Chapter 8 - VICTOR HARRINGTON'S SECRET
Dominic already suspected Victor.
He simply had not told me.
“I wanted evidence.”
“Dominic.”
“I know.”
“You don’t get to protect me by hiding information.”
He looked at me.
“That sounded familiar.”
I hated that he was right.
I had spent years hiding my own family from Brandon.
Everyone in my life seemed to confuse secrecy with protection.
“Tell me everything.”
Dominic nodded.
Victor Harrington knew exactly who I was.
He had known for years.
In fact, he had once tried to negotiate a real-estate joint venture with Whitmore Capital.
My father rejected him.
“Why?”
“Accounting irregularities.”
“Fraud?”
“Nothing provable.”
“But enough to walk away.”
“Yes.”
I stared out the window.
“So Victor knew Brandon married a Whitmore.”
“Probably.”
“Why didn’t he tell him?”
Dominic smiled without humor.
“Leverage.”
If Brandon did not know my family’s true power, Victor could use him.
If Brandon did know, he might demand better terms.
“How much did Victor know about our marriage?”
“We’re finding out.”
The answer arrived from Tessa.
One of her archived recordings contained Brandon and Victor speaking six months earlier.
Victor’s voice came clearly.
“Alyssa is useful as long as she remains quiet.”
Brandon answered.
“She doesn’t care about business.”
“That is not the same as being harmless.”
“She trusts me.”
Victor laughed.
“Then make sure she keeps trusting you until the merger closes.”
I felt colder with every sentence.
Brandon asked.
“And after?”
Victor replied.
“You remove her from the capitalization structure.”
“Sophie too.”
“Especially the child.”
I paused the recording.
Claire covered her mouth.
“My father knew.”
Dominic nodded.
“Yes.”
Claire stood abruptly.
“I need air.”
I understood.
Betrayal from a lover hurts.
Betrayal from a parent rearranges your childhood.
She returned ten minutes later.
“What happens if the merger is canceled?”
Dominic answered.
“Victor loses a major liquidity event.”
“How major?”
“Possibly two billion dollars.”
Claire stared at him.
“My father’s company is worth more than that.”
“On paper.”
I looked at Dominic.
“What did you find?”
“Harrington Aerospace has hidden debt.”
Claire went pale.
“No.”
“Your father moved liabilities into private subsidiaries.”
“How much?”
“Initial estimate?”
“Eight hundred million.”
Claire sat down.
The merger was not Brandon’s only rescue.
Victor needed it too.
Two desperate men had built a scheme using three women and two children as corporate pieces.
I stood.
“Call Nathaniel.”
Dominic raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
“Because if Harrington is hiding debt from lenders, I want every facility reviewed.”
Claire looked at me.
“That could destroy my father’s company.”
I met her eyes.
“No.”
“Your father’s decisions could destroy it.”
“That difference matters.”
She nodded slowly.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Victor Harrington.
“Alyssa.”
His tone was calm.
“Mr. Harrington.”
“We should meet.”
“Why?”
“Because your brothers are making a mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“Believing Brandon invented this plan.”
I looked at Dominic.
Victor continued.
“Brandon was never smart enough to build something this complicated.”
My pulse changed.
“Then who did?”
Victor lowered his voice.
“Ask your brother Dominic why he invested in Hale Strategic Systems before you ever met Brandon.”
The call ended.
May you like
I looked at Dominic.
For the first time since the gala, my brother looked genuinely surprised.
