Chapter 9: The Man Behind My Mother's Death
I couldn't move.
The recording continued playing.
Edward Carter's voice was unmistakable.
“Your father-in-law was a difficult man, Marcus. But his wife was worse. She almost ruined everything.””
Marcus laughed nervously.
“She was dying anyway.””
I felt Andrew's hand tighten around mine.
Eleanor covered her mouth.
Daniel immediately stopped the recording.
“That's enough.””
“No,” I whispered.
“Play it again.””
“Denise—”
“Play it.””
Daniel hesitated.
Then he pressed the button.
Edward's voice filled the office again.
“Your father-in-law was a difficult man, Marcus. But his wife was worse. She almost ruined everything.””
Marcus replied:
“She was dying anyway.””
Edward laughed.
“That's what the doctors believed.””
My stomach twisted.
Then Marcus asked:
“What about Denise?””
Edward answered calmly.
“Your wife is more useful alive for now. We need her signature. After that, she becomes your problem.””
I felt physically sick.
Andrew stood so abruptly that his chair fell backward.
“I'm going to kill him.””
Daniel grabbed his arm.
“Don't.””
“He helped kill our mother!””
“We don't know everything yet.””
“What else do you need to hear?””
Daniel looked at him.
“Evidence that can stand up in court. Not a reason for you to destroy your own life.””
Andrew pulled away.
I stared at the laptop.
My husband had discussed my death.
Not divorce.
Not separation.
My death.
I remembered all the little things.
The business trips.
The mysterious supplements he had encouraged me to take when I complained about fatigue.
The glass of wine he sometimes brought upstairs.
The way he had insisted on handling every detail of my father's estate.
Had any of it been innocent?
I suddenly remembered something.
Three months earlier, I had suffered a severe allergic reaction after taking a vitamin supplement Marcus had purchased for me.
He had insisted I was simply exhausted.
He had driven me to the hospital himself.
And when the doctor asked what I had taken, Marcus answered before I could speak.
I looked at Daniel.
“I need to tell you something.””
He turned.
“What?””
I described the incident.
His expression became serious.
“Do you still have the supplement bottle?””
“I think so. It's in the bathroom cabinet.””
“Don't touch it. I'll arrange for it to be collected and examined.””
Andrew looked horrified.
“Denise, he may have been poisoning you.””
I shook my head.
“I don't know.””
But suddenly, I remembered another detail.
Marcus had thrown away the bottle after I returned from the hospital.
He said it was expired.
I had never questioned him.
My phone rang.
It was Marcus.
I stared at the screen.
Daniel shook his head.
“Don't answer.””
I declined the call.
A message appeared immediately.
Where are you? We need to talk.
Another followed.
Denise, I know what Eleanor has shown you.
Then:
You need to come home. I can explain everything.
I handed the phone to Daniel.
“Save those messages.””
He nodded.
A moment later, another message arrived.
If Andrew is with you, tell him to be careful. Edward knows where he lives.
Andrew looked at the screen.
His face went pale.
“What?””
I showed him.
He immediately called someone.
“Check my apartment. Now.””
He paced the office while waiting.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
“What do you mean the door is open?””
Silence.
“Did you see anyone?””
Another pause.
“Don't go inside. Call the police.””
He ended the call.
“Someone broke into my apartment.””
Eleanor stood.
“This is getting dangerous.””
Daniel closed his laptop.
“We're leaving. I'll contact the authorities and arrange protection.””
But I wasn't ready to leave.
I turned toward Eleanor.
“Did my father know Marcus was planning to hurt me?””
She looked at me for a long moment.
Then she opened the final compartment of her desk.
Inside was a small envelope with my father's handwriting.
“Richard left this for you,” she said.
I took it.
The envelope was sealed with an old strip of tape.
Inside was a single page.
Denise,
If Marcus ever makes you feel unsafe, remember that your father saw this possibility long before you did.
I have arranged for the original Riverside trust documents to be held by an independent trustee. Neither Marcus nor Edward can access them without your consent.
But there is something I need you to know.
The building was never the real prize.
I looked up.
Eleanor nodded toward the letter.
I continued.
Beneath Riverside is a private archive containing the original records of every transaction Edward Carter made through our family businesses.
The archive includes evidence of fraud, hidden accounts, and the disappearance of several million dollars.
I preserved it because I believed someday my children might need to understand what happened.
If you and Andrew are together, the archive belongs to both of you.
Trust each other. Everyone else has already had their chance.
I lowered the letter.
“The archive is beneath the building?””
Eleanor nodded.
“Your father had a secure basement room constructed during the renovation.””
Daniel looked surprised.
“I reviewed the architectural plans. There was a restricted area beneath the east wing, but I never knew what it contained.””
Andrew stared at the letter.
“So that's what Edward wanted.””
