
"My mother had a secretary?"
"After your father died."
Charlotte frowned.
Her father had died when she was eight.
She remembered very little.
"Why didn't I know about you?"
"Because your mother didn't want anyone to know."
"Why?"
Elena looked toward the window.
"Because she was afraid."
Charlotte's voice became quieter.
"Of whom?"
Elena turned back.
"Everyone."
Charlotte made coffee.
Elena refused.
She sat at the kitchen table, clutching her handbag.
"Tell me everything."
Elena looked at her.
"Your mother knew she was being watched."
"When?"
"Months before she died."
"By Richard?"
Elena shook her head.
"Not only Richard."
"Marcus?"
"Yes."
"William?"
Elena hesitated.
"Yes."
Charlotte leaned forward.
"And Adrian Cross?"
Elena's face changed.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she whispered:
"Your mother called him the man behind the curtain."
Charlotte's eyes narrowed.
"Who is he?"
"I don't know."
"You worked for my mother."
"I knew what she wanted me to know."
"Then tell me what you know."
Elena swallowed.
"Adrian Cross was not the mastermind."
Charlotte stared at her.
"Then who was?"
Elena looked down.
"I never learned the name."
Charlotte's expression hardened.
"You're wasting my time."
"I'm not."
Elena opened her handbag.
She removed a small black notebook.
Charlotte immediately recognized it.
Her mother's handwriting was on the cover.
She reached for it.
Elena pulled it back.
"Before I give you this, you need to understand something."
"What?"
"Your mother didn't trust the police."
"Why?"
"Because someone inside the police department was working for them."
Charlotte's jaw tightened.
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Then how do you know?"
"Because your mother told me."
Charlotte stared at the notebook.
"What else did she tell you?"
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
"She told me that if she died, I was never to contact you."
Charlotte's face changed.
"Why?"
"Because they would be watching you."
"They were."
Elena shook her head.
"No."
She leaned closer.
"They weren't just watching you."
"They were waiting for you to turn thirty."
Charlotte froze.
The room suddenly felt colder.
"Why?"
"Because that's when the trust became active."
Charlotte stared at her.
"How did they know?"
"Your mother told someone."
"Who?"
Elena looked away.
"Your uncle."
Richard.
Charlotte's expression hardened.
"Of course."
Elena whispered:
"He wasn't the only one."
At 6:03 a.m., Ethan arrived.
Charlotte met him in the hallway.
"You're late."
"I was followed."
Charlotte's expression changed.
"By whom?"
"I don't know."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Charlotte glanced toward Elena.
"She's the reason I called you."
Ethan looked at the woman.
"Who is she?"
"My mother's secretary."
Ethan stared.
"I thought she disappeared."
"So did I."
Elena stood.
"I didn't disappear."
She looked at Ethan.
"I was hiding."
Ethan closed the door.
"From whom?"
Elena answered quietly.
"Everyone."
Charlotte placed the black notebook on the table.
"Open it."
Elena shook her head.
"It's yours."
Charlotte opened it.
The first pages contained dates.
Names.
Bank accounts.
Meetings.
Charlotte read quickly.
Her mother's handwriting became increasingly frantic.
March 14 — Richard met William at 9:40 p.m.
March 18 — Marcus accessed private trust records.
March 22 — Arthur requested copies of Charlotte's inheritance documents.
Then a sentence appeared.
Someone knows about the succession clause.
Charlotte turned the page.
Another sentence.
If they know, Charlotte is in danger.
She kept reading.
Then she reached a page that made her stop.
June 3 — I met Adrian Cross.
Charlotte looked at Elena.
"What happened?"
Elena shook her head.
"I don't know."
Charlotte read.
He offered protection.
I refused.
He warned me Richard was not the one controlling everything.
Charlotte's eyes narrowed.
Another line.
He said the real enemy has been inside my family for years.
Charlotte slowly looked up.
"Did my mother ever tell you who he meant?"
Elena's voice was barely audible.
"Yes."
Charlotte waited.
Elena whispered:
"Your mother suspected your father."
Charlotte went completely still.
"My father?"
"She believed he had been involved before he died."
Charlotte stood abruptly.
"That's impossible."
Elena didn't answer.
