Chapter 4 — The Night My Mother Died
Chapter 4 — The Night My Mother Died
The last thing Charlotte remembered was the voice.
Soft.
Familiar.
Almost apologetic.
"I'm sorry, Charlotte."
Then everything disappeared.
When she opened her eyes, she was lying on the floor of her mother's office.
Her head throbbed.
Her vision blurred.
For several seconds, she couldn't remember where she was.
Then she saw the broken lamp.
The overturned chair.
The red folder lying open beside her.
Charlotte pushed herself upright.
"Hello?"
Nothing.
She touched the back of her head.
A small amount of blood stained her fingers.
Her heart began racing.
Someone had attacked her.
Someone had known exactly where she was.
Someone had known she had found the folder.
She reached for her phone.
Gone.
Charlotte looked toward the door.
Open.
She stood carefully.
Then froze.
The red folder was missing.
Every page.
Gone.
Except one.
A single sheet remained on the floor.
Charlotte picked it up.
It contained only one sentence.
You were warned.
She stared at it.
Then she heard footsteps.
Charlotte immediately stepped behind the desk.
The door opened.
Adrian walked in.
He stopped when he saw her.
"Charlotte."
She didn't answer.
His eyes moved to the blood on her hand.
"What happened?"
"You tell me."
Adrian's expression tightened.
"I just arrived."
"You attacked me."
"No."
"Someone did."
"I know."
"How?"
He looked at the floor.
"Because I found you."
Charlotte stared at him.
"Where were you?"
"Downstairs."
"Doing what?"
"Trying to stop the board from freezing your mother's remaining assets."
Charlotte stepped closer.
"You expect me to believe that?"
"No."
"Good."
Adrian looked exhausted.
"Charlotte, listen to me."
"I've listened enough."
"Your mother knew she was going to die."
Charlotte froze.
"What?"
Adrian swallowed.
"She knew."
"How?"
"Because she told me."
"When?"
"The night before."
Charlotte stared at him.
"Tell me everything."
Adrian hesitated.
Then said:
"Your mother called me at 11:47 p.m."
Twelve Months Earlier
The rain had been falling for hours.
Victoria Vale stood alone in the kitchen of her mountain estate.
The clock showed 11:42 p.m.
She was wearing a dark blue robe.
Her hair was loose.
Her laptop was open on the counter.
On the screen was a spreadsheet containing hundreds of transactions.
Millions of dollars.
Companies she recognized.
Companies she didn't.
Payments moving through accounts connected to Solmere.
Victoria rubbed her eyes.
Her phone rang.
She answered.
"Hello?"
No response.
"Who's this?"
Static.
Then a man's voice.
"You should have stopped."
Victoria went completely still.
"Who are you?"
"You know."
"I don't."
"You've spent six months looking for us."
Victoria's hand tightened around the phone.
"Blackwell."
Silence.
Then the voice laughed.
"You finally said the name."
"What do you want?"
"Your silence."
"Never."
"Then your daughter."
Victoria's face went white.
"Leave Charlotte out of this."
"That's not your decision."
"You touch my daughter and I'll destroy everything."
"You already tried."
Victoria looked toward the window.
A car sat at the end of the driveway.
Its headlights were off.
She whispered:
"You're here."
"We've always been here."
The line went dead.
Victoria immediately called Adrian.
He answered on the second ring.
"Victoria?"
"Listen carefully."
Her voice shook.
"They know."
Adrian sat upright.
"Who?"
"Blackwell."
Silence.
"How?"
"I don't know."
"Where are you?"
"Home."
"Lock the doors."
"I already did."
"Call security."
"I did."
"Then leave."
"I can't."
"Why?"
Victoria looked at the laptop.
"Because I found the names."
Adrian's voice became tense.
"How many?"
"Twenty-seven."
"Jesus."
"Three are inside Solmere."
"Who?"
"I can't say over the phone."
"Victoria—"
"If anything happens to me, Charlotte must never know until she's ready."
Adrian was silent.
Then:
"What do you want me to do?"
"Protect her."
