Chapter 7 - The Third Partner
Natalie had been like a sister to me.
Our fathers were brothers.
We grew up spending summers together at my grandmother’s ranch.
She had been a bridesmaid at my wedding.
When Ryan and I supposedly became estranged from Dad, Natalie was one of the few relatives who still occasionally called.
At least, she had been.
Her calls stopped three years ago.
Ryan told me she had chosen Dad’s side.
Now she was sitting in Eric Stanton’s car.
With my husband.
Dad looked stunned.
That scared me more than Ryan’s financial crimes.
Dad was rarely surprised.
“Call my brother,” he said.
Margaret shook her head.
“Not yet.”
“If Natalie’s involved, we need to know how.”
Charles leaned toward the laptop.
“Could she own the remaining twenty percent of Strategic Holdings?”
Margaret began searching public records.
The LLC controlling that stake had layers.
Wyoming.
Nevada.
Delaware.
But Dad’s investigators already had access to databases I didn’t know existed.
Twenty minutes later, Margaret found a filing.
The beneficial ownership report was restricted, but an old financing statement referenced a guarantor.
Natalie H. Mercer.
Natalie’s married name.
My father leaned back slowly.
“There’s your third partner.”
I felt sick.
“But why?”
Dad’s jaw tightened.
“Because Natalie has debts.”
“What kind?”
“Enough that my brother stopped paying them.”
Gambling.
Failed investments.
A collapsed restaurant project.
Dad explained that Natalie had burned through nearly three million dollars.
Her father finally refused to rescue her.
Then she disappeared from family events.
I remembered Ryan saying she was ashamed of me.
Another lie.
Charles tapped the Aster Consulting payment.
“Ryan paid Eric.”
“Strategic Holdings owns the patents.”
“Natalie owns part of Strategic Holdings.”
“What were they building?”
Dad answered.
“A replacement.”
The room went quiet.
Caldwell Manufacturing had existed for thirty-seven years.
Its contracts, reputation, workforce, and debt all remained with Charles.
Strategic Holdings quietly accumulated patents, equipment, and selected customers.
When the old company failed, the new one could emerge without its liabilities.
Ryan would control it.
Diane would profit.
Natalie would profit.
And my inheritance had financed the theft.
My phone buzzed with a message from Natalie.
Emily, please don’t believe everything your father is telling you.
I stared at it.
Then another arrived.
Ryan only did what he had to do because Jonathan threatened him years ago.
I showed Dad.
His face became unreadable.
“What is she talking about?”
He stood.
“Nothing.”
I knew my father well enough to hear the lie.
“Dad.”
He walked toward the window.
“What happened years ago?”
He didn’t answer.
I rose.
“You expect me to trust you after six years apart.”
“So don’t hide things from me now.”
Dad closed his eyes briefly.
“Three weeks before your wedding, Ryan came to my office.”
My heart began pounding.
“What did he want?”
“Money.”
“How much?”
“Five million dollars.”
Charles swore under his breath.
Dad continued.
“He said if I wanted him to walk away from you, that was the price.”
Everything inside me went still.
I whispered, “He offered to leave me for money?”
May you like
Dad nodded.
“And when I refused, Ryan said marrying you would be more profitable anyway.”
