Chapter 10 - WHAT GRANT KNEW
Grant finally told me the truth.
Not all of it.
But enough.
After Adrian died, Grant spent four years quietly tracing the offshore security accounts.
He believed Julian was laundering money.
Then he found something worse.
"The money wasn't leaving the company," he said. "It was building something."
"What?"
"A private network. Security teams, surveillance, political favors. People loyal to one person inside Vale Industries."
"Julian?"
Grant shook his head.
"I thought so. Until six months ago."
He opened an encrypted file.
The payments ultimately flowed to a trust called North Crown.
Trust protector: Margaret Wren.
I knew the name.
My father's older sister.
Aunt Margaret.
She had not attended my birthday.
She lived in London and had spent twenty years avoiding family events.
"Why would she control a security network?"
Grant looked at me.
"Because your father didn't build Vale Industries alone."
Margaret had funded the company's first expansion.
When my father became chairman, she was pushed off the board after a bitter family fight.
Officially, she sold her shares.
Unofficially, Adrian believed she kept influence through shell trusts.
Mara searched travel records.
Margaret Wren had entered the United States four days before my party.
Private terminal.
No public appearance.
Her current location was unknown.
I called Julian.
For the first time all night, he answered.
"Ethan."
"Where are you?"
"Somewhere you won't shoot me before I explain."
"Noah saw you with Owen."
Silence.
Then Julian said, "I was trying to stop him."
"You told him not until I arrived."
"Because if he moved early, Noah would be standing there alone."
My anger paused.
"What?"
"I knew an attack was coming. I didn't know how."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because the person behind it controls half your security network."
I looked at Grant.
Julian continued.
"And because your mother begged me to keep Margaret away from you until we knew what she wanted."
Celeste went pale.
I stared at her.
May you like
"You knew Aunt Margaret was here?"
Before she could answer, every light in Vale House went out.
