Chapter 14 - MARGARET VALE
Margaret Vale lived in Rhode Island under another name.
She was eighty-two.
She agreed to see Ethan only after hearing Claire’s recording had been found.
The FBI accompanied him.
Sophie stayed in a protected location with Daniel’s wife.
Ethan hated leaving her.
But he refused to bring her near another person connected to Richard.
Margaret received him in a modest oceanfront cottage.
Nothing about the home suggested a family fortune.
She studied Ethan for a long time.
“You loved Claire.”
It was not a question.
“Yes.”
Margaret nodded.
“That makes this worse.”
She handed him a photograph.
Two teenage children stood beside an older man.
One was Richard.
The other was Marianne.
Claire’s mother.
“Richard worshiped his father.”
“Marianne hated what the family did to people.”
“She left.”
“When our father died, he secretly left half the family holdings to Marianne.”
“Richard discovered it years later.”
Ethan listened.
“He thought she stole his inheritance?”
“He believed being male made it his.”
Margaret’s mouth tightened.
“When Marianne died, Richard expected the shares to return to him.”
“They didn’t.”
“They went to Claire.”
“And then Sophie.”
Margaret walked to a cabinet.
She removed an old ledger.
“Richard started taking money years before Claire discovered him.”
“He forged my signature.”
“He forged Marianne’s.”
“He even convinced his father near the end that Marianne had betrayed the family.”
“Why disappear?”
Margaret stared through the window.
“Because Richard threatened me.”
“He told me accidents happen to old women.”
Ethan felt anger rise.
Margaret turned back.
“Claire found me.”
“When?”
“Seven years ago.”
“Shortly before Sophie was born.”
“She wanted to understand her mother.”
Margaret smiled sadly.
“She was brave.”
“Too brave.”
She opened another envelope.
Inside were notarized documents.
“This transfers my remaining voting rights.”
“To whom?”
Margaret looked at Ethan.
“To Sophie.”
Ethan shook his head.
“She doesn’t need more money.”
“It isn’t about money.”
Margaret pushed the papers toward him.
“These voting rights can remove Richard from every Vale-controlled board.”
Ethan finally understood.
Richard was not only running from prison.
He was about to lose the empire he believed defined him.
Margaret then said something unexpected.
“He’ll come for me.”
The FBI agent beside Ethan asked why.
Margaret looked at the clock.
“Because I sent him a message this morning.”
Ethan stared at her.
“What message?”
Margaret’s eyes remained steady.
May you like
“I told him I had the original Vale ledger.”
“And that Sophie was with me.”
