**Chapter 11 — The Harrison Fortune Was the Real Target**
The Birthday Surprise
Chapter 11 — The Fortune Was Never the Real Prize
Charles folded his hands calmly across the desk.
"There isn't much point pretending anymore."
Ethan couldn't believe what he was hearing.
The man who had attended every birthday, every graduation, every Christmas dinner wasn't denying the accusations.
He was accepting them.
Mercer switched on a digital recorder.
"This interview is being recorded."
Charles simply nodded.
"You've already won."
"So ask whatever you want."
Ethan took one step closer.
"Why?"
Charles looked directly at him.
"Because your father made a mistake."
"My father trusted you."
Charles laughed quietly.
"Exactly."
"He trusted the wrong man."
Charles stood and walked toward the office window.
"When your grandfather founded Harrison Technologies, he promised your father equal control."
"But after your father died..."
"The lawyers changed everything."
"I built the company."
"I doubled its value."
"I made it a global corporation."
"And when the time came..."
"You inherited everything."
Ethan shook his head.
"You were already one of the wealthiest men in America."
"It wasn't enough."
Charles smiled bitterly.
"It stopped being about money years ago."
"It became about proving the company should have been mine."
Mercer placed several recovered documents onto the desk.
"That's why you hired Lucas?"
Charles nodded.
"I needed someone young."
"Someone charming."
"Someone your family would welcome."
"And Emily?"
Charles shrugged.
"She wasn't the original target."
"But once Lucas realized she felt neglected..."
"The opportunity presented itself."
Ethan closed his eyes.
Every family dinner.
Every vacation.
Every handshake.
Every smile.
It had all been calculated.
Mercer asked one final question.
"Where is Lucas now?"
Charles looked toward the ceiling for several moments.
Then he quietly answered,
"If he's smart..."
"He's already on his way to the airport."
Mercer immediately stood.
"What airport?"
Charles smiled again.
"That's the only question..."
"I'm not going to answer."
At that exact moment, Mercer's phone vibrated.
He answered immediately.
After listening for only a few seconds, his expression changed.
He looked directly at Ethan.
"We've found Lucas."
"He's boarding a private jet."
"And if we don't reach him in the next thirty minutes..."
"He'll disappear forever."
