Chapter 9 - The Letter That Changed Everything
Raymond looked at the faded letter again.
His hands, usually so steady, tightened around the fragile paper.
Emily watched him carefully.
"Please."
"Read it."
Raymond nodded.
He unfolded the remaining pages.
The room became so quiet that only the baby's heartbeat could be heard.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
Raymond began reading aloud.
"If you are reading this, someone in my family has betrayed yours."
He paused.
Emily's breathing grew heavier.
He continued.
"I don't know if I'll have the courage to tell you this face to face."
"If I fail, then this letter must speak for me."
Raymond turned the page.
"Your father, Thomas Bennett, is an honest man."
"He uncovered financial irregularities connected to someone carrying the Whitmore name."
Emily looked confused.
"My father?"
Raymond nodded slowly.
"Keep listening."
He continued reading.
"Thomas refused every offer to remain silent."
"He said the truth mattered more than money."
Emily closed her eyes.
"That sounds exactly like Dad."
Raymond read the next paragraph.
"I promised him I would help expose everything."
"I also promised that no member of my family would ever threaten his."
The room remained silent.
Raymond reached the next page.
His expression hardened.
"Unfortunately, I have begun to suspect that someone much closer to me has been working against us."
Emily frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Raymond answered honestly.
"It means Jonathan didn't know who he could trust."
The attorney stepped closer.
"There's another page."
Raymond nodded.
He turned it over.
At the very bottom, several names had been handwritten.
Some were crossed out.
Some were circled.
One name remained untouched.
Richard Holloway.
The room froze.
The attorney immediately looked toward the hallway.
"He was at the board meeting."
Raymond's eyes narrowed.
"He was."
Emily looked from one face to another.
"Who is Richard?"
"The Vice President of Facilities."
Raymond didn't take his eyes off the letter.
"And apparently..."
"...someone your father didn't trust."
At that exact moment, a loud crash echoed from outside the room.
Everyone looked toward the door.
A nurse screamed.
"Security!"
Raymond was already moving.
He opened the door.
Two security officers were wrestling a man to the floor.
Paper scattered across the hallway.
One officer shouted,
"He tried to enter the patient's room."
The man struggled violently.
"I wasn't doing anything!"
Raymond stepped closer.
His eyes widened.
Richard Holloway.
His expensive suit was wrinkled.
His tie hung loose.
One security officer held up a black leather folder.
"We found this under his jacket."
The folder had hospital archives stamped across the front.
Richard's breathing became frantic.
"You don't understand."
"I can explain."
Raymond's voice turned cold.
"Then explain."
Richard looked around desperately.
His eyes landed on the open letter still resting in Raymond's hand.
Everything seemed to click.
"You've already read it."
Raymond didn't answer.
Richard slowly closed his eyes.
"We're too late."
The detectives, who had not yet left the executive floor, hurried toward the commotion.
Detective Harris stepped forward.
"What's going on?"
The security officer answered.
"He attempted to enter Mrs. Whitmore's room without authorization."
"He became aggressive when we stopped him."
Harris looked at Richard.
"Why?"
Richard laughed bitterly.
"It doesn't matter anymore."
"It matters to me," Raymond replied.
Richard stared directly at him.
"You really don't know?"
Raymond remained silent.
Richard shook his head.
"Then Jonathan kept the biggest secret from you too."
Emily stepped into the doorway despite the nurse's protests.
"What secret?"
Richard looked at her.
For a brief moment, genuine regret crossed his face.
"You were never supposed to find out like this."
Raymond moved between them.
"Answer her."
Richard hesitated.
Then he smiled sadly.
"Ask yourself one question."
He looked at Emily.
"Why do you think your father died only three days after discovering the missing money?"
Emily's heart pounded.
"My father had a heart attack."
Richard slowly shook his head.
"That's what everyone was told."
The hallway became eerily still.
Detective Harris stepped forward.
"Are you saying his death wasn't natural?"
Richard didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked toward the ceiling.
Almost as if searching for courage.
Then he whispered,
"I've lived with this for seven years."
"I can't carry it anymore."
Emily's voice shook.
"What happened to my father?"
Richard closed his eyes.
"The night before he died..."
"...he wasn't alone."
Raymond's jaw tightened.
"Who was with him?"
Richard slowly opened his eyes.
"They argued."
"They shouted."
"And someone threatened him."
Detective Harris pulled out his notebook.
"Who?"
Richard looked directly at Raymond.
"You've been searching the wrong person."
Raymond frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Richard took one slow breath.
"It wasn't Preston."
The hallway fell silent once again.
Emily stared in disbelief.
"What?"
Richard nodded.
"Preston stole money."
"Preston lied."
"Preston betrayed his marriage."
"But Thomas Bennett's death..."
He swallowed hard.
"...started with someone much more powerful."
Before anyone could ask another question, Richard suddenly grabbed his chest.
His face twisted in pain.
He stumbled backward.
The folder slipped from his hands.
Security officers rushed toward him.
"Call a doctor!"
Richard collapsed onto the polished floor.
A small white capsule rolled from his mouth.
Dr. Allison Brooks knelt beside him.
"What did he take?"
Richard's breathing became shallow.
His lips turned blue.
He reached toward Raymond with trembling fingers.
"There..."
He struggled for air.
"...is another..."
His voice faded.
Another cough.
Blood stained the corner of his mouth.
He used the last of his strength to whisper two final words.
"Board Chairman..."
Then his hand fell lifelessly onto the floor.
The hallway erupted into chaos.
Doctors rushed forward.
Nurses called for a crash cart.
Detective Harris slowly looked up at Raymond.
His face was grim.
"There is no board chairman."
Raymond's eyes narrowed.
"There is now."
Because only one person had quietly been appointed Interim Board Chairman three months earlier...
And no one in the room had questioned the decision.
May you like
Except Emily.
Who suddenly remembered exactly who had signed the appointment papers.
