Chapter 5 - The Woman Ava Trusted Most Was the One Who Had Been Hiding the Final PieceDaniel finally called at midnight.

"Don't trust anyone."

Ava sat in her car.

"Why?"

"Because they know about the investigation."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

"You told me seventeen days."

"We're down to nine."

Ava gripped the steering wheel.

"What aren't you telling me?"

Daniel was silent.

Then he said:

"Your father didn't die naturally."

Ava closed her eyes.

"I know."

"No."

She froze.

"You don't."

"Tell me."

"Someone altered his medication."

Ava's breath caught.

"Who?"

"We never proved it."

"But you suspected."

"Yes."

"Grant?"

"Not directly."

Ava whispered.

"Richard Bennett?"

"Possibly."

Silence.

Then Daniel said:

"There's more."

Ava waited.

"Your mother knew."

Ava nearly stopped breathing.

"My mother?"

"She left something behind."

"What?"

"A recording."

"Where?"

"In your father's old house."

Ava drove there immediately.

She searched until she found a small cassette hidden behind a bookcase.

Her father's voice came first.

Then her mother's.

"We can't let Grant know."

Her father replied.

"Richard already knows."

Ava covered her mouth.

Her mother continued.

"If something happens to us, Ava must never marry into this family."

Ava stopped the recording.

She whispered:

"Too late."

Then another voice appeared.

Richard Bennett.

"You should have stayed out of it."

Ava's blood ran cold.

Her father answered.

"You won't touch my daughter."

Richard laughed.

"She is already promised."

The recording ended.

Ava stared at the cassette.

Grant's marriage proposal.

The charity gala.

The introduction.

The timing.

Everything suddenly made sense.

Someone had been planning their lives long before Ava knew.

The next morning, Ava confronted Chloe.

"Did your father arrange my marriage?"

Chloe stared.

"What?"

Ava played the recording.

Chloe looked horrified.

"My father?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because he wanted access to my father's company?"

Chloe shook her head.

"No."

"Then what?"

She whispered:

"He wanted my father."

Ava frowned.

Chloe continued.

"Richard didn't care about Grant controlling the company. He cared about hiding what Briarstone had done."

"Done what?"

Chloe's eyes filled.

"Money laundering."

Ava froze.

"How much?"

"Billions."

The room went silent.

Grant wasn't stealing from a marriage.

He was stealing to cover a much larger crime.

Elliot Crane had been the broker.

Richard had been the architect.

Grant had been the replacement.

And Ava's father's investigation threatened them all.

Chloe suddenly grabbed Ava's hand.

"Run."

"Why?"

"Because if they know you have that recording, you're in danger."

Ava looked at her.

"You too."

Chloe nodded.

They called Daniel.

This time he answered.

"You're both in danger."

"How bad?"

"Bad enough that I want you out of Charlotte."

Ava looked at Chloe.

"No."

Daniel paused.

"No?"

"I'm done running."

Ava gathered the documents.

"We finish this here."

For the first time, Daniel agreed.

He filed a federal referral.

The evidence was transferred securely.

Investigators began tracing the money.

Briarstone's board demanded answers.

Richard Bennett disappeared.

Grant vanished for twenty-four hours.

When he returned, he looked exhausted.

Ava was waiting.

"You knew."

He stopped.

"About what?"

"My father."

Grant's face went blank.

"You don't understand."

"Then explain."

He looked at her.

"Your father was going to destroy everything."

"Did you kill him?"

"No."

"But you helped cover it up."

Grant said nothing.

Ava's eyes filled.

"Did you ever love me?"

He looked away.

That answer hurt more than anything.

Then he said:

"I loved what you represented."

Ava stared.

"A business opportunity?"

"A future."

"You married me for access."

Grant nodded.

"You had your father's trust."

Ava whispered.

"And you thought I'd never find out."

"No."

His voice became tired.

"I thought you'd believe me until the end."

Ava took off her wedding ring.

She placed it between them.

"You were wrong."

Grant looked at the ring.

Then at her.

"You don't understand what you're doing."

Ava smiled.

"I do now."

She walked away.

Behind her, Grant whispered:

"Ava."

She stopped.

He said:

"I'm sorry."

She didn't turn around.

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"You're sorry because you lost."

Then she left.