Chapter 16 - THE WOMAN WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD
Rose Vale stepped into the runway lights.
Natalie began shaking.
“Mom?”
Rose looked at her daughter.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Rose said.
“I’m sorry.”
Natalie’s knees nearly gave way.
Daniel stared at the woman.
He had attended Rose’s funeral.
There had been a coffin.
There had been a death certificate.
There had been a burial.
Owen tightened his grip on Lily.
“Rose.”
“Go back inside.”
Rose ignored him.
She looked at Daniel.
“Elena found me.”
Daniel’s mind struggled to process the words.
“When?”
“Three weeks before she died.”
Natalie whispered.
“How are you alive?”
Rose’s eyes filled with tears.
“Because Owen needed me alive.”
Owen raised his voice.
“That’s enough.”
Rose continued anyway.
“Your father and I discovered what Owen was doing twenty years ago.”
Daniel stared.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“Owen had been stealing from both families.”
“He forged loans.”
“Moved trust assets.”
“Created shell companies.”
“We threatened to expose him.”
“What happened?”
“He framed me.”
Rose swallowed.
“He made it appear I had stolen from the Vale foundation.”
“I agreed to disappear because he threatened Elena and Natalie.”
Natalie’s face twisted.
“You let us think you were dead.”
“I thought it was the only way to keep you alive.”
Tears filled Natalie’s eyes.
“It didn’t keep Elena alive.”
Rose flinched.
Owen reached beneath his jacket.
Grant immediately raised his weapon from behind a vehicle.
Owen pulled Lily closer.
“Everybody lower your guns.”
Daniel’s blood turned cold.
“Do it.”
Grant lowered his weapon.
So did Adrian.
Owen smiled.
“Good.”
Rose stepped toward him.
“Let the child go.”
“You don’t give orders anymore.”
“She has nothing to do with this.”
“She has everything to do with this.”
Owen looked at Daniel.
“Lily owns what all of you spent decades building.”
Daniel spoke carefully.
“You have the money.”
“Twelve million.”
“You wanted eighty-six.”
“I wanted control.”
Owen’s calm expression cracked.
“I spent thirty years making the Reed family powerful.”
“Your father took the credit.”
“You inherited it.”
“Ethan nearly destroyed it.”
“And a child gets the clean assets.”
Daniel stared at him.
“So this was resentment?”
Owen laughed.
“This was ownership.”
“I built the structure beneath your family.”
“I knew every account before you knew how to sign your name.”
Rose stepped closer.
“And you killed Elena because she found you.”
Owen’s smile disappeared.
“I covered Elena’s death.”
Daniel heard the distinction.
“Covered?”
Owen looked at Rose.
Rose went pale.
Daniel turned toward her.
“What does that mean?”
Rose closed her eyes.
Owen smiled slowly.
“You still haven’t figured out who cut the brake line.”
Daniel stared at Rose.
Natalie did too.
Rose began shaking her head.
“No.”
Owen continued.
“Tell them.”
Rose whispered.
“No.”
Owen laughed.
“Tell Daniel who was in Elena’s garage the night before she died.”
Natalie looked at her mother.
“Mom?”
May you like
Rose’s face collapsed.
“I was.”
