Chapter 5 - Olivia Comes HomeOlivia entered the mansion carrying one suitcase.
Marcus noticed because she had left with two.
He wondered whether the missing one remained wherever she had been staying because she still had not decided if this was home.
Theo ran to her.
She dropped the suitcase and caught him.
For several minutes nobody spoke.
Darlene stood near the kitchen doorway, wiping tears from her eyes.
Marcus remained farther back.
Olivia looked over Theo’s shoulder at him.
There was gratitude there.
And anger.
Both were deserved.
When Theo finally went upstairs with Darlene, Marcus said, “I’m sorry.”
Olivia removed her coat.
“I’m not ready for that conversation.”
“I understand.”
“No, you don’t.”
He accepted it.
She walked toward the study.
“I need the phone.”
Marcus unlocked the safe.
Darlene’s phone remained inside.
Olivia opened the video.
She watched Franklin’s frozen face.
“You showed him?”
“Darlene did.”
“But he didn’t get the phone?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Marcus leaned against the desk.
“What else is on it?”
Olivia looked at him.
“Enough to destroy the version of Franklin Merrick you grew up believing.”
“Show me.”
She did.
There were six recordings.
The first showed Franklin confronting Olivia.
The second captured him entering her study while she was supposedly away.
He opened a drawer.
Placed documents inside.
Removed others.
The third was audio.
Franklin speaking to someone named Peter.
“Marcus cannot know the Graymark exposure until the board signs the refinance.”
The other voice answered, “And Olivia?”
“She’ll be gone before then.”
“How?”
“I’ve already given Marcus enough to doubt her.”
Marcus stopped the recording.
“Who is Peter?”
“Peter Lang.”
Marcus knew the name.
Franklin’s private financial adviser.
Olivia continued.
“Peter is also registered agent for three of the shell companies.”
Marcus sat down.
The fourth recording contained the worst sentence.
Franklin’s voice:
“If she fights, we make the transfer look criminal.”
Marcus looked away.
Olivia did not let him escape.
“You asked me if I stole from you.”
“I know.”
“You asked if I had another man.”
“I know.”
“You asked whether Theo was safe with me.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
“That was unforgivable.”
“Yes.”
She said it calmly.
That made it worse.
“I believed evidence.”
“You believed your father.”
“He had records.”
“He created them.”
“I know that now.”
Olivia locked the phone.
“The point isn’t that you were fooled.”
Marcus looked up.
“The point is you wanted his explanation to be easier than mine.”
Marcus had no defense.
Franklin had always supplied certainty.
Olivia demanded questions.
Marcus had chosen certainty.
A car pulled into the driveway.
Samuel Price arrived carrying a leather briefcase.
He was thinner than Marcus remembered.
Older.
But his eyes were unmistakably clear.
He entered the library and placed three documents on the table.
One was Evelyn’s memorandum.
Marcus recognized his mother’s handwriting.
Samuel read only the first paragraph aloud.
Marcus, if you are opening this, then Franklin has probably convinced you that protecting him is the same as protecting the family.
Marcus lowered his eyes.
Olivia said nothing.
He continued reading silently.
Evelyn described discovering a falsified authorization tied to a land transaction seventeen years earlier.
Franklin had apologized.
He claimed pressure.
He promised never to do it again.
Evelyn did not believe him.
So she changed the trust.
At the bottom she had written:
Your father loves control more than he understands love. Do not confuse the two.
Marcus sat motionless.
Samuel opened another document.
“This is the amendment.”
The signatures were notarized.
The filing receipts were attached.
Everything appeared valid.
“What happens now?” Marcus asked.
“We seek an injunction.”
“Against my father?”
“Against unauthorized disposition of trust assets.”
Olivia added, “And against destruction of company records.”
Samuel nodded.
Marcus stared at his mother’s handwriting.
Then his phone rang.
It was Ethan Cole.
Marcus answered.
“Where have you been?”
Ethan sounded frightened.
“Marcus, you need to come to headquarters.”
“Why?”
“Franklin called an emergency board meeting.”
“When?”
“One hour ago.”
Marcus looked at Olivia.
“What did he do?”
Ethan hesitated.
“He moved to suspend you as CEO.”
Marcus stood.
“On what grounds?”
“Breach of fiduciary duty.”
Marcus laughed in disbelief.
Ethan continued.
“And he presented evidence.”
“What evidence?”
“That you and Olivia have been conspiring to seize control of the company.”
Olivia went pale.
Marcus’s voice hardened.
“Did the board vote?”
“Yes.”
The room became silent.
Marcus asked the only question that mattered.
“What was the result?”
Ethan swallowed.
“Four to three.”
May you like
Marcus tightened his grip around the phone.
“You’ve been suspended.”
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