Chapter 15 - Camille Was Never Supposed to Matter After the SaleCamille’s cooperation produced the next piece.
Lorraine had also prepared to fire her.
A termination letter dated one day after the expected Harbor closing.
No severance beyond the $600,000 consulting payment.
And a confidentiality agreement drafted to characterize Camille as an independent contractor responsible for all document handling.
Camille stared at the letter when investigators showed her.
“She was going to blame me.”
Claire sat across the interview table.
“Yes.”
Camille laughed once.
Bitter.
“Arthur told me.”
Claire said nothing.
“He said she’d burn anyone she could replace.”
“Yes.”
“And I thought I was different.”
“Why?”
Camille looked embarrassed.
“Because she needed me.”
Claire leaned back.
“Everyone thinks being needed means being safe.”
Camille looked at her.
“That’s cruel.”
“It’s accurate.”
Camille nodded.
Then she disclosed the most complete timeline yet.
Four years earlier, Lorraine hired her from a corporate law firm.
Camille was efficient.
Discreet.
Ambitious.
Lorraine rewarded those traits.
First requests were legitimate.
Calendar management.
Contracts.
Travel.
Then gray.
Backdating internal drafts.
Removing emails from meeting packets.
Copying signature pages.
Camille told herself none of it was fraud because executives signed final documents elsewhere.
Then the Parcel Seven amendment.
Clear forgery.
She knew.
She filed it anyway.
Lorraine promised the $600,000 side payment.
Camille crossed the line consciously.
After Arthur discovered the file, he confronted her.
She refused to cooperate.
Then Arthur died naturally before he could remove Lorraine.
Camille believed the risk died with him.
Until Sophie found the blue envelope.
Lorraine called Camille Sunday night.
“Get it back.”
Camille asked how.
Lorraine said:
“Whatever keeps Claire from seeing it.”
Claire felt anger.
“Exact words?”
“Yes.”
Camille looked ashamed.
“I interpreted them.”
“How?”
“As permission.”
There.
Lorraine created ambiguity.
Camille filled it with what benefited her.
“How did you change our seats?”
“Corporate travel account.”
“You had access.”
“Yes.”
“Forged authorization?”
“Lorraine sent me the template.”
“Did you fill it?”
“Yes.”
“Signature?”
“She sent a scan.”
Daniel’s contribution.
Layered again.
Claire asked:
“Why claim Sophie was your daughter?”
Camille looked humiliated.
“I panicked.”
“That lie lasted three questions.”
“I know.”
“You could’ve said aunt.”
“I know.”
“Guardian.”
“I know.”
“Anything less stupid.”
Camille almost smiled despite herself.
“I know.”
Then Claire’s face hardened.
“But you chose mother.”
Camille nodded.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Camille thought.
“Because I wanted the flight attendant to back off.”
Claire felt sick.
Camille had used the authority of motherhood as a shield while harming a child whose real mother sat three rows away.
That detail would stay with Claire forever.
Then Camille said:
“I’m going to plead guilty.”
Claire looked at her.
“To what?”
“My lawyer is negotiating.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Camille understood.
“To what I did.”
No excuse.
She continued.
“I don’t expect Sophie to forgive me.”
“She shouldn’t be asked.”
“I know.”
“Don’t write her.”
“I won’t.”
“Don’t send gifts.”
“I won’t.”
“Don’t turn your guilt into something she has to manage.”
Camille looked at Claire for a long moment.
Then nodded.
“That’s fair.”
It was the first request Claire believed Camille would follow.
Before leaving, Camille said:
“There’s one more thing.”
Claire stopped.
“Lorraine kept a personal ledger.”
“What kind?”
“Payments.”
“Trust money?”
“Everything.”
“Where?”
Camille shook her head.
“I never saw it.”
“Then how do you know?”
“Because she used to say, ‘If anyone ever claims I stole, I can prove where every dollar went.’”
Claire frowned.
That sounded like a defense.
Camille continued.
“Arthur knew about it.”
“How?”
“He asked me where she kept the black book.”
Claire’s pulse changed.
“Did he find it?”
“I don’t know.”
Camille looked toward the door.
“But if he did, Lorraine’s debt isn’t the worst thing in there.”
Claire felt a new question open.
“What is?”
Camille answered:
“Payments to NorthBridge started before Arthur died.”
Claire stared.
If true, the buyer had not simply taken advantage of Lorraine’s desperation afterward.
The Harbor scheme may have begun while Arthur was still alive.
May you like
And that meant NorthBridge might not be an innocent purchaser caught in family conflict.
It might have helped create the conflict.
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