"I will."
"Even if she hates you."
"I will."
"Even if she believes you betrayed us."
"I will."
Victoria closed her eyes.
"Good."
Then she whispered:
"Because I think tonight is the night."
At 12:18 a.m., the security system went offline.
Victoria noticed immediately.
She walked toward the control panel.
Nothing.
No cameras.
No alarms.
No emergency signal.
She picked up a kitchen knife.
Her phone vibrated.
A message.
COME OUTSIDE.
Victoria stared at it.
Then another.
OR WE COME INSIDE.
She walked toward the front door.
Her hand hovered over the lock.
Then she heard glass breaking upstairs.
Victoria ran.
A bedroom window had shattered.
But nobody was there.
She turned around.
The hallway was empty.
Then the lights went out.
She heard footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
Coming toward her.
Victoria backed away.
"Who are you?"
No answer.
A shadow moved.
She raised the knife.
Then a man stepped into the emergency light.
Victoria's eyes widened.
"You."
The man smiled.
"Good evening, Victoria."
She recognized him.
He had attended family dinners.
Corporate meetings.
Charity events.
He had stood beside her husband.
He had kissed Charlotte on the forehead when she was a child.
He had been there at the funeral.
Victoria whispered:
"I trusted you."
The man sighed.
"That was your mistake."
Charlotte stopped breathing.
"Who was it?"
Adrian looked at her.
"You don't want to know."
"Tell me."
"I can't."
"You just told me my mother knew she was going to die."
"Yes."
"Then tell me who killed her."
Adrian's eyes were filled with guilt.
"I wasn't there."
"Who was?"
"I don't know."
Charlotte stepped closer.
"You're lying."
"No."
"Then why are you afraid?"
Adrian looked at the dark window.
"Because the person who killed your mother is still alive."
Charlotte's stomach tightened.
"Where?"
He looked at her.
"Inside this hotel."
Charlotte's phone was still missing.
Adrian handed her his.
"Call whoever you trust."
She stared at the device.
"I don't know who I trust."
"Then trust no one."
She looked at him.
"Not even you?"
Adrian paused.
"No."
Charlotte's eyes narrowed.
"At least you're honest."
He nodded.
"I need you to understand something."
"What?"
"The night your mother died, she didn't just lose her life."
"What else?"
"She lost the evidence."
"What evidence?"
"The second ledger."
Charlotte remembered her mother's recording.
The second ledger recorded the people.
"Where is it?"
Adrian shook his head.
"I don't know."
"My mother knew."
"Yes."
"Then someone took it."
"Yes."
"Who?"
Adrian looked at her.
"Your mother gave it to someone."
Charlotte froze.
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Then why do you think she's dead?"
"Because whoever received it disappeared."
"Who?"
Adrian's voice became barely audible.
"Your grandfather."
Charlotte stared at him.
"My grandfather died seven years ago."
"No."
"What?"
"He disappeared."
"That's impossible."
"That's what they wanted everyone to believe."
Charlotte felt the room spinning.
"Where is he?"
"We don't know."
"You said he had the ledger."
"He did."
"Then find him."
"I've been trying."
"For seven years?"
"Yes."
Charlotte looked at him.
"And you never told me?"
"Because your mother ordered me not to."
"Why?"
"Because you were being watched."
Charlotte's hands curled into fists.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
"Because it's true."
"Then prove it."
Adrian reached into his jacket.
He pulled out a small envelope.
He handed it to her.
Charlotte opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Her grandfather.
Standing outside an unknown building.
The date was printed on the back.
Three days before his supposed death.
Charlotte stared at the photograph.
"Where was this taken?"
Adrian answered:
"Montreal."
"Why was he there?"
"To meet someone."
"Who?"
Adrian shook his head.
"We don't know."
Charlotte turned the photograph over.
There was another line written underneath the date.
If anything happens to me, find the woman in red.
Charlotte frowned.
"The woman in red?"
Adrian nodded.
"That's all we have."
At 3:17 a.m., Charlotte returned to the vault.
