Chapter 2 - The Family SecretAt 10:17 p.m., I watched my parents dance.
My mother wore a silver gown.
My father wore the expression of a man who believed his future had been secured.
Julian stood near the bar.
He was alone.
For the first time since seeing his name on the document, I wondered why.
If he had truly helped my father, why wasn't he celebrating with him?
Then my phone buzzed.
David.
We've traced the document.
I stepped into a quiet hallway.
Who created it?
His answer arrived seconds later.
Not your father.
I stared at the message.
Then another appeared.
The digital metadata traces back to a server registered to Julian Mercer.
My heart stopped.
Julian hadn't merely witnessed the forgery.
He had created it.
I found him twenty minutes later.
He was standing outside on the hotel terrace.
Alone.
I approached without making a sound.
“You always did like dramatic entrances.”
He turned.
The confidence in his face disappeared for half a second.
Then returned.
“Hannah.”
“Julian.”
He looked at my suit.
“You came after all.”
“No.”
He smiled.
“You're right.”
“You never wanted me here.”
“I didn't say that.”
“My parents did.”
He shrugged.
“They were trying to avoid awkwardness.”
“Were they?”
He looked at me.
“What do you want?”
I stepped closer.
“I wanted to congratulate you.”
“For what?”
“Witnessing my signature.”
His face froze.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
“You've been drinking,” he said.
“No.”
“You seem upset.”
“Should I be?”
He smiled.
“You've always been dramatic.”
I almost laughed.
“You forged my name.”
His smile disappeared.
“You don't know what you're talking about.”
“I know exactly what I'm talking about.”
I pulled the prospectus from my bag.
His eyes dropped to the signature.
Then back to me.
“You should leave this alone.”
There it was.
Not denial.
A warning.
“Why?”
“Because you don't understand what you're getting into.”
“Then explain it.”
He stepped closer.
“You think Northstar is yours.”
“It is.”
“You don't understand how vulnerable your company is.”
I stared at him.
“You're threatening me?”
“No.”
He lowered his voice.
“I'm giving you advice.”
I smiled.
“You always were terrible at both.”
I turned to leave.
He grabbed my wrist.
I looked down at his hand.
Then at him.
“Let go.”
He did.
But before I walked away, he whispered,
“Your father isn't the person you should be afraid of.”
I stopped.
“Who should I be afraid of?”
He didn't answer.
The next morning, David arrived with another file.
“Hannah, we found something.”
He placed a bank statement on my desk.
The account belonged to Reed Capital.
Millions had been transferred into it over the last year.
I studied the names.
“Where did this money come from?”
“Private lenders.”
“Against what?”
“Northstar collateral.”
My stomach turned.
“How long has this been happening?”
“Fourteen months.”
I stared at the date.
Fourteen months.
That meant my father had been using my company as collateral before I even knew.
David pointed at another document.
“This is where it gets worse.”
I read it.
A private lender had already called the guarantee.
Reed Capital was in default.
My company was supposedly responsible.
The amount?
$41 million.
I sat back.
“So my father already owes them.”
“Yes.”
“And they're coming after Northstar.”
“Yes.”
I looked at the forged signature.
“How many lenders?”
“Seven.”
My stomach dropped.
“Total exposure?”
“Approximately $118 million.”
The exact number of our new distribution deal.
The same number.
I looked at David.
“That's not a coincidence.”
“No.”
He handed me another document.
“The financing was structured to mature on the same day as your distribution agreement.”
I understood.
My father wasn't trying to save his company.
He was waiting for Northstar's $118 million deal to close.
Then he planned to use the new capital to pay his creditors.
My success was his exit strategy.
That evening, Olivia came to my apartment.
She looked terrified.
“Dad knows.”
“What?”
“He knows you're investigating.”
I stood.
“How?”
“Julian told him.”
My heart sank.
“What did he say?”
“That you found the prospectus.”
I reached for my phone.
“How long ago?”
“An hour.”
I stared at the screen.
Nothing.
No messages.
No calls.
That scared me more.
Olivia sat down.
“There's something else.”
“What?”
“Dad has a lawyer here.”
“Who?”
She whispered the name.
I knew him.
He was one of the most aggressive corporate attorneys in Boston.
“Why is he there?”
Olivia looked at me.
“They're preparing to take control of Northstar.”
May you like
I smiled.
“Let them try.”
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