Seven Days Before My Wedding

Seven Days Before My Wedding -Chapter 11 — The Night I Was Born

Chapter 11 — The Night I Was Born

My grandmother sat quietly for several minutes.

Then she began to speak.

"Your mother was twenty-two."

I listened.

"She had already left Richard."

My mother looked down.

"He was dangerous."

"What did he do?"

"He controlled everything around him."

My grandmother sighed.

"Money. Businesses. People."

"And my mother?"

"She tried to escape."

"Did she love him?"

My grandmother hesitated.

"Once."

I looked at my mother.

She nodded.

"I was young."

"Why did you leave?"

"Because I discovered what he was doing."

"The criminal network."

"Yes."

"Was it already active?"

"Not like it became later."

My mother took a breath.

"Richard had started with financial manipulation."

"Then?"

"He realized people were easier to control than money."

I felt sick.

"Who helped him?"

"Several people."

"Adrian?"

"No."

"Elena?"

"Not yet."

"Then who?"

My grandmother looked at me.

"Your grandfather."

I froze.

"My grandfather?"

"Richard's father."

"The original founder?"

She nodded.

"He built the first network."

"And Richard inherited it."

"Yes."

I looked at the letter.

"So my entire family..."

"Was connected to it."

I couldn't believe it.

"Why did Dad marry Mom?"

"Because he loved her."

"And he knew about Richard?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't he report him?"

My grandmother's expression hardened.

"Because Richard had power."

"What kind?"

"Political connections. Judges. Police officers. Bank executives."

My stomach tightened.

"He could make people disappear."

"Yes."

"Like my mother."

"He tried."

"But she escaped."

"With your father."

I looked at my mother.

"How?"

She smiled sadly.

"Your father helped me disappear."

"Where?"

"Everywhere."

She laughed softly.

"I changed names. Addresses. Jobs."

"And then I came back?"

"Because I wanted you to have a normal life."

"With Dad."

"Yes."

"Until Richard found me."

"Until Richard found you."

I closed my eyes.

The pieces were coming together.

The wedding.

Adrian.

Elena.

The ledger.

My parents' deaths.

Everything had begun because of Richard.

But one question remained.

"If Richard is my biological father..."

I looked at Nathan.

"...why did he care about the ledger?"

My grandmother's face changed.

"Because the ledger contains something that can destroy him."

"What?"

"The original ownership records."

I frowned.

"Ownership of what?"

"The network."

Nathan stepped forward.

"And who legally owns it?"

My grandmother looked at him.

"Emma."

Silence.

I stared at her.

"What?"

"The network was transferred."

"To me?"

"Before you were born."

"Why?"

"Because your mother wanted to make sure Richard could never inherit it."

I shook my head.

"That makes no sense."

"It does when you understand the law."

My grandmother reached for another document.

"Your mother was the legal heir to a company that Richard wanted."

"Which company?"

She placed the document on the table.

Blackwell International.

Nathan's eyes widened.

"My father's company."

"Yes."

"But Blackwell International belonged to Emma's mother."

"Originally."

I stared at the document.

The ownership had been transferred.

To me.

Before I was born.

"Then why did Richard become the owner?"

"He forged the documents."

Nathan's face hardened.

"And my father?"

"He helped."

Silence.

I looked at Nathan.

"I am sorry."

He shook his head.

"My father made his choices."

"But you didn't."

"I know."

Our eyes met.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then my grandmother interrupted.

"There's something else."

"What?"

"The ownership transfer isn't the only reason Richard wants the ledger."

She pointed to the final page.

"The ledger contains a second document."

"What document?"

"A confession."

"Whose?"

"Richard's."

I felt my heart race.

"He confessed?"

"Everything."

"Why?"

"Because your mother tricked him."

"How?"

"She convinced him that the document was destroyed."

"So he admitted everything?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't we use it?"

"Because the confession disappeared."

"Where?"

My grandmother looked at Nathan.

"Your father took it."

Nathan froze.

"My father?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To protect himself."

My heart sank.

"Then the Blue Ledger..."

"Contains the confession."

I stood.

"Then we need it."

Nathan nodded.

"Yes."

But my grandmother grabbed my wrist.

"Emma."

I turned.

"There's a problem."

"What?"

"The ledger you found isn't complete."

I frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"The real ledger has three sections."

"Three?"

"Financial records."

"Names."

"And the confession."

I looked at Nathan.

"How many sections do we have?"

He opened the ledger.

"One."

"Then where are the other two?"

My grandmother whispered:

"Richard."