"My father died when I was eight."
"I know."
"He loved my mother."
"I know."
"He would never—"
"Your mother didn't believe he was evil."
Elena looked at her.
"She believed he was being controlled."
Charlotte stared.
"By whom?"
Elena shook her head.
"She never found out."
At 7:18 a.m., the emergency board meeting began.
Charlotte entered the room with Ethan and Elena behind her.
The board members looked surprised.
Richard was already seated.
Marcus beside him.
Arthur looked nervous.
William Harrington sat near the end of the table.
Victoria was absent.
Charlotte took her seat.
Marcus stood.
"Before we begin, I want to clarify that this meeting concerns the future leadership of Solmere Empire."
Charlotte nodded.
"Proceed."
Marcus placed several documents on the table.
"Yesterday, you made multiple executive decisions without board approval."
Charlotte glanced at the papers.
"Within my legal authority."
Marcus shook his head.
"You've created instability."
"Good."
The room murmured.
Marcus looked irritated.
"Investors are concerned."
"They'll survive."
"Employees are confused."
"They're relieved."
Marcus's jaw tightened.
"This company needs experienced leadership."
Charlotte smiled.
"Then perhaps you should explain why revenue fell under yours."
Silence.
Marcus looked at Arthur.
Arthur quickly spoke.
"The financial downturn was caused by market conditions."
Charlotte opened a folder.
"Then why did Northstar Holdings receive four hundred and eighty million dollars during the downturn?"
Arthur froze.
Marcus looked at Charlotte.
"You don't understand these transactions."
"I understand enough."
Charlotte pushed the documents across the table.
"Let's vote."
Marcus frowned.
"On what?"
"Whether I remain CEO."
The board members looked at each other.
Charlotte leaned back.
"You requested the vote."
Marcus stared at her.
"Fine."
He turned to the board.
"Those who believe Charlotte Vale is unqualified to serve as CEO, raise your hand."
One hand rose.
Then another.
Then another.
Seven.
Charlotte counted.
Seven.
She wasn't surprised.
Richard smiled.
Then Charlotte looked toward the other board members.
"Now."
She opened another file.
"Those who believe Marcus Reed should remain CEO."
Nobody raised a hand.
Marcus's smile disappeared.
Charlotte looked at him.
"Interesting."
Marcus stood.
"You manipulated them."
"No."
Charlotte shook her head.
"You lost them."
Richard suddenly stood.
"This is unacceptable."
Charlotte looked at him.
"Sit down."
Richard froze.
Nobody had ever spoken to him like that in that room.
Charlotte continued.
"You had three years to lead."
She pointed toward the documents.
"And you stole."
She pointed toward Marcus.
"You had three years to protect the company."
"You helped them steal."
Then she looked at Arthur.
"You were supposed to protect the money."
"You moved it."
Finally, she looked at William.
"And you..."
William's face remained calm.
Charlotte paused.
"...I haven't figured you out yet."
William smiled faintly.
"Then perhaps you should ask your witness."
The room became silent.
Charlotte turned.
Elena stood near the door.
Richard's face went white.
Marcus stared at her.
Arthur dropped his pen.
William's expression changed for the first time.
Elena looked at Charlotte.
Then at the men.
And said:
"I know what happened the night Evelyn died."
Nobody moved.
Charlotte's heart pounded.
Richard whispered:
"Elena."
The woman looked at him.
"Richard."
"You shouldn't be here."
"I know."
"You were told to stay away."
Elena laughed bitterly.
"By whom?"
Richard said nothing.
Charlotte stepped forward.
"What happened that night?"
Elena looked around the room.
"I was with Evelyn."
"When?"
"The night before she died."
"Where?"
"At the Vale estate."
Charlotte waited.
"She was frightened."
"Why?"
"She had discovered money being moved out of Solmere."
Charlotte looked at Richard.
"She confronted them."
"Who?"
"Richard."
Elena pointed toward him.
"Marcus."
Then Arthur.
"And William."
Finally, she looked at William.
All four men went silent.
Charlotte's voice became cold.
"What did they do?"
Elena swallowed.
"They threatened her."
Richard immediately interrupted.
"That's a lie."
Elena continued.
