Chapter 6 - The Woman Behind Wendy
The bank box contained only three things.
A photograph.
A handwritten letter.
And a small flash drive.
Jessi read the letter first.
Her father's handwriting was unmistakable.
If you are reading this, then someone tried to control the life I built for you.
Her eyes filled with tears.
Do not trust anyone who tells you that family is an excuse for obedience.
She stopped.
Then read the final line.
The money is not the most important thing. The person who controls it is.
Phoebe connected the flash drive to a secure computer.
There were dozens of files.
Contracts.
Bank transfers.
Emails.
And one video.
Jessi clicked it.
Her father appeared on screen.
He looked tired.
But alive.
The recording had been made months before his death.
“I discovered someone inside my company was transferring assets.”
Jessi held her breath.
“I believe Wendy Carter is involved.”
Phoebe covered her mouth.
The recording continued.
“But Wendy is not the person directing it.”
Jessi leaned closer.
A name appeared on the screen.
Adrian Vale.
She looked at Phoebe.
“That can't be right.”
But the evidence continued.
Adrian had been working with Wendy.
Yet another file showed that Adrian had later attempted to stop the transfers.
He had turned against them.
That explained why Wendy had threatened his daughter.
Jessi suddenly understood.
The conspiracy had changed over time.
Adrian had helped start the machine.
Then realized what it had become.
And someone else had taken control.
The final file contained a photograph.
A man stood beside Wendy and Luca.
Jessi recognized him.
Her own father's former business partner.
Marcus Reed.
She had believed Marcus died shortly after her father's death.
He hadn't.
He had disappeared.
Phoebe whispered:
“Why would a dead man be running your family's money?”
Jessi stared at the photograph.
Then she remembered something.
Her father had once warned her:
“Never trust the person who benefits when everyone else thinks a story is finished.”
Marcus was alive.
May you like
And he had been waiting.
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