Billionaire Pretends To Be A Janitor To Find True Love — But Discovers A Secret Hidden For 20 Years
Chapter 7
The next morning, Alexander received a package.
No return address.
Inside was a flash drive.
He connected it to a secure laptop.
There was one video.
His father appeared on the screen.
Older.
Tired.
Afraid.
Alexander stared.
“I don’t know when you’ll see this,” his father said.
“But if you’re watching, then someone found the truth.”
Alexander’s hands trembled.
His father continued.
“Richard was not acting alone.”
A second figure appeared.
Alexander recognized him.
The company’s former chief counsel.
Peter Sloan.
His father continued.
“Peter helped Richard transfer assets out of the family trust.”
Alexander whispered,
“Why?”
“Because Richard believed the company would collapse without control.”
The video continued.
“Emma discovered what they were doing.”
Alexander watched.
His aunt had confronted Richard.
She threatened to expose him.
Richard threatened her.
Their father had tried to protect her.
But there was more.
“Martin knew.”
Alexander felt sick.
His father hadn’t been innocent.
He had known his brother was corrupt.
He had hidden the truth.
Not for money.
To protect his children.
Then came the final sentence.
“If you find Emma’s daughter, tell her I am sorry.”
The screen went black.
Grace sat beside Alexander.
“He knew about me.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t he find me?”
“I think he tried.”
She stared at the screen.
“My mother died believing nobody wanted her.”
Alexander looked at her.
“That’s not true.”
“How do you know?”
“Because your mother wrote that she wanted me to find you.”
Grace wiped her eyes.
She leaned against him.
For the first time since the discovery, she allowed herself to cry.
Alexander put an arm around her.
He didn’t say anything.
Then Daniel called.
“Alexander.”
“What?”
“We have a problem.”
“What?”
“Someone accessed your father’s old trust account.”
“When?”
“Last night.”
“Who?”
“The login came from inside Hayes Hotels.”
Alexander stood.
“That’s impossible.”
“I know.”
“Which terminal?”
Daniel gave him the location.
The executive conference room.
Someone had been there after midnight.
Alexander and Grace went together.
They found a computer running.
On the screen was a single document.
A transfer authorization.
The destination account belonged to a private foundation.
Grace recognized the name.
“My mother’s hospice.”
Alexander stared.
“How much?”
Twenty-five million dollars.
The same amount originally promised to Emma.
The money had been frozen for twenty years.
Someone had just activated the trust.
“Who?”
The authorization signature appeared.
Peter Sloan.
Alexander immediately called federal investigators.
But the transfer had already happened.
The money had been released.
Then another document appeared.
A message:
Emma Carter’s trust belongs to her daughter.
Not the Hayes family.
Not Alexander.
Grace.
She stared.
“My mother’s money?”
“Yes.”
“Twenty-five million?”
Alexander nodded.
“I don’t want it.”
“You don’t have to.”
She looked at him.
“What do you want?”
“Justice.”
“Why?”
“Because your mother deserved it.”
Grace looked at the screen.
Then at Alexander.
“You’re different now.”
“How?”
“You stopped pretending.”
He smiled sadly.
“So did you.”
She took his hand.
Then a security alarm began ringing.
Someone had entered the restricted archives.
Alexander and Grace looked at each other.
“That’s where my father’s original records are,” he said.
They ran.
The archive door was open.
Inside, files had been pulled from shelves.
One folder lay on the floor.
Across the top:
EMMA HAYES — FINAL CONFESSION.
Alexander picked it up.
His hands shook.
Before he could open it, a voice came from behind them.
“You should have stayed a janitor.”
They turned.
Peter Sloan stood in the doorway.
