Chapter 8 - The Daughter Sarah Never Told Me About
Rebecca returned Christmas morning.
“Who is Emma Cole?” Nathan demanded.
Rebecca closed her eyes.
“Sarah’s first daughter.”
Sarah had become pregnant at seventeen. Her parents arranged a private adoption. Years later Sarah searched for the child and eventually found her.
She had never told Nathan.
The earliest trust named Emma. After Lily was born, Sarah amended it to protect both daughters.
“Where is Emma?”
“I don’t know.”
Rebecca showed Nathan a recent message.
STOP LOOKING FOR ME. PROTECT LILY.
Sarah had secretly introduced Emma and Lily once when Lily was four.
Nathan refused to let the revelation ruin Christmas morning.
Lily opened a bicycle helmet.
“Where’s the bicycle?”
“Santa’s supply chain is complicated.”
She ran to the garage and screamed when she saw the bicycle with a giant bow.
Nathan smiled.
This was what Sarah had wanted: a child safe enough to be loud.
Audit results later traced millions through Evergreen. Some money went to Aaron. Some to Margaret. Some concealed Charles’s crimes.
The largest recipient was E.C. Holdings.
Emma Cole.
They traced an Asheville address.
A woman in her late twenties opened the door.
She had Sarah’s eyes.
“Emma?”
“You took your time.”
Inside were boxes of records.
Emma had spent years investigating the same family Sarah investigated.
“I didn’t steal Evergreen money. Sarah routed recovered money through me to keep it from Margaret.”
She showed him ledgers.
Then she produced a photograph of Sarah, Rebecca, and Thomas Benton—the billionaire CEO whose company Nathan had just spent six weeks negotiating to acquire.
“Your Seattle deal wasn’t coincidence,” Emma said.
Nathan frowned.
“What does Benton want?”
“He doesn’t want Colewell.”
May you like
Emma leaned forward.
“He wants Lily.”
