Chapter 16 - The Night Amelia Arrived
The operation changed instantly.
Victor Sloane was arrested.
Evelyn was placed in custody.
Owen was taken away.
Brendan received emergency medical treatment.
Cassidy was rushed to the secure hospital.
Her daughter had chosen the worst possible night to arrive.
Or perhaps the best.
Labor progressed quickly.
Cassidy had imagined giving birth in a quiet room.
She had imagined Brendan beside her once.
That future no longer existed.
Instead, Gabriel stood outside the delivery wing.
Federal officers secured the elevator.
Naomi sat in a waiting room with three phones and a laptop.
Vanessa gave another statement across town.
Martin Vale negotiated with prosecutors.
Alder Crown’s board remained under emergency restrictions.
And Cassidy concentrated on one thing.
Her baby.
Hours later, a cry filled the delivery room.
Dr. Reed smiled.
“She’s here.”
Cassidy began crying before she could stop herself.
They placed Amelia on her chest.
Tiny.
Warm.
Alive.
Cassidy stared at the child people had reduced to a trust provision.
They had viewed Amelia as a key.
A beneficiary.
A voting mechanism.
A path to money.
Cassidy saw only her daughter.
“Hi,” she whispered.
Amelia opened her eyes for half a second.
Cassidy laughed through her tears.
“You caused quite an entrance.”
Later, after Amelia had been examined and Cassidy was resting, Naomi entered quietly.
“I can come back.”
Cassidy shook her head.
“Tell me.”
Naomi sat beside the bed.
“Federal investigators recovered Sloane’s servers.”
“And?”
“The forty-seven million was only what Martin moved through Alder Crown.”
Cassidy waited.
“Total attempted diversion across connected entities was one hundred eighty-six million.”
Cassidy closed her eyes.
“And Project Harbor?”
“Fully documented.”
Naomi hesitated.
“There’s one document you should see later.”
“What document?”
“A revised succession agreement.”
Cassidy looked at her.
“They forged another one?”
“Yes.”
“What does it say?”
Naomi’s expression darkened.
“In the event of your death, Amelia’s guardian would have authority to approve the sale of Hale family voting shares.”
“To Blackridge.”
“Yes.”
Cassidy looked down at her daughter.
It had never been about temporary control.
Victor intended to use Evelyn to force a sale.
Then, once he owned the company, Evelyn and Brendan would become unnecessary.
Cassidy whispered.
“They were going to betray each other eventually.”
Naomi nodded.
“Probably.”
The door opened.
Gabriel entered.
“Cassidy.”
Something in his voice concerned her.
“What?”
“Brendan asked to see you.”
“No.”
“He says he has information that isn’t in the files.”
Cassidy stared at Amelia.
“What information?”
Gabriel answered.
“He says someone else helped Sloane.”
Cassidy looked up.
“Who?”
“He refuses to tell anyone except you.”
Cassidy almost rejected the request.
May you like
Then Gabriel added one sentence.
“He says it’s someone you still trust.”
