Chapter 6 - Blood Before Love
Robert Whitmore turned toward Lauren.
“What did you say?”
Lauren stepped backward.
“I was contacted almost two years ago.”
“By whom?”
Lauren looked at Mary.
“Your uncle.”
Mary felt her stomach tighten.
“Thomas?”
Lauren nodded.
Thomas Whitmore was Robert’s younger brother.
He also held a seat on the Whitmore Holdings board.
For years, Thomas had publicly complained that Robert’s children controlled too much of the family company.
Mary had dismissed him as bitter.
She had never considered him dangerous.
Daniel took Lauren’s phone.
The messages were encrypted.
Some had already been deleted.
But several remained.
One message read, Keep Mary emotionally dependent on Ethan.
Another read, Marriage must happen before September vote.
Mary looked toward Daniel.
“What September vote?”
Daniel did not immediately answer.
Robert did.
“The succession vote.”
Mary stared at her father.
Robert exhaled slowly.
“I planned to announce it after your honeymoon.”
“Announce what?”
Robert looked at his daughter.
“That I’m retiring.”
The room went still.
“And that I recommended you as the next chairwoman of Whitmore Holdings.”
Mary blinked.
She had expected responsibility someday.
Not now.
Not this.
Ethan slowly sat down.
Mary understood immediately.
“If I married Ethan…”
Daniel completed the thought.
“Then twelve months later, the forged proxy would give him your voting block.”
Robert nodded.
“And if Ethan controlled Mary’s shares, Thomas could build a coalition to remove her.”
Mary turned toward Charles.
“Did you know?”
“No.”
She looked toward Ethan.
He remained silent.
That was enough.
Mary walked toward him.
“You knew my uncle was behind this.”
Ethan finally looked at her.
“Only recently.”
“How recently?”
“Six months.”
Mary closed her eyes.
Six months earlier, Ethan had proposed.
The timing was not a coincidence.
She opened her eyes again.
“Did Thomas pay you?”
Ethan shook his head.
“He promised to rescue my father’s company.”
Charles stared at his son.
“What?”
Ethan looked at him.
“If Mary became chairwoman, Whitmore would never buy the harbor project.”
Robert nodded.
“Correct.”
“Thomas promised that if he gained control, Whitmore Holdings would acquire it.”
Charles’s face collapsed.
“You risked prison to save my company?”
Ethan laughed bitterly.
“I risked prison because you spent my entire life telling me that losing Cole Development would make me a failure.”
Charles had no response.
Mary did.
“You could have walked away.”
Ethan looked toward her.
“You could have told me everything.”
His eyes became wet.
“I thought I could fix it after the wedding.”
Mary shook her head.
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“You thought you could have the money, the company, Lauren, and me.”
Ethan did not deny it.
Mary turned toward Daniel.
“Where is Thomas?”
Daniel checked his phone.
“At this hotel.”
Mary’s expression sharpened.
“Where?”
Daniel looked at the screen again.
“He entered the building twenty-three minutes ago.”
Robert stood.
Mary looked toward the door.
Her uncle had come to the wedding.
May you like
But he had not come as a guest.
He had come to make sure the plan survived.
