Chapter 6: The Voice on the Recording
David Mercer refused to send the recording electronically.
He said it was too dangerous.
I didn't know whether I believed him, but Margaret insisted we meet him at her office with James present.
The appointment was scheduled for the following morning.
I spent the night in my childhood bedroom, staring at the ceiling.
Every memory of my father had suddenly become uncertain.
His laughter.
His advice.
The way he used to stand outside my bedroom door when I was sick.
The final phone call we had shared.
He had told me he loved me.
He had told me to take care of Mom.
He hadn't mentioned being afraid.
At seven the next morning, my mother knocked.
“Olivia?””
I opened the door.
She was holding two cups of coffee.
“Can I come in?””
I stepped aside.
She placed one cup on my desk.
For a moment, she looked around the room.
“You used to keep everything so neat.””
I smiled faintly.
“Stephanie used to steal my things.””
Mom almost laughed.
Then her expression changed.
“I owe you both more than I can explain.””
I sat on the bed.
“Mom, you didn't make Nathan betray me.””
“No. But I spent years making excuses for Stephanie.””
She sat beside me.
“I thought if I kept asking you to forgive her, eventually everything would become normal again.””
I looked at her.
“Why was it always my job to make things normal?””
She lowered her eyes.
“Because you were the responsible one. I knew you would survive being disappointed.””
I felt something break inside me.
“That's exactly why it hurt.””
Mom nodded.
“I know.””
She reached for my hand.
“I wish I could go back.””
I squeezed her fingers.
“Me too.””
For several minutes, we sat together.
Then she whispered, “Your father loved you more than anything.””
I looked at her.
“I know.””
“He used to say you had his stubbornness and my heart.””
I smiled.
“Stephanie got your dramatic side.””
Mom laughed softly.
For a moment, we were simply a mother and daughter sitting in an old bedroom.
Then her face became serious.
“There's something else I should tell you before you meet David.””
I turned.
“What?””
“Your father had a visitor the night before he died.””
“Charles?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“Who?””
“Stephanie.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
Mom looked down.
“She came here that evening. She was upset. She and Richard argued.””
My stomach tightened.
“About what?””
“I don't know exactly. I heard them talking in his office. Your father told her she needed to stay away from Nathan Cole.””
I felt cold.
“Did she?””
Mom nodded.
“She said Nathan loved her.””
I looked toward the window.
“What did Dad say?””
Mom's voice trembled.
“He told her that Nathan didn't love either of you.””
I stared at her.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because Stephanie begged me not to.””
I stood.
“Mom, she was there the night before Dad died?””
“Yes.””
“Did she see him afterward?””
Mom shook her head.
“She left before midnight.””
I couldn't speak.
Stephanie had spent years telling me that Dad always favored me.
That he trusted me more.
That he had left me everything because he believed she was irresponsible.
But what if she knew something?
What if the night before his death had changed everything?
I grabbed my coat.
“We need to ask her.””
Mom nodded.
“I know.””
At Margaret's office, David Mercer was already waiting.
He was a thin man in his late sixties, with a carefully trimmed beard and tired eyes.
He stood when we entered.
“Olivia.””
“Mr. Mercer.””
“Please. David.””
He shook my hand.
Then he looked at Margaret.
“Is everyone here?””
“Everyone who needs to be.””
He opened a leather briefcase and removed a small digital recorder.
It was old.
Silver, scratched, and covered in a clear plastic sleeve.
“This is the original.””
I stared at it.
“My father recorded this?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because he believed Charles was going to threaten him.””
David placed the recorder on the table.
“Richard asked me to keep it safe. He said that if anything happened to him, I should give it to you only when Charles attempted to interfere with the trust.””
I swallowed.
“Did you know my father was in danger?””
David nodded slowly.
“I knew he was worried.””
“Why didn't you tell anyone?””
“I didn't have enough evidence. And frankly, I was afraid.””
Margaret leaned forward.
“David, please tell us what happened.””
He looked at me.
“Your father had discovered that Cole Holdings was moving money through several companies to conceal ownership of properties. He found evidence that Charles was attempting to acquire the Wilson land through a fraudulent transfer.””
I nodded.
“We know about the acquisition plan.””
David continued.
