Chapter 8 - Ethan’s Confession
They found Ethan alive six hours later.
He was hiding in a motel outside Milwaukee under a false name.
The blood in the car had come from a cut on his hand.
He surrendered only after Daniel personally called him.
By evening, Ethan sat inside a private interview room at Daniel’s attorney’s office.
Marcus stood near the door.
Daniel sat across from his brother.
For the first time in his life, Ethan looked afraid of him.
“Did you try to kill me?”
“No.”
“Did you give Nora the bottle?”
Ethan looked down.
“Yes.”
Daniel almost stood.
Marcus put one hand on his shoulder.
“Why?”
“I didn’t know what was inside.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I knew it was dangerous.”
Daniel’s voice became quiet.
“And you gave it to her anyway.”
Ethan’s eyes filled with shame.
“I was told it wouldn’t kill you.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“That is your defense?”
“They said it would make you sick.”
“Who is they?”
Ethan shook his head.
“If I tell you, they’ll destroy everything.”
“They almost killed your brother.”
“No.”
Ethan looked directly at him.
“They never intended you to drink it.”
Daniel stopped.
“What?”
“Nora was supposed to make sure Lily saw her.”
Marcus and Daniel exchanged a look.
The caller at the storage unit had told the truth.
“Why?”
“To force you to investigate Rachel.”
Daniel stared at Ethan.
“You expect me to believe someone staged an attempt on my life just to make me investigate my wife’s death?”
“Yes.”
“That is insane.”
“You stopped asking questions after Rachel died.”
Daniel stood so quickly the chair scraped the floor.
“I was raising a three-year-old daughter after burying my wife.”
“I know.”
“No, you don’t.”
Daniel grabbed Ethan’s shirt.
“You do not get to tell me what I should have done.”
Marcus pulled them apart.
Ethan was crying now.
“I was scared.”
“Of whom?”
Ethan lowered his voice.
“Margaret.”
Daniel froze.
“Margaret Sloan?”
“She found me gambling with company money six years ago.”
Daniel stared at him.
“How much?”
“Two hundred thousand at first.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Ethan continued.
“She covered it.”
“Why?”
“Because then she owned me.”
The scheme grew.
Margaret forced Ethan to approve shell vendors.
Then she had Nora move information between accounts and external contacts.
Nora had been working with Margaret long before Daniel began dating her.
Daniel felt physically sick.
“Nora entered my life because Margaret told her to?”
“At first.”
“At first?”
Ethan looked uncomfortable.
“I think she actually fell in love with you.”
Daniel almost laughed.
“Stop.”
“I’m serious.”
“Did Rachel discover you?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“I told Margaret.”
Daniel stared at his brother with pure disbelief.
“You gave her Rachel.”
“I thought Margaret would scare her.”
Daniel’s fists clenched.
“Rachel died three weeks later.”
“I know.”
Ethan covered his face.
“I have lived with that every day.”
Daniel wanted to hate him.
Part of him already did.
But another question mattered more.
“Why stage the tea now?”
Ethan looked up.
“Because Margaret is back.”
Daniel and Marcus went still.
“She contacted me two months ago.”
“What did she want?”
“The new trust stopped Lily’s shares from being controlled by the existing family trustees.”
Daniel understood.
The new estate structure would place Lily’s inheritance under an independent fiduciary company if Daniel died.
The old structure allowed three family-appointed trustees to control the assets until Lily turned twenty-five.
Ethan was one trustee.
The second was Daniel’s attorney, Charles Benton.
The third had been selected years earlier by Daniel’s father.
Margaret Sloan.
Daniel felt cold.
“If I died before tomorrow’s board meeting…”
“Margaret could control Lily’s inheritance.”
“Through you.”
Ethan looked ashamed.
“Yes.”
Daniel stared at him.
“Then why help stage something that would stop me from drinking the tea?”
“Because Nora and I were trying to expose her.”
Daniel blinked.
“Nora was helping you?”
“Yes.”
“She grabbed Lily.”
“She panicked.”
“She hurt my daughter.”
“I know.”
Daniel stepped back.
“Where is Margaret now?”
Ethan looked toward Marcus.
“I don’t know.”
Then his face changed.
“But there is one person who does.”
“Who?”
May you like
Ethan answered quietly.
“Your lawyer.”
