Chapter 4 - The Man in the Photograph
The next forty-eight hours became a race.
Nathan moved me and my siblings to a secure estate outside the city.
Johnny's surgery was postponed.
Paul stayed with him.
Lily refused to sleep.
I didn't sleep at all.
Nathan arranged security.
He reviewed every financial transaction connected to my father.
He questioned former employees.
He called contacts my family had never heard of.
And finally, he found something.
A payment.
Eight years earlier.
$250,000.
From Carter Holdings.
To a company called Walsh Technical Consulting.
My father's company.
But Samuel had never received the money.
The company had been closed six months before.
Nathan stared at the transfer.
Someone had used his identity.
Someone who wanted the transaction to appear legitimate.
“Your father was paid to disappear,” Nathan said.
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It does if someone wanted everyone to believe he left.”
“Who?”
“Elias.”
The evidence was growing.
But there was another problem.
Why would Elias care about the trust?
Nathan finally explained.
The Carter-Walsh trust was worth hundreds of millions.
It had been established to protect both families' companies.
But the trust had a special clause.
If fraud was discovered, control would transfer to the descendants of both original founders.
Emily and Nathan.
That meant neither family could control it alone.
Unless one side eliminated the other.
The trust was designed to force cooperation.
Which explained everything.
Someone had spent years separating the two families.
My father discovered the scheme.
Elias tried to remove him.
Margaret attempted to protect me.
Nathan became part of the secret without knowing.
And then I walked into the Carter mansion as a housekeeper.
It was almost too perfect.
Except for one thing.
I didn't know any of it.
That evening, Nathan found me in the kitchen.
He leaned against the doorway.
“You should sleep.”
“I can't.”
“You need to.”
“My father is alive.”
“I know.”
“I thought he abandoned us.”
“I know.”
“Do you think he remembers me?”
Nathan walked closer.
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Because men who abandon their families don't create trusts to protect their children.”
I looked at him.
“You've changed.”
“Since when?”
“Since you found out the children weren't mine.”
He smiled slightly.
“They're yours.”
He corrected himself.
“No.”
He paused.
“They're ours now.”
My eyes filled with tears.
Before I could respond, the security alarm sounded.
Nathan's face changed instantly.
“Stay here.”
He left.
I heard shouting.
Then footsteps.
A guard appeared.
“Mrs. Carter, we need to move.”
“Where?”
“Safe room.”
I followed.
We entered.
Then the lights went out.
Someone had cut the power.
I heard a voice through the speaker.
“Emily.”
I froze.
I knew that voice.
It was my father.
“Dad?”
Nathan entered behind me.
“Do not answer.”
But the voice continued.
“They have Johnny.”
My blood froze.
Then came another voice.
Elias.
“Bring the trust.”
Nathan stepped toward the door.
“I'll kill him.”
I grabbed his arm.
“No.”
“We're getting your brother.”
He meant Johnny.
“He's not your biological brother.”
Nathan's eyes hardened.
“He's yours.”
We left.
The location was an abandoned textile factory.
Nathan brought two trusted men.
I went with him.
Inside, Johnny was tied to a chair.
He was conscious.
Elias stood behind him.
He smiled.
“You came.”
Nathan stepped forward.
“Let him go.”
“Where is the trust?”
“We don't have it.”
Elias laughed.
“You think I don't know?”
He looked at me.
“Your father created it.”
“My father is alive.”
Elias's smile disappeared.
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
Elias pointed toward another room.
Samuel was there.
Alive.
Thin.
Bearded.
Older.
But his eyes were exactly the same.
I ran toward him.
He stood.
For a second, we simply stared.
Then he whispered:
“Emmy.”
I broke.
I fell into his arms.
“Dad.”
He held me.
“I knew you'd come.”
“I thought you were dead.”
“I wanted to come home.”
“Why didn't you?”
“They wouldn't let me.”
I looked at Elias.
Samuel shook his head.
“Don't.”
He whispered in my ear.
“There is one thing you need to know before you trust Nathan.”
I froze.
“What?”
Samuel looked at my husband.
Then back at me.
“Your husband was not chosen by accident.”
Nathan stepped forward.
“What do you mean?”
Samuel's face was filled with fear.
“Your father and I planned your meeting.”
Nathan stared.
“You knew she worked for us?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because we needed you to marry her.”
I looked at Nathan.
He looked as shocked as I was.
Samuel continued.
“Not for money.”
“Then why?”
“To break the trust before Elias could.”
The room went silent.
I stared at my father.
“You arranged my marriage?”
“No.”
He looked at me.
“I arranged the possibility.”
Then Elias laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
May you like
He pointed at Nathan.
“Nathan isn't the person you think he is.”
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