“But Richard also discovered that someone inside the Wilson company had been supplying information.””
My heart stopped.
“Someone who worked for Dad?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
David pressed his lips together.
“I don't know for certain.””
He picked up the recorder.
“Listen.””
He pressed play.
A burst of static filled the room.
Then my father's voice.
“Charles, this ends tonight.””
I closed my eyes.
I hadn't heard his voice in six years.
My chest tightened.
Charles answered.
“You're making a mistake, Richard.””
“I'm not signing anything.””
“You don't understand what you're refusing.””
“I understand perfectly.””
There was a noise.
A chair scraping.
Then Charles spoke again.
“You have a family to protect.””
My father's voice hardened.
“Don't talk about my family.””
“You have two daughters.””
“And neither of them belongs to you.””
Silence.
Then Charles laughed.
“You're still pretending the girls are yours to protect.””
My mother's hand flew to her mouth.
The recording continued.
My father said, “Stephanie is my daughter.””
Charles replied, “Biologically, she's mine.””
“She has a father. And it isn't you.””
I felt tears fill my eyes.
Then Charles spoke again.
“You should have told the girl the truth.””
“She's a child.””
“She deserves to know who she is.””
“She deserves to grow up without being used.””
There was another pause.
Then my father's voice changed.
“You're not getting the company.””
Charles answered quietly.
“Then I suppose we have a problem.””
The recording stopped.
Everyone sat motionless.
I looked at David.
“That's it?””
He nodded.
“There's another file.””
He inserted a second memory card into the recorder.
The next recording began with footsteps.
Then a woman's voice.
I recognized it immediately.
Stephanie.
“Dad, please.””
My entire body went cold.
My father answered.
“Stephanie, you need to leave Nathan.””
“I love him.””
“He doesn't love you.””
“You don't know that.””
“I know exactly what he's doing.””
Stephanie began crying.
“He says Olivia is the problem.””
My father sounded furious.
“Your sister is not the problem.””
“He says the company should belong to the family.””
“It's not his company.””
“He says I could have a share.””
“Stephanie, listen to me.””
A long silence followed.
Then my father said something I had never heard before.
“If you continue this relationship, you may lose more than your inheritance.””
Stephanie's voice became defensive.
“You always choose Olivia.””
“That isn't true.””
“You gave her everything.””
“I gave her responsibility.””
“You gave her the company.””
“Because I trust her.””
The recording became distorted.
Then Stephanie whispered:
“What if I told Nathan where the documents are?””
My blood ran cold.
My mother gasped.
My father's voice became very quiet.
“Don't you dare.””
The recording stopped.
I stared at the machine.
Nobody spoke.
Finally, I turned toward David.
“Did you hear this before?””
He nodded.
“Your father gave me both recordings.””
“Why didn't you come forward?””
“I didn't know what happened after he died. I didn't want to accuse a young woman without understanding the full circumstances.””
I looked at Margaret.
“Can we establish whether Stephanie actually gave Nathan the documents?””
“We can investigate.””
I stood.
“I want to speak to her.””
Margaret nodded.
“We should arrange that carefully.””
My phone rang.
Stephanie.
I answered.
“Where are you?””
“Home.””
“Are you alone?””
“Yes.””
“I need to see you.””
She hesitated.
“Why?””
“I heard the recording.””
Silence.
Then she whispered:
“You heard Dad?””
“Yes.””
I waited.
Finally, she said, “I knew you'd find out eventually.””
My stomach tightened.
“What did you tell Nathan?””
She started crying.
“I didn't know what he was planning.””
“Stephanie.””
“I didn't know!””
“Did you tell him where Dad kept the documents?””
She didn't answer.
I closed my eyes.
“Did you?””
Finally, she whispered, “Yes.””
I gripped the edge of the table.
“When?””
“Six years ago. Before you left.””
“What did you tell him?””
“That Dad kept the original trust papers in his office safe.””
I felt dizzy.
“Why?””
“Because Nathan said he wanted to understand the business before marrying you.””
I could barely breathe.
“Did you know Dad was afraid of him?””
“No.””
“Did you know they argued that night?””
Stephanie began sobbing.
“I was there, Olivia.””
“I know.””
“I left before midnight.””
