He nodded.
“I wondered how long it would take.”
I stepped closer.
“Who is above you?”
Ethan looked at me.
And for the first time in twenty years…
I saw fear in his eyes.
“Adrian…”
“Who?”
He closed his eyes.
Then whispered:
“Your father.”
The world stopped.
“My father died fifteen years ago.”
“Yes.”
“Then explain.”
Ethan looked broken.
“He left something behind.”
“What?”
“A system.”
I stared at him.
“A system?”
“A plan.”
He glanced around the old warehouse.
“Your father believed you were too trusting.”
My stomach tightened.
“He created backup accounts. Secret companies. Control systems.”
“No.”
“He believed one day someone would need to take over your empire from you.”
“That’s insane.”
Ethan shook his head.
“No.”
His voice cracked.
“It was cruel.”
Then he looked at me.
“But he was right about one thing.”
“What?”
“You were too trusting.”
Silence.
Then Ethan said:
“I didn’t steal from June.”
I stared.
“What?”
“I was moving money.”
“Money you stole?”
“No.”
His eyes filled with guilt.
“Money I was trying to hide.”
“From who?”
He looked directly at me.
“From the person who inherited your father’s secrets.”
I felt my blood run cold.
“Who?”
Ethan took a breath.
Then answered.
“The person who has been controlling Blackwell Holdings from the beginning.”
A pause.
A long one.
Then: “Your wife knew.”
My heart stopped.
“Clara?”
He nodded.
“She found out.”
I stepped backward.
“No.”
“She was going to expose everythi
