Chapter 13 - THE EMPIRE RETURNS
At 9:46 the next morning, Northstar’s board received formal notice.
Thomas Bennett had lost administrative control.
Mary Bennett became controlling beneficiary.
At 10:15, Northstar canceled the accelerated debt demands against Bennett Holdings.
At 11:02, the company’s stock began rising.
By lunchtime, the crisis that Thomas had spent years constructing had collapsed.
Employees gathered in the lobby when Mary entered headquarters.
For several seconds, no one spoke.
Then someone applauded.
Another person joined.
Soon the entire lobby echoed.
Mary smiled, but she did not feel victorious.
Too much had been lost.
Her father’s health.
Vanessa’s father.
Her trust.
Six years of her life.
Victory did not return stolen time.
In the boardroom, Mary removed Thomas’s nameplate.
Then she removed Ethan’s.
Olivia watched.
“He helped expose Thomas.”
“Yes.”
“Are you reinstating him?”
“No.”
Olivia nodded.
Mary appreciated that she did not ask why.
Ethan had done the right thing at the end.
That did not erase what he had done before.
At 3:00 p.m., Vanessa arrived.
She looked nervous.
Mary gestured toward the chair opposite her.
“I assume you’re here about Ethan.”
“No.”
Vanessa placed a folder on the desk.
“I’m here about my father.”
Inside were documents Peter Hart had copied before his death.
Mary read the first page.
It contained a transfer Thomas made eight years ago.
Another name appeared as beneficiary.
Michael Cole.
Vanessa pointed to the date.
“This payment happened six months after Ethan claimed his father died.”
Mary looked up.
“What are you saying?”
“Michael Cole didn’t die when Ethan said he did.”
Mary remembered Ethan’s confession.
“My father died with nothing.”
Maybe Ethan had believed Michael was dead.
Maybe not.
Vanessa continued.
“I checked private immigration databases through an investigator.”
“Vanessa.”
“I know.”
“You could have damaged the case.”
“I needed to know.”
Mary looked down.
“Did you find him?”
Vanessa nodded.
“Michael Cole entered the United States four days ago.”
Mary’s stomach tightened.
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
“Does Ethan know?”
“I asked him.”
“And?”
“He disappeared this morning.”
Mary immediately called Ethan.
The number went straight to voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
Daniel contacted security.
Ethan’s apartment was empty.
His car remained in the garage.
His passport was gone.
Mary stared at the city outside her office.
Thomas was in custody.
Northstar belonged to her.
The company was safe.
Yet another piece of the past had just returned.
That evening, a package arrived at Mary’s home.
No return address.
Inside was a photograph.
Ethan stood outside a farmhouse.
Beside him was an older man.
Michael Cole.
May you like
On the back, someone had written one sentence.
ASK ETHAN WHAT HE PROMISED HIS FATHER BEFORE HE EVER MET YOU.
