Chapter 6
The safety deposit box changed the investigation.
Inside was a hard drive.
My mother’s necklace.
And a sealed letter in my handwriting.
If I am opening this because something happened, do not trust Dad with Dylan.
I stared at the sentence.
My own warning.
Written by a version of me whose memory had not been cracked open.
Maya read the letter aloud because small print made my vision swim.
Dylan has routed vendor payments through Blackstone Supply and North Pier Consulting. Dad knows more than he admits. If I disappear, resign, or seem unstable, check executive security logs and the private server.
Disappear.
Resign.
Seem unstable.
I had predicted their playbook.
That should have made me proud.
Instead, it made me sick.
How long had I been living with people I had to prepare against?
The hard drive held everything.
Invoices.
Emails.
Deleted audits.
Recordings from my office.
One file was labeled DAD CONFESSION MAYBE.
Maya raised an eyebrow.
“Subtle.”
“Past me was tired.”
She clicked it.
My father’s voice filled the room.
“Dylan made mistakes, but he is your brother.”
My voice answered.
“He stole company money.”
“He borrowed against future value.”
“That is not a thing.”
“You will not embarrass this family.”
“If the board confirms this, he’s done.”
Dad’s voice hardened.
“If you bring this forward, you force me to choose.”
My voice was quiet.
“No. You already did.”
The recording ended.
No one spoke.
Thomas looked broken.
“He promised your mother he’d protect both of you.”
I touched the necklace from the box.
Mom had worn it every day.
A small gold sun.
“Dad protected Dylan from consequences,” I said. “Not me from harm.”
The evidence went to police.
Then federal investigators.
Financial crimes made people move faster than blood did.
Dylan was arrested at a hotel outside Providence.
He had cash, a burner phone, and my old passport.
My passport.
The plan hit me slowly.
“Why did he have that?”
Ramirez looked grim.
“We think he intended to make it look like you fled after embezzling funds.”
I went cold.
Dylan had not only attacked me.
He planned to make me the criminal.
Dad was suspended by the board pending investigation.
He released another statement.
This time, nobody believed him.
Maya’s suspension was reversed.
I was still in the hospital when she walked in holding a visitor badge and a grin.
“Guess who’s back on payroll?”
I smiled.
The word came easily.
“Trouble.”
May you like
She laughed.
For the first time since the attack, I felt a piece of myself return.
