Thomas's Final Protection
Chapter 10 - Thomas's Final Protection
The safe deposit box contained copies of every major family asset.
Thomas had prepared for betrayal long before anyone realized it.
There were property records.
Investment statements.
Company shares.
And something else.
Emails.
Printed emails between Thomas and Charles Hale.
The correspondence went back nearly four years.
Charles had once approached Thomas with an investment opportunity.
Thomas investigated it.
Then refused.
His final email was blunt.
You are moving money between companies to hide losses. Stay away from my family.
Charles had replied with one sentence.
You may regret embarrassing me.
Richard read the emails in silence.
Victoria sat across from him.
Her marriage was collapsing.
She had admitted helping Charles access documents, but she continued insisting she never knew the full extent of his fraud.
Richard no longer knew what to believe.
"You humiliated an elderly woman in front of a hundred people."
Victoria looked down.
"I was angry."
"No."
Richard's voice was quiet.
"You were powerful."
That distinction broke something between them.
Eleanor watched Victoria carefully.
For days, she had hated the woman.
Now she saw something different.
Fear.
Victoria had spent her life believing control could protect her.
Control her husband.
Control her daughter.
Control money.
Control appearances.
But every choice had left her with less.
Richard removed his wedding ring.
"I need you to leave."
Victoria began crying.
Eleanor expected satisfaction.
Instead, she felt tired.
Then Daniel entered with news.
Police had located Charles's car.
Abandoned near the airport.
Inside the trunk, they found the leather briefcase.
It was empty.
But surveillance footage showed Charles hadn't boarded a plane.
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He was still somewhere in the city.
And Daniel suddenly knew where.
