The Death Nathan Never Questioned
Chapter 05 - The Death Nathan Never Questioned
Nathan had been six when his father died.
He remembered a closed casket, a black dress, and his mother telling him that Charles Whitmore had fallen from a boat during a storm.
There had been no body.
Victoria now admitted the truth.
Charles died inside the hotel’s basement office during the fire of 1989.
Thomas Monroe pulled two workers out before attempting to rescue him.
He failed.
Henry Whitmore feared criminal liability because the building’s fire system had been disconnected during renovations. He used political connections to suppress the report.
The public was told the damaged property had been empty.
Charles’s death was recorded privately under another location.
Nathan sat on the sofa as if someone had removed the floor beneath him.
“You lied every day of my life.”
Victoria’s eyes filled.
“You were a child.”
“I became an adult twenty-three years ago.”
“And by then the company employed thousands of people.”
“So you protected the company.”
“I protected you.”
Nathan laughed once, without humor.
Abigail recognized the sentence.
It was the same excuse powerful parents used when control became cruelty.
She sat beside him but did not touch him until he reached for her hand.
Victoria watched them.
“Thomas blamed Henry for Charles’s death. He threatened to expose everything.”
“Then his shares disappeared,” Abigail said.
Victoria nodded.
“Henry forced him into a settlement.”
“Where is it?”
“No one knows.”
Martin spoke carefully.
“If there was a signed settlement, the terms could determine whether the Monroe claim survived.”
Victoria looked toward the contract on the cart.
“That is why I needed Abigail to waive it.”
Nathan stood.
“You knew she might legally own part of the company.”
“I knew uncertainty could destroy us.”
“You tried to end my marriage to prevent a lawsuit.”
“I tried to prevent history from repeating itself.”
Abigail folded the photograph into its envelope.
“No. You repeated it yourself.”
She returned to the bedroom and changed into her clothes.
Nathan followed.
“Are you leaving me?”
“I’m leaving this hotel.”
“Abby—”
“I believe you did not prepare the contract.”
Relief touched his face.
Then she continued.
“But I need to understand whether I married a man or entered a family war.”
Nathan nodded slowly.
“I’ll come with you.”
“No.”
The word hurt both of them.
May you like
Abigail lifted her suitcase.
“You need to decide who you are when your family name is no longer telling you.”
