Chapter 7 - Martin's Missing Year.
Ethan called Martin before Vivian reached the end of the block.
"What were you paid to keep quiet about?"
Martin did not pretend to misunderstand.
"Come to my office."
Rebecca joined them by video call while Claire stayed home with Owen.
Martin's office was small, quiet, and filled with old binders from businesses that no longer existed.
He placed one ledger on the desk.
"This is the year your father got sick."
Ethan opened it.
Several payments had been made from Mercer Development to Doyle Accounting.
They were larger than ordinary monthly fees.
"Those are yours?"
"Yes."
Martin looked ashamed.
He explained that Ethan's father had hired him separately to review irregular transfers inside the company.
The payments were investigation fees.
Vivian had discovered them later and assumed Martin had been paid to conceal her husband's actions rather than examine hers.
"Why didn't you tell her the truth?"
"Because your father asked me not to."
"He's been gone six years."
Martin nodded.
"And I kept making the same excuse."
Rebecca interrupted from the laptop.
"What irregular transfers?"
Martin opened another ledger.
He showed them amounts moved from the business into accounts labeled FAMILY RESERVE.
Some were legitimate.
Some lacked documentation.
The pattern ended shortly before the company closed.
"Did Vivian take money?"
Ethan asked.
Martin shook his head.
"I can't prove that."
The answer frustrated Ethan, but Rebecca seemed satisfied by the caution.
"What can you prove?"
Martin pointed to a series of entries.
"Your father reversed most of these transfers before he died."
"Why?"
"Because he discovered the reserve account gave Vivian practical control over funds he intended to separate from the family business."
Ethan sat back.
His father had been quietly removing financial leverage from Vivian.
That explained the letters.
It also explained her resentment.
Then Martin brought out a final envelope.
"This came to my office four months ago."
Inside was a proposed family trust amendment.
It listed Vivian as managing trustee.
Ethan and Claire were named as beneficiaries.
Their house was listed among assets to be contributed.
"We never agreed to this."
"I know."
At the bottom was a space for Ethan's signature.
It was blank.
Claire's signature appeared on a separate consent page.
Rebecca leaned closer to the screen.
"Was that one of the pages Claire signed?"
Martin nodded.
Ethan felt his anger return.
"So my mother has been assembling pieces."
"That's what it looks like."
A phone buzzed on Martin's desk.
He looked at the screen and immediately turned it face down.
Ethan noticed.
"Who is it?"
Martin sighed.
"Vivian."
"Answer it."
"Ethan."
"Put it on speaker."
Martin reluctantly accepted the call.
Vivian did not say hello.
"You have until tonight to return the archive copies."
Martin looked at Ethan.
"They're not yours."
Vivian went silent.
Then her voice softened.
"Martin, you are forgetting who protected you when the company collapsed."
"No, Vivian."
He looked directly at Ethan as he spoke.
"I'm finally remembering who I failed to protect."
Vivian ended the call.
Ten seconds later, Martin's email notification sounded.
The subject line contained only Ethan's name.
May you like
Inside was a photograph of Claire standing at the front window with Owen in her arms.
It had been taken less than five minutes earlier.