“What happened after you left?””
“I don't know.””
“Did you see Dad the next morning?””
“No.””
“Did Nathan?””
She went quiet.
Then she said, “He told me your father had died.””
I stared at the wall.
“What?””
“He called me that morning. He said Richard had suffered a heart attack.””
I felt my blood turn cold.
“How did he know?””
“I don't know.””
“Did he tell you where he was?””
“No.””
“Stephanie, think.””
She was crying so hard that her words became difficult to understand.
Then she whispered:
“He was at the hospital.””
I froze.
“What?””
“He said he'd gone there because he wanted to make sure the family was informed.””
I looked at Margaret.
She had stopped moving.
“Did you see him at the hospital?””
“No. I was at home.””
“Did he tell you who called him?””
“No.””
I closed my eyes.
Nathan had been involved somehow.
Maybe he had only been informed.
Maybe he had known my father was unwell.
But the timing was too precise to ignore.
“Stephanie, I need you to tell me everything about that morning.””
She took a shaky breath.
Then she said:
“There's something I never told you.””
“What?””
“When Nathan called, he wasn't alone.””
My heart pounded.
“Who was with him?””
She whispered a name.
“Your mother.””
I turned toward Mom.
Her face had gone completely white.
“Mom?””
She looked at me.
Then she slowly shook her head.
“No.””
Stephanie continued.
“I heard her voice in the background. She was crying. Nathan told her everything would be fine.””
I looked at my mother.
“Were you with Nathan the morning Dad died?””
Mom's eyes filled with tears.
She lowered herself into the nearest chair.
“I went to the hospital,” she whispered.
“Why?””
“Because Charles called me.””
My stomach dropped.
“What did he tell you?””
Mom looked at me.
“He said your father had been found unconscious in his office.””
I stared at her.
“Then why did Stephanie hear Nathan?””
Mom closed her eyes.
“Because Nathan was already there.””
The room became silent.
I could hear my own heartbeat.
Mom finally looked up.
“Olivia, there's something I have been afraid to tell you for six years.””
She reached into her handbag and removed a folded piece of paper.
It was a hospital visitor record.
My father's name was printed at the top.
Below it were three names.
Eleanor Wilson.
Charles Cole.
Nathan Cole.
And beside Nathan's name was a handwritten note.
Arrived before emergency services.
I stared at it.
“Why was he there before the ambulance?””
Mom began crying.
“I asked him the same question.””
“What did he say?””
She looked directly at me.
“He told me your father had called him for help.””
I shook my head.
“That doesn't make sense.””
“I know.””
“Did Dad call Nathan?””
Mom shook her head.
“No.””
I looked at the paper again.
“Then why was he there?””
Mom covered her face.
And for the first time, she said the words I had been waiting six years to hear.
“I think Nathan was the last person to see your father alive.””
Margaret immediately reached for the document.
“Eleanor, we need to know exactly what you witnessed that morning.””
Mom looked at her.
Then at me.
“I saw Nathan come out of Richard's office carrying a briefcase.””
My breath caught.
“What was inside?””
“I don't know.””
“Did you ask him?””
She nodded.
“And he told me something I have never forgotten.””
I leaned closer.
“What?””
Mom's voice broke.
“He said, 'Richard won't be a problem anymore.''”
Nobody moved.
Then David Mercer slowly opened his briefcase again.
He removed a final envelope.
It was yellowed with age.
My father's handwriting was on the front.
For Olivia. Only if Nathan Cole returns.
Margaret looked at the envelope.
Then at me.
“Your father knew this might happen.””
I reached for it.
But before I could open it, my phone vibrated.
A message from Nathan.
I hear you've been listening to old recordings.
Another message appeared.
You should have stopped when you had the chance.
Then came the final one.
Ask your mother what happened to the second copy of your father's will.
I looked up.
My mother had stopped crying.
She was staring at the envelope in my hands.
And when I asked her whether there had been another will, she whispered:
“Yes.””
Then she told me where it was hidden.
“Your father's old wedding album.””
I looked toward the hallway.
The album was still in the house.
And suddenly, I understood why Nathan had returned after six years.
May you like
He wasn't afraid of what I knew.
He was afraid of what my father had left behind.
