The Millionaire’s Bride Mocked a Poor Maid—She Never Expected What Happened Next
Chapter 6
William had not known the entire truth.
He knew only that his uncle Richard had controlled the Hawthorne fortune after his grandfather died.
He had been raised to believe Richard was honorable.
But when Anna showed him the inheritance document, William recognized his grandfather’s handwriting.
He also remembered something from childhood.
His grandfather had once told him:
“Never confuse inheritance with worth.”
William had never understood those words.
Now he did.
That night, William searched his late grandfather’s study.
Behind a wooden panel, he found another document.
A letter.
It was addressed to Samuel Reed.
Elias had written that he feared Richard.
He suspected Richard was stealing money from the trading business.
He had also written that Samuel was the only man he trusted.
William brought the letter to Anna.
She read it with tears in her eyes.
Her father had not been a criminal.
He had been protecting the family who later abandoned his daughter.
William lowered his head.
“I am sorry.”
Anna looked at him.
“You didn’t do it.”
“But I benefited from it.”
“That is not the same.”
He looked at her.
“You could have used this against me.”
“I don’t want revenge.”
“What do you want?”
Anna looked down at her father’s letter.
“The truth.”
William nodded.
“Then we will find it.”
They searched for three days.
Finally, William discovered a hidden compartment in the library.
Inside was a second ledger.
This one contained payments made by Richard.
Bribes.
Forged debts.
Illegal transfers.
And one payment to a man who had been hired twelve years earlier.
The date matched Samuel Reed’s disappearance.
Anna’s knees weakened.
“My father…”
William caught the ledger before it fell.
Anna whispered:
“He was murdered.”
A sound came from the doorway.
Beatrice stood there.
She had heard everything.
For once, there was no laughter on her face.
Only fear.
She looked at the ledger.
Then at William.
“You shouldn’t have found that.”
William stared at her.
“What did you know?”
Beatrice said nothing.
William stepped toward her.
“What did your family tell you?”
Her eyes filled with tears.
And then she whispered:
“Everything.”
