Chapter 3: The Empire Built on Lies
Nathan lunged toward me.
"This was all a setup!"
"You trapped me!"
Before he reached me, two security officers restrained him effortlessly.
I looked at him quietly.
"No."
"You trapped yourself."
One of the forensic accountants walked into the library.
Exactly ninety seconds later, he returned carrying three steel lockboxes.
Nathan froze.
Those boxes had never appeared in company records.
He whispered,
"How..."
Dad answered for me.
"Because my daughter copied every key six months ago."
Nathan looked at me in disbelief.
"You knew?"
"I knew enough."
Another investigator approached.
"Sir."
"We've recovered offshore banking credentials."
"Forty-three shell companies."
"Seven countries."
"Approximately 1.8 billion dollars laundered."
Celeste nearly collapsed.
"Nathan..."
"You said everything was legal!"
Nathan screamed,
"Shut up!"
Too late.
A cybercrime agent projected hundreds of emails onto the enormous television in the hall.
Every affair.
Every bribe.
Every payoff.
Every threat.
Every forged contract.
Every illegal shipment.
Even worse...
There were videos.
Nathan secretly meeting corrupt officials.
Celeste demanding kickbacks.
Executives discussing how to destroy competitors.
The room became painfully silent.
Dad looked at me.
"Is there anything else?"
I nodded once.
"There is one final file."
I removed the sapphire pendant.
Pressed the hidden release.
A tiny memory chip slid into my hand.
Nathan's face drained of all color.
"No..."
I handed it to the investigators.
"Play Track Seventeen."
The recording filled the room.
Nathan's own voice.
Cold.
Emotionless.
"If Evelyn ever becomes a problem..."
"...make it look like depression."
"...people already think she's unstable."
Even Celeste stared at him in horror.
"You planned to kill her?"
May you like
Nathan couldn't answer.
Because there was no lie left to tell.
