“My contract was terminated. Northbridge collapsed six months later. I was blamed for missing funds.”
“That’s why we lost everything.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Your mother was dying.”
“So you let me believe it was just bad business decisions?”
“They were my decisions. I trusted the wrong
people.”
“And now you trusted them again.”
“No,” he said. “I thought the marriage would put you beyond their reach.”
I almost dropped the phone.
“You married me into the family to protect me from the family?”
“You would have Ethan’s name. His legal protections. A settlement secured independently from the company.”
“He was unconscious.”
“That was why the arrangement seemed safe.”
The truth settled over me with terrifying clarity.
“You didn’t expect him to wake up.”
“No one did.”
“But he did.”
My father’s voice broke.
“Clara, listen to me. Do not ask Ethan about Northbridge until you know who is in the room.”
The line went silent.
He had ended the call.
I turned and found Vivian standing in the doorway.
I had not heard her enter.
“How much did you hear?” I asked.
“Enough.”
“Did you know my father worked for Northbridge?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know about
the missing money?”
“Yes.”
“Did Ethan?”
“I believe that is what he was trying to discover before the accident.”
I stared at her.
“Then why choose me?”
Vivian closed the door.
“Because six months ago, an envelope was delivered to my attorney.”
She crossed the room and removed a small key from her pocket.
“It contained a handwritten instruction signed by Ethan.”
“What instruction?”
“To proceed with his marriage arrangement if he remained incapacitated near his thirtieth birthday.”
My heartbeat quickened.
“He planned this?”
“He planned for the possibility.”
“With me?”
Vivian looked toward the windows.
“He named you.”
Every question I had multiplied at once.
“That’s impossible.”
“I had the signature authenticated.”
“But I barely knew him.”
“Perhaps he knew more about you than you knew about him.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I did not know whether the letter was genuine until last week. And because I
