Chapter 17 - AMELIA’S LAST EMAILAmelia had scheduled an email.
Harrison received it eight days after her death.
Automatic delivery.
Subject:
IF I DON’T CANCEL THIS
He opened it alone.
Dad,
If you’re reading this, then I either forgot to cancel a very dramatic email or something went badly wrong.
Harrison laughed once through tears.
Classic Amelia.
Then:
I think Julian’s family has been stealing from the company. I think Julian knew more than he admits. I don’t think he understands how far his mother is willing to go.
Harrison stopped.
Amelia had seen Julian clearly.
Complicit.
Weak.
Not mastermind.
Then:
I don’t trust Leonard anymore.
Samuel keeps calling me anxious when I ask financial questions, which is strange because doctors usually don’t audit companies.
Harrison almost smiled.
Then:
I should have told you sooner.
His vision blurred.
But every time I call, you are in another country, another briefing, another crisis. I know your work matters. I know people depend on you. I just got used to thinking my problems should wait.
Harrison broke.
That was the sentence he could not survive with discipline.
He sobbed alone in the study.
His daughter had not called because he taught her, unintentionally, that the world’s emergencies ranked above hers.
Then:
This is not your fault. But if we ever get through this, I’m going to make you babysit constantly as punishment.
Harrison laughed and cried simultaneously.
Then the last lines:
If anything happens, protect the baby’s trust. Protect Nora. And please don’t let anyone turn Julian into the only villain just because he’s the easiest one to hate.
He did terrible things. But I think Marianne is the one everyone is actually afraid of.
Amelia had solved her own case before dying.
She simply did not know how far the plan would go.
Harrison folded the printed email.
For the first time, his anger toward Julian became more precise.
Not less.
More accurate.
Julian had betrayed Amelia financially.
Helped isolate her.
Helped bury the truth afterward.
May you like
But Amelia herself believed Marianne was the real danger.
Harrison would honor that distinction.
Related Stories
