Chapter 13 - Marcus
Grace asked Marcus to wait with Miles outside.
The moment the door closed, she began speaking before I could ask.
"Caleb and I separated for three months before Marcus was conceived. We were both angry. I made one mistake."
"Who?"
"Martin Vale."
My former CFO.
"He was married," Grace said. "So was I, technically. I ended it almost immediately. When I found out I was pregnant, Caleb knew the dates didn't line up."
"And he stayed?"
"He loved Marcus before Marcus was born. He put his name on the birth certificate. He never treated him differently."
"Did Martin know?"
"I told him once. He said if I ever came near him again, he'd destroy Caleb's business and make sure I lost the baby in court."
"Did Caleb's investigation start because of you?"
"Partly. He discovered Martin was moving against his shares. Then he realized Martin was connected to Leonard. He thought Martin was trying to make him poor enough to pressure me."
"And Vanessa knows this?"
"Apparently."
"Why would she care who Marcus's biological father is?"
"Because Martin never had another child."
If Martin had hidden money, trusts, or controlling interests, Marcus could complicate everything.
Priya.
"Adrienne, we found a dormant trust attached to one of Sterling Meridian's shell companies. Beneficiary language is weird. It says 'lawful issue of Martin Vale.'"
"How much?"
"At current value? Around eighty-six million."
"And there's more," Priya said. "Someone filed an amendment last month trying to redefine the beneficiary as a specific adult woman."
"Name?"
"Vanessa Sterling."
Vanessa wasn't just protecting her father's old fraud.
She was positioning herself to inherit money that might legally belong to Marcus.
And if Marcus's paternity became public before the amendment took effect, her claim could collapse.
Grace whispered, "She didn't throw that soup because of twelve percent of your company."
"No," I said.
May you like
I looked at the door where Marcus was waiting.
"She threw it because my mother found the trust."
