Chapter 6 - “Madam Chairwoman”
Twenty-eight million dollars.
The number followed me through the hospital corridor.
Twenty-eight million dollars raised by people who had pointed at my island, my staff, my aircraft, my flowers, my food, my money—and told investors it belonged to someone else.
Marcus immediately called Aurelia’s legal team.
Inspector Rasheed expanded the investigation.
Greg’s interview continued for another hour.
By the end of it, the picture was ugly.
Whitmore Capital was collapsing beneath bad real-estate investments.
Greg’s father, Thomas, had been desperate for liquidity.
My father knew several private investors through old business contacts.
Together, they had arranged meetings during the months leading up to the wedding.
Photographs of the island were shown.
The resort booking was presented as proof of Whitmore wealth.
Fake bank confirmation documents implied Greg’s family had paid the bill.
Investors believed Thomas Whitmore had access to far more capital than he actually did.
Some invested because of it.
My father received a “consulting fee.”
My mother knew.
Sarah apparently did not.
That was the one part Greg insisted on.
“Sarah thought we were rich,” he said.
“You lied to her too.”
“Yes.”
“Did you ever intend to tell her?”
He looked away.
“I kept telling myself I would fix the company before she found out.”
“People always call lies temporary when they like what the lie gives them.”
He had no response.
I ended the call.
That afternoon Mia was cleared to leave.
We moved into a private hospital residence nearby for two more days.
I did not return to the island immediately.
My parents called.
Repeatedly.
I blocked them.
Sarah sent twenty-three messages.
The first was angry.
HOW COULD YOU HUMILIATE ME LIKE THAT?
The fifth was confused.
Mom says Greg lied about paying.
The eleventh was frightened.
Elena, what is happening?
The twentieth:
Please tell me Greg isn’t broke.
And finally:
Did you really pay for my wedding?
I did not answer.
I watched Mia sleep instead.
Around six that evening, she woke and asked for ice cream.
It was the most beautiful request I had heard in my life.
“Chocolate?”
“Two scoops.”
“Doctor said one.”
Mia frowned.
“You own a whole island but you can’t get me two scoops?”
I stared at her.
“How do you know about the island?”
She smiled weakly.
“Uncle Marcus told me.”
“Traitor.”
“He said I’m technically the future boss.”
I laughed for the first time in two days.
Then she became serious.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was going to when you were older.”
“Are we rich?”
“Very fortunate.”
“That means rich.”
“Yes.”
She thought about that.
“Can we still eat grilled cheese?”
“Absolutely.”
“Okay.”
Then she asked the question I had been dreading.
“Is Aunt Sarah going to jail?”
“I don’t know.”
“Are Grandma and Grandpa?”
“I don’t know.”
Mia traced the edge of her blanket.
“I don’t want Grandpa to hit me again.”
“He never will.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I won’t let him near you.”
That promise felt different from every promise before it.
This time there would be boundaries.
Legal ones if necessary.
That evening, Marcus brought me another file.
“Your father’s consulting company received four hundred thousand dollars from Whitmore Capital.”
I looked at the statement.
“After the investor meetings?”
“Yes.”
“And Mom?”
“Her jewelry.”
I remembered the diamonds she wore to the wedding.
“What about them?”
“Purchased by a Whitmore subsidiary.”
I leaned back.
Of course.
My mother had literally worn the proceeds of fraud while insulting me for being poor.
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
“There’s more.”
“There always is.”
“Your parents contacted Aurelia’s family office after discovering your involvement.”
“When?”
“Ten weeks ago.”
“What did they ask?”
“They tried to determine whether they were beneficiaries of Daniel’s estate.”
I laughed.
“They aren’t.”
“I know.”
“Did they?”
“They were told no information could be provided.”
I stood and walked toward the window.
Below us, the ocean was turning orange.
Grandfather had known.
Somehow he had predicted this.
That was why he kept everything separate.
Why my inheritance passed through trusts my parents could not access.
Why he made me promise never to disclose my finances unless I wanted to.
“You remember what Daniel told you when you became chairwoman?” Marcus asked.
I looked at him.
“Which part?”
“About family.”
I did remember.
The day I turned twenty-five, Grandfather was already ill.
He had handed me a folder containing the controlling shares of Aurelia.
I had stared at the documents.
“I can’t run this.”
“You can learn.”
“What if I make mistakes?”
“You will.”
“What if people take advantage of me?”
“They will try.”
Then he had smiled.
“But the most dangerous people won’t always arrive wearing an enemy’s face.”
At the time, I thought he meant business rivals.
Now I understood.
My phone vibrated.
A message from Sarah.
Not text.
A photograph.
It showed her sitting alone in a hotel room.
No wedding gown.
No makeup.
Eyes swollen.
Then another message appeared.
I know you hate me.
I stared at it.
A third arrived.
But Greg is gone.
Then:
Mom and Dad won’t answer me.
Then:
And police just told me there may be charges.
I still did not reply.
Another message.
Please, Elena.
I deserve what happened to the wedding.
I know that.
But I think Greg married me because of you.
I closed my eyes.
May you like
Then the final message arrived.
And I think Mom knew.
