CHAPTER NINE
881 Words
WALLS BETWEEN THE LAPS
The enemy is already inside the family.
The words settled over the room like a curse.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
Even the rain outside seemed quieter.
Tania stared at Ellen.
"What family?"
Ellen looked exhausted.
As though the memory itself had drained her.
"I don't know."
"Augustus's family?"
"No."
"Our family?"
"I don't know."
The uncertainty frustrated everyone.
Farida paced the room.
"No offense, but your memories are becoming very annoying."
Normally Tania would have laughed.
This time she didn't.
Because Farida wasn't entirely wrong.
Every memory answered one question and created ten more.
The enemy is already inside the family.
What did that even mean?
And why would Augustus say something so specific moments before his death?
Their mother slowly sat down.
Her face had become unusually pale.
Tania noticed immediately.
"Mom?"
No response.
"Mom."
The older woman blinked.
"What?"
"You know something."
Immediately.
Silence.
The room became still.
Farida looked between them.
Ellen lifted her gaze.
For the first time all night, everyone focused on the same person.
Their mother.
The woman who had spent months hiding secrets.
The woman who always seemed terrified whenever the past surfaced.
Tania felt her stomach tighten.
"Mom."
The older woman closed her eyes.
Slowly.
Painfully.
Then she whispered,
"There was a fight."
---
Five Years Earlier
Augustus Coker's Mansion
The shouting could be heard from outside.
Ellen stood at the entrance to the study.
Frozen.
Listening.
Inside, Augustus argued with a man.
A younger man.
Furious.
Desperate.
Violent.
"You stole everything!"
The stranger slammed his fist against the desk.
Augustus remained calm.
Dangerously calm.
"Lower your voice."
"You think money gives you power?"
"It gives options."
The younger man laughed bitterly.
"I should have known."
Augustus slowly stood.
The room immediately became tense.
"Eddie."
The man froze.
Ellen remembered that name.
Eddie.
Augustus's nephew.
The closest thing he had to a son.
The man many expected to inherit everything.
"You need to leave."
"I deserve what belongs to me."
"You deserve what you've earned."
The response only made things worse.
The argument continued for nearly an hour.
By the time Eddie finally left, the entire mansion felt suffocated by tension.
That night Augustus sat quietly on the balcony.
Watching the city lights.
Ellen joined him.
Neither spoke for several minutes.
Eventually she asked,
"What's wrong?"
Augustus smiled sadly.
"The wrong people are becoming desperate."
---
Present Day
The room became silent again.
Tania frowned.
"Eddie?"
Their mother nodded.
"Augustus's nephew."
Farida stopped pacing.
"Wasn't he in the will?"
"Yes."
"Then why was he angry?"
Their mother hesitated.
Then answered.
"Because Ellen inherited control."
Tania blinked.
"What?"
The older woman looked toward Ellen.
A mixture of pride and sadness filled her eyes.
"Augustus trusted her more."
Silence.
"He believed Ellen could protect the companies."
The realization settled heavily over the room.
All those years.
All those board meetings.
All those battles.
Ellen hadn't simply inherited wealth.
She had inherited responsibility.
And many people hated her for it.
---
Months after Augustus's death, the attacks began.
Not physical attacks.
Professional ones.
Whispers.
Rumors.
Anonymous accusations.
News articles questioning her leadership.
Social media campaigns.
False allegations.
Investors being pressured.
Board members demanding votes.
Every week brought a new challenge.
A new attempt to weaken her.
A new effort to force her out.
Yet Ellen survived them all.
The more they pushed, the stronger she became.
Profits increased.
Expansion continued.
Employees supported her.
The public admired her.
And that made her enemies even angrier.
Because failure was supposed to destroy her.
Instead it transformed her.
---
Three Months Before Her Death
CODAX Executive Board Meeting
The atmosphere felt hostile.
More hostile than usual.
Ellen sat at the head of the table reviewing reports.
Several directors watched her carefully.
Waiting.
Studying.
Like predators.
The chairman finally cleared his throat.
"There are concerns."
Ellen didn't look up.
"There are always concerns."
The room shifted uncomfortably.
A few directors exchanged glances.
Then another executive spoke.
"Some people believe you're becoming too controlling."
Ellen continued reading.
"Some people are stealing."
The room fell silent.
The response landed exactly where she intended.
Directly on the guilty.
One director laughed nervously.
"We're discussing leadership."
"No."
Ellen finally looked up.
The room immediately quieted.
"We're discussing accountability."
Nobody spoke.
Because everyone understood what she meant.
And nobody had a defense.
---
Present Day
Farida folded her arms.
"So basically half the board hated her."
"Yes."
"And Augustus's nephew hated her."
"Yes."
"And someone killed her."
"Apparently."
Farida sighed dramatically.
"Wonderful."
Tania ignored her.
Something else bothered her.
Something important.
She looked toward Ellen.
"When was the last time you saw Eddie?"
The question changed everything.
Ellen's expression hardened instantly.
A memory.
A dangerous memory.
One she hadn't recalled before.
Her hands tightened.
The room temperature dropped.
Every light flickered.
And suddenly everyone knew another memory was coming.
A stronger one.
A darker one.
Ellen slowly lifted her eyes.
Fear appeared there.
Raw.
Undeniable.
"The night I died."
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
The air itself seemed frozen.
"What happened?"
Ellen swallowed.
Then spoke.
"I wasn't alone at the river."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Because for the first time since her memories began returning...
Ellen remembered someone who had actually been there.
And that someone might finally lead them to the truth.
- Writer
