Chapter 7 - Evelyn’s Real Face
Evelyn’s expression changed.
The frightened grandmother disappeared.
In her place stood the woman Cassidy remembered from the earliest days of her marriage.
Cold.
Calculating.
Certain that wealth belonged to whoever had the nerve to take it.
“You always thought you were smarter than us,” Evelyn said.
Detective Ortiz immediately raised a hand.
“Mrs. Mercer, I recommend you stop speaking.”
Evelyn ignored her.
“You walked into our family pretending to be ordinary.”
Cassidy stared at her.
“I never pretended.”
“You hid billions.”
“My finances were protected by legal structures created before I met Brendan.”
“You let my son believe he was supporting you.”
Brendan suddenly spoke.
“Mom.”
Evelyn turned on him.
“You were too stupid to see what was in front of you.”
His face changed.
Cassidy watched the family fracture in real time.
Brendan pointed at his mother.
“You told me the trust was only fifty million.”
Evelyn froze.
Cassidy’s stomach twisted.
“So you did know.”
Brendan opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Vanessa stared at him.
“You knew?”
“Not everything.”
Cassidy’s voice remained calm.
“How much did you know?”
Brendan rubbed both hands over his face.
“I knew there was a trust.”
“How?”
“Martin.”
Martin laughed.
“Don’t put this all on me.”
Brendan shouted.
“You came to me!”
“Because your mother paid me.”
Detective Ortiz looked toward Evelyn.
“With what money?”
Martin answered before Evelyn could.
“Cassidy’s.”
Silence.
He explained.
For five months, Martin had diverted Alder Crown funds through vendor accounts.
Part went to Mercer businesses.
Part financed Project Harbor.
Part had simply disappeared.
Cassidy stared at him.
“You stole from me to finance a plan against me.”
Martin’s expression held something almost like resentment.
“You inherited everything.”
“I worked inside that company for fifteen years.”
“And you were paid millions.”
“You still owned the room.”
Cassidy understood then.
Martin did not see himself as a thief.
He saw himself as a man taking what he believed he deserved.
Detective Ortiz asked the question Cassidy feared.
“What was the planned emergency event?”
Martin’s gaze shifted.
Evelyn shouted.
“Don’t answer.”
The detective stepped between them.
“Mrs. Mercer.”
Martin slowly exhaled.
“There wasn’t supposed to be a murder.”
Cassidy’s hand went instinctively to her stomach.
“What was supposed to happen?”
“A medical crisis.”
“What kind?”
“Enough to make Cassidy unconscious.”
Brendan looked horrified.
“You said temporary sedation.”
Martin turned on him.
“It was never your job to understand the medical details.”
Vanessa whispered.
“You were going to drug her.”
Martin shook his head.
“Not me.”
“Who?”
He looked toward Cassidy.
“The hospital liaison.”
Cassidy’s mouth went dry.
“What hospital liaison?”
Martin gave a name.
“Dr. Malcolm Voss.”
Cassidy stopped breathing.
Dr. Voss was not a stranger.
May you like
He was the senior anesthesiologist at the hospital where Cassidy was scheduled to deliver.
And three weeks earlier, he had personally introduced himself during her prenatal consultation.
