Chapter 13 - Bernard's Choice
Antoine moved between Bernard and Amina.
"Put it down."
Bernard stared at his son. "You still think this is about money?"
"It became about people when you stole their pensions."
"I kept the company alive."
Amina laughed once. "By stealing from the people who worked for you?"
Bernard's eyes shifted to her.
"Your mother said the same thing."
The room went silent.
Amina took one step forward.
"What happened to her?"
Bernard looked older than he had twelve hours earlier.
"She was going to destroy everything we built."
"That isn't an answer."
"I sent Ferrand to get the documents back."
"And?"
"He followed her. He says she lost control on the road."
"You paid him forty thousand."
Bernard's mouth tightened.
"To recover the trust papers after the crash."
Amina wanted to believe the distinction mattered.
It didn't.
He had chased her mother through a storm to steal proof.
Whether he ordered the crash or simply created it, Mariam had died running from him.
Police sirens sounded outside.
Jules smiled faintly.
"No signal for us," he said. "The investigator at the gate had plenty."
Bernard's shoulders dropped.
Then Charlotte suddenly grabbed the green book from the dresser.
Antoine shouted her name.
She ran toward the balcony.
Amina chased her.
Charlotte reached the railing with the book in both hands.
"Stop!"
Charlotte looked down at the dark garden.
"You don't understand. If this survives, my father goes to prison too."
"He helped build it."
"He's sick."
"And the employees whose retirements were stolen?"
Charlotte's hands shook.
Behind them, Bernard yelled, "Throw it!"
Charlotte looked at him.
Then at Antoine.
Then at Amina.
For the first time that night, she made a choice nobody had ordered her to make.
May you like
She stepped away from the railing.
And handed Amina the book.
