Chapter 15 - The Night Before the Crash
On the audio, Diane admitted paying Sloan to damage the brakes. Victor promised the crash would look mechanical. Robert threatened to call police.
Then Diane reminded him of the money he had already stolen.
"If Andrew lives, you go to prison too," she said.
Robert's answer came after a long pause.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Nothing," Diane said. "That's the point."
And Robert did nothing.
Michael listened once.
Only once.
"My father wasn't a murderer," he said.
"No," I replied. "He was a coward."
Michael nodded. It hurt, but the truth fit better than the lie.
Diane was brought to a secure interview room. This time Michael went in without me. I watched through glass with Martinez.
He put a speaker on the table and played the recording.
Diane's face didn't move until Andrew's voice said, I'm telling Robert the baby is mine.
Then her eyes closed.
Michael stopped the audio.
"You killed my father."
Diane opened her eyes. "Andrew would have destroyed us."
"There was no us. There was you."
"I gave you a life."
"You stole my father, my name, my inheritance, and almost my daughter."
For the first time, Diane shouted.
"I raised you!"
Michael leaned forward. "And you taught me exactly what I never want to become."
Diane's expression changed.
Not grief.
Hatred.
"You think this ends with me?" she said. "Victor built protections into the company years ago."
"What protections?"
"A poison pill. If Andrew's line claims control, Victor's shell companies can trigger debt covenants and force a sale."
Michael stared at her.
"When?"
Diane smiled.
"On your thirty-fifth birthday."
Michael's birthday was the next morning.
May you like
At midnight, Andrew's trust would become his.
At 12:01, Victor planned to bankrupt it.