"Your mother told them she would expose everything."
William stood.
"This is absurd."
Elena looked at him.
"She told you she had copies."
William's face changed.
"Copies of what?"
"Everything."
Charlotte's eyes narrowed.
"Where are the copies?"
Elena shook her head.
"I don't know."
Richard laughed.
"Then you have nothing."
Elena looked at him.
"I know what happened after I left."
Richard's smile disappeared.
"What?"
Elena whispered:
"Someone followed Evelyn."
Charlotte's heart stopped.
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Did you see them?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
Elena looked at Charlotte.
Then she said:
"Your father."
The room went silent.
Charlotte's face became pale.
"My father was dead."
"I know."
"Then how?"
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
"Because I saw the man who followed your mother."
Charlotte stepped closer.
"Was it him?"
Elena shook her head.
"No."
Charlotte exhaled.
"Then who?"
Elena pointed toward the security footage on the wall.
"That man."
Ethan immediately pulled up the old recording.
The unknown figure appeared again.
Dark coat.
Silver cross.
Elena stared at the screen.
"I saw him that night."
Charlotte looked at her.
"Who is he?"
Elena whispered:
"I don't know."
Then she added:
"But your mother did."
Charlotte's eyes narrowed.
"How?"
Elena reached into her handbag.
She removed another photograph.
It was old.
Black and white.
Charlotte took it.
Her hands began to shake.
The photograph showed Evelyn standing beside a young man.
Charlotte stared at him.
She recognized his face.
Not from the photograph.
From somewhere else.
She looked at Ethan.
"Where have I seen him?"
Ethan studied the photograph.
Then his eyes widened.
"Charlotte..."
"What?"
He pointed at the man.
"That's Adrian Cross."
Charlotte looked at the photograph again.
Adrian was younger.
But unmistakable.
Standing beside her mother.
And on the back of the photograph, written in Evelyn's handwriting, were seven words:
THE MAN WHO KNOWS WHY I WILL DIE.
Charlotte's blood ran cold.
She turned toward Richard.
"Did you know Adrian Cross?"
Richard didn't answer.
"Did you?"
He looked away.
Charlotte stepped closer.
"Answer me."
Richard finally spoke.
"Yes."
Charlotte's eyes hardened.
"Who is he?"
Richard swallowed.
"Your mother's first love."
The room erupted.
Charlotte stared at him.
"My mother never told me."
"Because she was ashamed."
"Why?"
Richard looked at her.
"Because Adrian Cross was not just her lover."
Charlotte waited.
Richard whispered:
"He was your father's brother."
Charlotte's face went completely still.
Ethan stared at him.
Elena closed her eyes.
Charlotte couldn't speak.
Her mother had hidden a relationship.
Adrian Cross was her father's brother.
The mysterious man from the security footage.
The man connected to the night her mother died.
And possibly—
the man who knew the truth about Charlotte's family.
Then Richard said something that made everything worse.
"Adrian wasn't the one who wanted your mother dead."
Charlotte looked at him.
"Then who did?"
Richard stared at her.
"I don't know."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"No."
He shook his head.
"I'm telling you because it's too late to hide it."
Charlotte stepped closer.
"Too late for what?"
Richard's eyes moved toward the window.
Then toward Elena.
Then back to Charlotte.
"Because Adrian Cross is coming back."
Charlotte's blood ran cold.
"When?"
Richard whispered:
"Today."
At that exact moment, outside Solmere headquarters, a black car stopped at the curb.
A man stepped out.
Dark coat.
Silver cross pinned near his collar.
He looked up at the tower.
Then smiled.
Inside the boardroom, Charlotte's phone vibrated.
One message.
ADRIAN CROSS: We need to talk about your mother.
Charlotte stared at the screen.
Then another message appeared.
And Charlotte...
A pause.
You were never supposed to survive.
Charlotte looked toward the window.
The black car was already gone.
But the man was inside the building.
And for the first time since returning to Solmere, Charlotte realized something terrifying.
The people who had tried to steal her inheritance were not the people who had started this war.
They were only the people who had been standing in front of it.
The real enemy had finally stepped out of the shadows.
May you like
And he knew her family better than anyone alive.
To be continued...
