Chapter 5 - EMMA’S SECRET
Daniel guided Emma into a quiet sitting room near the garden.
He closed the door behind them.
“What did Olivia ask you to do?”
Emma wrapped her arms around herself.
“She called me around ten that night.”
“Why?”
“She said she had discovered suspicious payments connected to one of Dad’s old accounts.”
Their father had died five years earlier after a sudden heart attack.
Before his death, Thomas Bennett had controlled the foundation and the family trust.
Daniel had inherited both.
“She wanted you to access the restricted system?”
Emma nodded.
“She said she was trying to protect you.”
“And you believed her?”
“She was going to become your wife.”
Emma’s voice broke.
“I thought she loved you.”
Daniel could not blame her.
He had believed the same lie.
“What happened at the office?”
“Olivia met me there.”
“Was she alone?”
“I never saw anyone else.”
Emma wiped her eyes.
“She gave me an external drive and told me to copy several financial reports.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
“Did you transfer any money?”
“No.”
“Did you leave your computer unlocked?”
Emma’s face went pale.
“For less than a minute.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“What happened?”
“I went to the printer.”
“And Olivia stayed near the computer.”
“Yes.”
Emma covered her mouth.
“Oh, God.”
Daniel placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Listen to me.”
“She used my account.”
“We’re going to prove that.”
“Daniel, if the police see the footage, it will look like I did everything.”
“That was the point.”
Emma stared at him.
“Why would she do this?”
“Because she wanted leverage before the wedding.”
He told her about the phone call.
With every sentence, Emma’s shock turned into horror.
“She wants control of the trust?”
“She wants much more than that.”
“Then why did you marry her?”
“To keep the evidence from being released until we could protect you.”
Emma shook her head.
“You shouldn’t have done that.”
“I had no choice.”
“There is always a choice.”
The words sounded like something their father used to say.
Daniel looked toward the window.
Outside, Olivia laughed beside the champagne tower.
“She thinks she controls the next move.”
A knock sounded at the door.
Before Daniel could answer, Olivia entered.
Her gaze moved from Daniel to Emma.
“Family meeting?”
Emma stepped toward her.
“You used me.”
Olivia closed the door.
“You volunteered to help.”
“You framed me.”
“I created protection.”
“For yourself.”
Olivia’s eyes hardened.
“You should be grateful your brother loves you enough to cooperate.”
Emma raised her hand as if she might strike her.
Daniel caught her wrist.
“Not here.”
Olivia smiled.
“That’s right, Daniel.”
She touched her wedding ring.
“We have guests waiting.”
She turned toward the door.
May you like
Then Daniel noticed a tiny red light flashing beneath the lace near her shoulder.
A miniature recording device was hidden inside her wedding gown.