“Yes,” I whispered.
The property wasn't simply valuable because of its location.
It contained evidence that could destroy the Carter family's business empire.
And perhaps explain my mother's death.
Daniel checked his watch.
“We need to get to Riverside before anyone else does.””
We left Eleanor's office and drove back to Manhattan.
The entire journey, I kept looking at the photograph of my mother holding Andrew.
I couldn't stop thinking about the years we had lost.
When we reached Riverside, Thomas was waiting in the lobby.
He looked nervous.
“Mrs. Carter, there's someone downstairs.””
“Who?””
He glanced toward the elevator.
“Your husband.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Is he alone?””
Thomas hesitated.
“No.””
The elevator doors opened.
Marcus stepped out.
Beside him stood an older man with silver hair, a dark overcoat, and a familiar face.
Edward Carter.
He looked at me and smiled.
“Denise,” he said warmly.
“You've grown into quite a determined woman.””
I didn't answer.
Edward extended his hand.
“I think we should finally have an honest conversation.””
Andrew stepped forward.
“You don't get to talk to her.””
Edward's smile disappeared.
“Andrew. Still ungrateful, I see.””
Andrew clenched his fists.
“You stole me from my mother.””
“I raised you.””
“You lied to me.””
“I gave you a life.””
“You gave me a prison.””
Edward sighed.
Then he turned toward me.
“Your father made many mistakes. I simply took advantage of them.””
I stared at him.
“Did you kill my mother?””
Edward didn't blink.
“Your mother was a very sick woman.””
“That's not an answer.””
He looked toward Marcus.
My husband stood with his hands in his pockets, refusing to meet my eyes.
Edward continued.
“Your mother made a deal with me. She agreed to keep certain financial matters private. When she changed her mind, things became complicated.””
“Did you poison her?””
Edward gave a small laugh.
“You're listening to recordings made by desperate men. Robert was a coward. Your father was paranoid. And Marcus has always been too emotional.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“We have the recordings. We also have documents connecting you to the disputed transactions.””
Edward's expression barely changed.
“Documents can be forged.””
“Not all of them.””
Edward looked at me.
“Denise, your father left you a great deal of money. I understand that you feel protective of it. But you have no idea what you're dealing with.””
I stared at him.
“Then explain it.””
He smiled again.
“Very well.””
He took a small key from his pocket.
“Your father hid the archive beneath this building. I know exactly where it is.””
Andrew stepped forward.
“Then why haven't you opened it?””
Edward looked at him.
“Because the archive requires two separate authorization keys.””
I frowned.
“Two?””
Edward nodded.
“One was given to your father. The other was entrusted to your mother.””
I felt a chill.
“My mother died twenty years ago.””
Edward's smile widened.
“Exactly.””
He held up the key.
“And I believe your husband knows where the second one is.””
I turned toward Marcus.
His expression changed.
I stared at him.
“Where is it?””
Marcus finally looked at me.
Then he reached inside his jacket and pulled out a small gold locket.
My mother's locket.
The one I had been told was buried with her.
My hands began to shake.
“Where did you get that?””
Marcus looked down.
“Your father gave it to me.””
“Why?””
He swallowed.
“Because your mother left something inside it.””
Edward stepped closer.
“Open it, Marcus.””
Marcus hesitated.
For the first time, he seemed to be questioning the man who had controlled his life for decades.
Edward's voice hardened.
“Open it.””
Marcus pressed the tiny clasp.
The locket opened.
Inside was a small folded piece of paper.
He removed it carefully.
I watched him unfold it.
His eyes moved across the handwriting.
Then his face went completely white.
“What is it?”” Edward demanded.
Marcus looked at me.
And whispered:
“Denise, your mother left you something.””
He held out the paper.
It contained a handwritten message.
My daughter, if you ever discover the truth, remember this: the person who betrayed me wasn't Edward.
I looked up.
Marcus was shaking.
I read the final line.
It was someone I loved enough to trust with my life.
Then I heard the basement door slam open.
Someone was running up the stairs.
Daniel turned sharply.
A security guard appeared in the hallway, breathless.
“Mr. Pierce! Someone has entered the restricted archive!””
Edward dropped his key.
Andrew rushed toward the stairs.
I followed.
But when we reached the basement, the security door stood wide open.
The archive was empty.
The cabinets had been forced.
Documents covered the floor.
And on the wall, written in black marker, were seven words:
*THE TRUTH ABOUT MARGARET DIED WITH HER.*
Beneath the message was a fresh photograph.
It showed my mother standing beside a man.
Not my father.
Not Edward.
Not Marcus.
A man I had never seen before.
On the back, someone had written:
Ask your brother who his real father is.
I slowly turned toward Andrew.
His face had gone completely white.
May you like
And then he whispered:
“Denise, there's something I've never told you.””