She had barely entered when the lights turned on.
Margaret was waiting.
"You found the photograph."
Charlotte looked at her.
"You knew."
Margaret didn't deny it.
"About grandfather?"
"Yes."
"He's alive."
"I don't know."
"You told me he died."
"I told you what everyone believed."
"That's not an answer."
Margaret lowered her head.
"Your grandfather wanted you protected."
"Protected from what?"
"The truth."
Charlotte laughed bitterly.
"Everyone keeps using that word."
Margaret looked at her.
"Because the truth can destroy people."
"It already destroyed my mother."
Margaret's face broke.
"Yes."
Charlotte softened for only a moment.
Then asked:
"What happened that night?"
Margaret stared at the floor.
"Your mother called me."
"When?"
"11:53."
"Before she died?"
"Yes."
"What did she say?"
Margaret closed her eyes.
"She said someone was coming."
"Who?"
"She didn't know."
"Did she mention Blackwell?"
"Yes."
"What else?"
Margaret's voice trembled.
"She said she had hidden something."
"The ledger?"
"No."
"What?"
Margaret looked at Charlotte.
"You."
Charlotte froze.
"What?"
"She said the most important thing she had ever hidden wasn't money."
Margaret stepped closer.
"It was you."
Charlotte's face went pale.
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know."
"You must."
"Your mother told me that if she died, I had to make sure you never discovered the truth about your birth."
Charlotte's heart stopped.
"My birth?"
Margaret looked away.
Charlotte whispered:
"Who is my father?"
Margaret didn't answer.
"Grandmother."
Silence.
"Who is my father?"
Margaret finally looked at her.
And before she could speak—
The vault doors slammed shut.
The lights went out.
A voice came through the speakers.
"Charlotte."
She recognized it.
Olivia.
"You're looking in the wrong place."
Charlotte turned toward the ceiling.
"Where is the ledger?"
Olivia laughed.
"You don't need the ledger."
"What do I need?"
"The truth."
Charlotte's heart pounded.
"What truth?"
Olivia's voice became colder.
"Your mother wasn't Victoria Vale's daughter."
Silence.
Charlotte stopped breathing.
"What?"
Then the speakers went dead.
Margaret grabbed her arm.
"Charlotte, listen to me."
Charlotte pulled away.
"No."
"Please."
"You lied to me."
"Your mother asked me to."
"You all lied."
"Because we were trying to protect you."
"From what?"
Margaret's eyes filled with tears.
"From the man who gave you your name."
Charlotte stared.
"What are you talking about?"
Margaret whispered:
"Your mother wasn't your biological mother."
Charlotte's world collapsed.
"No."
"She raised you."
"No."
"She loved you."
"No."
"But she didn't give birth to you."
Charlotte backed away.
The room seemed to spin.
She looked at the photograph of Victoria.
The woman who had raised her.
Loved her.
Held her.
Called her daughter.
Everything she believed about herself was suddenly uncertain.
Then the vault door unlocked.
Slowly.
A man stood outside.
Adrian.
His face was pale.
"Charlotte."
She looked at him.
"Did you know?"
He didn't answer.
"Did you know?"
Finally, Adrian whispered:
"Yes."
Charlotte's eyes filled with tears.
"How long?"
"Since the night your mother died."
She stared at him.
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
Adrian stepped closer.
"Because Victoria made me promise."
Charlotte shook her head.
"She lied to me."
"No."
Adrian's voice broke.
"She protected you."
"From who?"
He looked at Margaret.
Then back at Charlotte.
"From your biological father."
Charlotte's blood turned cold.
"Who is he?"
Adrian swallowed.
Then said the one thing Charlotte had never imagined hearing.
"He's the man who ordered your mother's death."
Charlotte stared at him.
"No."
Adrian nodded.
"Yes."
And somewhere in the distance, deep beneath Solmere Hotel, an old telephone began ringing.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Margaret looked terrified.
Adrian whispered:
"He's calling."
Charlotte turned toward the sound.
"Who?"
May you like
Adrian looked at her.
"Your father."
