He Signed The Divorce Mocking Her, Unaware She’s A Secret Trillionaire Heiress
Chapter 5
Evelyn went to the apartment immediately.
The police had secured the room.
Nothing was missing.
No valuables.
No documents.
Only the photograph.
Her mother stood outside a café in another country.
Alive.
Healthy.
Older.
Evelyn stared at the image.
Her mother had disappeared after Evelyn’s father died.
She had always been told Margaret had sent her away for safety.
But Evelyn had never seen her again.
Now someone had photographed her.
Recently.
“Who took this?” Evelyn asked.
The security chief shook his head.
“We don’t know.”
“Why send it to me?”
“To warn you.”
“About what?”
He hesitated.
“We’re not sure.”
Evelyn turned to her grandmother.
Margaret had arrived moments later.
She looked at the photograph.
Her expression didn’t change.
“You knew.”
Evelyn stared.
“Knew what?”
“Your mother is alive.”
The room went silent.
Evelyn’s voice cracked.
“You knew?”
Margaret nodded.
“She asked me not to tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because she was hiding from your father’s enemies.”
“Who?”
Margaret looked away.
“People who wanted control of the family.”
Evelyn felt betrayed all over again.
“Why does everyone keep lying to me?”
Margaret stepped closer.
“Because we’ve spent generations confusing protection with control.”
Evelyn looked at her.
“I don’t want that.”
“I know.”
“Where is my mother?”
“We can find her.”
“Now.”
Margaret nodded.
The family security team traced the photograph.
It had been taken in Lisbon.
Evelyn booked a private flight.
Daniel unexpectedly arrived at the estate.
“I need to talk to you.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“About?”
“I heard about your mother.”
“Who told you?”
“The news.”
Evelyn frowned.
“This isn’t public.”
Daniel looked away.
“Someone sent me the photograph.”
Evelyn’s eyes narrowed.
“You?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
“I don’t know.”
She studied him.
“I can’t trust you right now.”
Daniel nodded.
“I understand.”
He handed her a folder.
“Take this.”
“What is it?”
“Evidence.”
“Of what?”
“Charlotte.”
Evelyn opened it.
Inside were financial transfers.
Charlotte had been moving money between companies.
Some of it had gone to a private security firm.
The same firm that had been following Evelyn.
Evelyn looked at Daniel.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
“Because I was wrong.”
“About what?”
“Everything.”
He paused.
“I thought you needed my money.”
She almost smiled.
“I never needed it.”
“I know.”
“Why now?”
“Because I finally realized I was trying to become someone I wasn’t.”
Evelyn looked down.
“That’s not enough.”
“I know.”
She closed the folder.
“My mother comes first.”
Daniel nodded.
“I’ll help.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know.”
She looked at him.
“Then why?”
He answered honestly.
“Because she matters to you.”
Evelyn hesitated.
“Fine.”
They flew to Lisbon.
There, they found a trail.
A hotel.
A café.
A clinic.
A safe apartment.
Finally, a woman stepped outside.
Evelyn stopped breathing.
“Mom?”
Her mother turned.
Evelyn ran toward her.
They embraced.
Her mother cried.
“I thought I’d never see you.”
“I thought you were dead.”
“I had to disappear.”
“From whom?”
Her mother looked at Daniel.
Then at Evelyn.
“The same people who are trying to take your family now.”
Evelyn frowned.
“Who?”
Her mother whispered:
“Your father’s brother.”
Evelyn went still.
“My uncle?”
“He was never killed.”
Daniel looked at Evelyn.
“Who is he?”
Her mother answered:
“Richard Carter.”
Evelyn felt the ground disappear.
Richard Carter had been declared dead twenty years ago.
But apparently he wasn’t.
And he had been watching the family.
Watching Evelyn.
Watching Daniel.
And now he wanted the empire.
