Chapter 15 - Charlotte Finally Lost Her SmilePolice backup arrived before Victor could leave.
Lena had activated an emergency signal before Graham took control.
Graham ran.
Again.
Victor did not.
He simply called his attorneys.
Charlotte surrendered voluntarily.
The recording was enough to reopen Julian Sterling's death as a criminal investigation.
But the real archive remained in Big Sur.
Anna wanted police to retrieve it.
Mia wanted to go.
“No,” Anna said.
“It's my song.”
“No.”
“My dad hid it.”
“No.”
“You keep deciding everything.”
Anna froze.
Mia's eyes filled.
“You disappeared and didn't tell me why.”
“I was protecting you.”
“Everybody says that.”
Anna flinched.
Mia continued.
“Charlotte protected family.”
“Victor protected company.”
“Graham probably protects himself.”
“And you protect me.”
Anna looked devastated.
Mia whispered,
“But I was alone for nineteen days.”
Anna sat down.
For the first time, she didn't defend herself.
“You're right.”
Mia cried harder.
“I thought you were dead.”
“I know.”
“You told me twenty minutes.”
“I know.”
Anna reached toward her.
Mia hesitated.
Then allowed the hug.
Anna whispered,
“I thought the men following me would take you if I stayed.”
“They almost did anyway.”
“Yes.”
Silence.
Anna said,
“I'm sorry.”
Not “I had no choice.”
Not “I did it for you.”
Just sorry.
Mia held tighter.
The next morning, Charlotte asked to speak with Mia before being formally taken into custody.
Anna said no.
Mia said yes.
They met with Lena present.
Charlotte looked exhausted.
No makeup.
Hair tied back.
No beige dress.
No Beverly Hills perfection.
Mia placed the guitar beside her.
Charlotte looked at it.
Then immediately looked away.
“Did you ever care about me?” Mia asked.
Charlotte's eyes filled.
“Yes.”
“When?”
“The moment I saw you.”
“You smiled.”
Charlotte froze.
“What?”
“When I hugged you.”
Mia didn't know for certain.
But Charlotte's expression told her she'd guessed correctly.
“What did you do?”
Charlotte looked down.
“I said something.”
“What?”
Silence.
Lena watched.
Charlotte whispered,
“Finally found you.”
Mia felt cold.
“So you were happy because you found the drive.”
“At first.”
“What changed?”
“You.”
Mia waited.
Charlotte continued.
“You laughed like Julian.”
“I barely laughed.”
“You made the same face when you didn't believe me.”
That sounded weak.
Mia wasn't impressed.
Charlotte saw it.
“I know.”
“Did you want me to live with you?”
“Yes.”
“To control my trust?”
Charlotte closed her eyes.
“At first.”
There.
Again.
At least she said it.
Mia asked,
“How much?”
“What?”
“My money.”
Charlotte almost smiled sadly.
“Your trust is worth approximately one hundred and eighty million dollars.”
Mia stared.
She had begged strangers for food on a rooftop.
One hundred eighty million.
It didn't feel real.
Charlotte continued.
“Money doesn't become available to you until later. But legal guardianship would give influence over voting rights.”
“So Grandpa wanted me.”
“Yes.”
“You wanted me.”
“Yes.”
“Dad died because of it.”
Charlotte cried.
“Partly.”
Mia hated that word.
Partly.
As if fractions made grief smaller.
“Why didn't you help him?”
Charlotte looked at her.
“I was afraid.”
Mia remembered Anna's warnings.
“Mom says fear explains things.”
Charlotte nodded.
“It doesn't excuse them.”
Mia looked surprised.
Charlotte smiled sadly.
“Anna told me that once.”
Mia picked up the guitar.
“I'm not forgiving you.”
“I know.”
“Maybe never.”
“I know.”
“Don't say you love me.”
Charlotte's face broke.
Mia continued.
“You don't know me.”
Charlotte nodded.
Then whispered,
“Can I tell you one thing?”
“What?”
“Graham knows Big Sur.”
Anna looked up.
“How?”
“I told him years ago that Julian and Anna used a cabin there.”
“Which cabin?”
Charlotte looked at Anna.
“The yellow one.”
Anna went pale.
Mia knew.
The first song.
The real archive.
Graham was still free.
May you like
And while everyone had been talking—
he might already be on the way.
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