Chapter 11 - The Man Behind the Name
Arthur Bell knew the name.
He refused to say it over the phone.
Charlotte met him at Lena Brooks’s secure apartment.
Arthur looked older after captivity.
His left arm was bandaged.
But he smiled when Charlotte entered.
“You look like your mother when you’re angry.”
Charlotte hugged him.
Then she stepped back.
“Who is my father?”
Arthur looked toward Lena.
Lena nodded.
Arthur sat down.
“His name is Samuel Grant.”
Charlotte recognized it immediately.
Samuel Grant was one of America’s most respected hotel developers.
A billionaire in his own right.
He had also been her mother’s greatest business rival for twenty years.
Charlotte almost laughed from disbelief.
“My mother hated Samuel Grant.”
Arthur smiled sadly.
“That was mostly theater.”
Charlotte stared.
“They were together before she married Richard.”
Arthur explained.
Elizabeth became pregnant.
Samuel wanted to marry her.
But the Vale family objected.
Richard Vale knew the truth and agreed to raise Charlotte as his daughter.
“He loved you completely.”
Arthur spoke carefully.
“Biology never mattered to him.”
Charlotte fought tears.
“Why keep it secret?”
“Because your grandfather’s original trust contained a clause.”
“What clause?”
Arthur handed her a photocopy.
The controlling interest in Solmere passed to Elizabeth’s first biological child.
Not necessarily Richard Vale’s child.
Not necessarily a descendant carrying the Vale bloodline through the father.
Charlotte.
Daniel had argued for years that Charlotte’s claim could be weakened if Richard’s paternity was questioned.
But the trust made that irrelevant.
Worse for Daniel, Samuel Grant had invested heavily in Solmere during its early expansion.
Charlotte potentially inherited rights through both families.
“Where is Samuel?”
Arthur looked grim.
“Nobody knows.”
“He disappeared two weeks ago.”
Charlotte stood.
“Daniel.”
“Probably.”
Lena entered the room carrying a folder.
“We found a private aircraft connected to Daniel’s company.”
Charlotte looked at her.
“Where did it go?”
“Montana.”
Samuel Grant owned a private ranch there.
Charlotte was already reaching for her coat.
Ethan stopped her.
“We don’t know what’s waiting.”
Charlotte looked at him.
“My father may be waiting.”
Hours later, Charlotte and Ethan arrived in Montana with two federal agents operating unofficially under Lena’s authority.
Samuel’s ranch appeared abandoned.
The front door was open.
Inside, furniture had been overturned.
There was blood on the kitchen floor.
Charlotte followed a trail toward the basement.
She heard movement.
Ethan drew his weapon.
Charlotte opened the door.
A man sat tied to a chair.
White hair.
Bloodied shirt.
Sharp blue eyes.
Samuel Grant looked up.
He saw Charlotte.
His entire face changed.
“Elizabeth.”
Charlotte froze.
Then Samuel realized.
His eyes filled with tears.
“Charlotte.”
She walked toward him.
For the first time in her life, she looked into the face of her biological father.
Samuel whispered.
“I thought Daniel killed you.”
Charlotte cut the ropes.
“No.”
She helped him stand.
“Daniel made the same mistake everyone keeps making.”
Samuel looked at her.
“What mistake?”
Charlotte smiled through tears.
“He keeps assuming I’m afraid of him.”
A gun clicked behind them.
May you like
Daniel Vale stood at the top of the basement stairs.
And this time, he was holding the weapon himself.
