Chapter 14 - Chloe’s Final Move
Ethan was not arrested that morning.
Not yet.
The investigators had evidence of financial fraud.
They had recordings.
They had suspicious medical records.
But proving he had arranged Richard’s crash would require more.
Ethan’s attorney advised him to say nothing.
For once, he listened.
He left the building with investigators following him.
Dr. Reynolds was taken separately for questioning.
Richard returned to the estate exhausted.
Standing before the board had cost him physically.
His legs spasmed badly.
I helped him into bed.
“You overdid it.”
“It was worth it.”
“You say that now.”
“I’ll say it tomorrow.”
“You may not be able to stand tomorrow.”
“Still worth it.”
I pulled the blanket over his legs.
Then we heard shouting downstairs.
Eleanor.
I ran into the hallway.
Chloe was in the entrance hall carrying two suitcases.
“What is happening?”
I asked.
She turned.
For the first time since I met her, the polished smile was gone.
“Ask Richard’s mother.”
Eleanor stood near the staircase.
“She was destroying documents.”
Chloe laughed.
“Old household papers.”
Eleanor held up a scorched folder.
“Then why were they burning in the fireplace?”
Chloe looked at me.
Something cold entered her eyes.
“This is your fault.”
I almost laughed.
“My fault?”
“You came here and started digging through things that had nothing to do with you.”
Richard appeared at the top of the hallway in his wheelchair.
“Everything inside my house has something to do with me.”
Chloe turned.
Her face went white when she saw him alert.
“You.”
Richard rolled forward.
“You always were a terrible actress.”
Chloe reached into her purse.
Every security guard reacted.
She froze.
Then slowly pulled out a phone.
“Relax.”
She held it up.
“You think Ethan planned everything?”
Richard stared at her.
“What are you saying?”
Chloe smiled.
“I’m saying your brother isn’t nearly as clever as you think.”
Eleanor whispered.
“Chloe.”
She ignored her.
“Ethan needed money.”
She said.
“Vitalis needed Richard removed.”
My stomach tightened.
“And you?”
I asked.
Chloe looked toward me.
“I needed a husband who finally controlled something worth having.”
Richard’s face hardened.
“You helped plan the accident.”
Chloe smiled.
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Her eyes moved toward Michael, who had just entered the mansion behind the investigators.
“I can tell you.”
Michael stopped.
Chloe lifted her phone.
“But first, I want immunity.”
One investigator stepped forward.
“You’re in no position to negotiate here.”
“Really?”
She unlocked the screen.
“Because I have eight months of messages, payments, and recordings.”
Ethan entered behind them.
His face transformed when he saw Chloe holding the phone.
“Shut up.”
Chloe turned toward him.
“Why?”
“You stupid—”
“Why should I protect you?”
Ethan lunged.
Security stopped him.
His voice filled the entrance hall.
“You were the one who called the mechanic.”
Silence.
Chloe’s face changed.
Ethan immediately realized what he had done.
The investigator looked at him.
“What mechanic?”
Ethan said nothing.
Chloe began laughing.
Not because anything was funny.
May you like
Because the marriage between two conspirators had just collapsed in front of us.
And when frightened criminals stop trusting each other, secrets become cheaper than loyalty.
