Chapter 6 — Take Her Off the Hiring List
The man's name was Robert Hale.
He had been Linda's attorney for nearly thirty years.
Emily followed him into a private conference room.
She sat across from him.
"What happened twenty-three years ago?"
Robert studied her carefully.
"Your mother won't want me telling you."
"I don't care."
"You should."
Emily leaned forward.
"You know who she is."
Robert sighed.
"I know who she was."
"What does that mean?"
He opened a folder.
Inside were old photographs.
Linda standing beside businessmen.
Linda signing contracts.
Linda speaking at conferences.
Linda shaking hands with politicians.
Emily stared.
"Why did she hide all this?"
Robert closed the folder.
"Because of you."
Emily's heart stopped.
"Me?"
"Your mother wanted you to grow up believing you earned everything yourself."
"Why?"
"Because she had seen what money did to people."
Emily frowned.
Robert continued.
"She believed if you knew you had access to billions, you would never discover who you really were."
Emily felt insulted.
"So she lied to me?"
"She protected you."
"By pretending to be poor?"
Robert nodded.
"She lived modestly because she wanted you to understand the value of work."
Emily looked away.
"Then why destroy my job?"
Robert's expression became serious.
"Because she discovered something."
"What?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he asked:
"Did you tell your mother about the company you were interviewing with?"
"Yes."
"Did anyone else know?"
"My university advisor."
"Anyone else?"
Emily thought.
Then remembered.
"One of the recruiters asked me whether I was related to Linda Morgan."
Robert's eyes narrowed.
"And what did you say?"
"I said no."
Silence.
Robert closed the folder.
"Then your mother didn't remove you because you embarrassed her."
Emily stared at him.
"Why did she do it?"
Robert looked directly into her eyes.
"Because someone inside that company was trying to get close to you."
Emily's breathing slowed.
"Who?"
Robert stood.
"I don't know yet."
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
After listening for several seconds, he looked at Emily.
"We need to leave."
May you like
"Why?"
Robert lowered his voice.
