Chapter 10 - The Second Voice
A man’s voice appeared in the recording.
Ethan recognized it immediately.
His father, Charles Mercer.
The family patriarch who claimed he had never supported the Whitmore redevelopment deal.
Sarah spoke to both of them:
“You cannot sell the communities while Lily owns the blocking shares.”
Charles answered:
“Then Lily should not remain Ethan’s dependent.”
Ethan stopped breathing.
His own father had helped design the plan.
Victoria had not entered the family to invent the betrayal.
She entered a betrayal already waiting for her.
Sarah continued:
“Ethan will never send her away.”
Charles replied:
“He will if he believes the school is better for her.”
Victoria’s voice followed:
“And if he refuses?”
Charles answered:
“Then marry him first. After the vows, we control the emergency proxy.”
The recording ended.
The room remained silent.
Ethan looked at Victoria.
“You and my father planned this before Sarah died.”
Victoria wiped at her tears.
“Your father said the housing trust would collapse the company.”
“No.”
Rosa’s voice was steady.
“It threatened the family’s control.”
Lily looked up at Ethan.
“Is Grandpa coming to the wedding?”
Ethan could not answer.
Then the white paneled door at the end of the hallway opened.
Charles Mercer stood there in a black tuxedo.
He had been inside the venue the entire time.
In one hand, he carried the original housing-trust charter.
In the other, Sarah’s sealed final letter.
He looked at Victoria.
“You were supposed to keep the child quiet until the vows.”
Ethan held Lily closer.
Charles turned toward him.
“You think canceling the wedding saves her?”
He placed the charter on the table.
A hidden amendment appeared beneath Sarah’s signature.
If Ethan rejected the marriage but retained guardianship, Lily’s shares would remain protected.
But if Charles proved Ethan had known about the redevelopment plan before Sarah’s death, Ethan would lose the trusteeship.
Ethan stared at his father.
“I never knew.”
Charles smiled coldly.
“Then explain your signature.”
The final page carried Ethan’s verified name beneath the original sale proposal.
Lily looked from the document to her uncle.
May you like
And Ethan realized the next person forced to prove he belonged in her life would be him.
TO BE CONTINUED.
