Chapter 4 - THE WILL MY FATHER HID
Mason was waiting outside.
He stood beside a black sedan, hands in his coat pockets, looking nothing like the man who had humiliated me hours earlier.
No anger.
No arrogance.
Just exhaustion.
Alexander stepped outside first.
I followed.
My father remained inside.
Mason saw me.
His eyes moved briefly to the watch around my wrist.
He went still.
“So he gave it to you.”
I frowned.
“You knew about the watch?”
Mason nodded.
“My mother wanted it.”
I felt a chill.
“Why?”
“Because she thought your mother left something behind.”
“A will.”
“Yes.”
“And you have it?”
Mason took a sealed envelope from his coat.
“I found it in my mother's study.”
He handed it to me.
I looked at Alexander.
He nodded.
I opened it.
The first page was unmistakable.
My mother's handwriting.
To my daughter, Emily, when you are old enough to understand the decisions made in her name.
My hands began shaking.
I read silently.
She wrote about Carter Manufacturing.
About the agreement with Caroline Whitmore.
About protecting the workers.
Then came the line that stopped me.
If the company ever reaches a point where marriage becomes a condition of survival, do not marry for the company.
I looked up.
Mason watched me.
“She knew.”
“Yes.”
“She knew someone might try to use me.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“Both our families.”
I looked at Alexander.
He remained silent.
My mother's letter continued.
Love must never be the price of keeping a business alive.
Tears blurred the page.
Then I turned to the next paragraph.
There was a name.
Alexander.
I looked at him.
He stepped forward.
“What?”
I handed him the letter.
He read it.
His expression changed.
“My mother and I agreed that if Caroline ever tried to take the company, I would protect Emily.”
Mason laughed bitterly.
“So that's why you proposed.”
Alexander looked at him.
“No.”
“You knew about the agreement.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Emily was vulnerable.”
“Yes.”
“And now you want her.”
Alexander's voice became cold.
“I want nothing she doesn't freely choose.”
Mason looked at me.
“She'll choose you.”
I stiffened.
“You don't know that.”
“I know what people choose when they're afraid.”
He turned toward Alexander.
“You think you're different because you speak softly.”
Alexander didn't respond.
Mason looked back at me.
“I was wrong.”
That surprised me.
“I thought your father was using you to get me to refinance the company.”
“I never asked you to.”
“I know.”
He looked down.
“My mother convinced me you did.”
I stared.
“Then why humiliate me?”
“Because I was angry.”
“At me?”
“At everyone.”
He swallowed.
“I knew your family was struggling. I knew my mother had been negotiating behind your back. I thought if I forced you to admit the truth in public, I could stop her from taking advantage of you.”
I stared.
“You destroyed me.”
“I know.”
“You did exactly what she wanted.”
His face changed.
“Yes.”
That was the tragedy.
Mason had thought he was fighting his mother's plan.
Instead, he had carried it out.
Then Alexander asked:
“Where did you get the will?”
Mason looked at him.
“My mother had it.”
“Why?”
“Because she was afraid Emily would find it.”
Alexander's jaw tightened.
“Where is Caroline now?”
Mason's eyes flickered.
“She left.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
The answer didn't sound convincing.
I turned toward him.
“You came here to give me my mother's will.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you deserved the truth.”
I believed him.
Not entirely.
But enough.
Then he handed Alexander another envelope.
“This was with it.”
Alexander opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
My mother.
Caroline.
And a young Alexander.
He couldn't have been more than twenty-three.
All three stood outside Carter Manufacturing.
On the back were four words:
The promise starts here.
I looked at Alexander.
“What promise?”
He folded the photograph.
“The promise to protect the company.”
“From Caroline?”
“From everyone.”
I stared at him.
“Even you?”
He looked at me.
“Especially me.”
My breath caught.
“What does that mean?”
Before he could answer, a phone rang.
Mason's.
He looked at the screen.
His face drained of color.
“It's my mother.”
Alexander's expression became instantly alert.
Mason answered.
Nobody spoke.
Then Caroline's voice came through, faint but unmistakable.
“Tell Emily the wedding was never the objective.”
Mason looked at me.
“Then what was?”
A pause.
Caroline answered:
“Her shares.”
The call ended.
Mason looked at me.
Then Alexander.
May you like
And whispered:
“She knows about the agreement.”
