Chapter 8: The Woman Behind the Second Name
Nora stared at Celia.
“You have a sister?”
“Laura Ward.
Vivian hired her in accounting eight years ago.”
Vivian pushed back her chair.
“This has nothing to do with me.”
Celia blocked her path.
“Laura disappeared after Daniel found the pension transfers.”
Adrian snapped his case shut.
“Do not say another word.”
“Why?” Grace asked.
“Because you know where Laura is?”
“She resigned.”
Celia shook her head.
“She called me last night.”
Every face turned toward her.
“She’s been living in Montreal under another name.
Vivian paid her to open accounts and approve transfers.
When Laura tried to leave, Adrian threatened to blame everything on her.”
Vivian pointed toward the investigators.
“This woman has admitted withholding evidence.”
“And now she’s handing it over,” Nora said.
Celia placed her phone on the table and started a video call.
A tired-looking woman appeared on-screen.
“Celia?”
“I’m here.
So are they.”
Laura swallowed.
“Vivian, you told me Daniel’s widow would never learn about the accounts.”
Vivian leaned toward the phone.
“You stole from this company, Laura.”
“You gave me Nora Ward’s old identification file.
Adrian created the signatures.”
Adrian seized the phone.
Martin caught his wrist.
“Put it down.”
“Release me.”
The investigator took the phone from him.
Laura continued speaking.
“I mailed the original share certificate yesterday.
Daniel told me where Vivian hid it.”
Grace stepped closer to the screen.
“Where did you send it?”
“To the hotel.”
Vivian laughed once.
“Nothing arrived.”
“It did,” Eli said.
He reached beneath the boardroom table and pulled out the velvet bracelet box.
Vivian stopped laughing.
“The box was empty last night,” Adrian said.
“Because the bracelet was supposed to be in Nora’s apron,” Eli replied.
“But I wondered why the lining felt thick.”
He opened the false bottom.
A folded certificate lay beneath it, bearing Henry Mercer’s seal.
Grace examined the signatures.
“This is the original.”
Samuel Price removed his glasses.
“Nora Mercer controls fifty-two percent of the Ashford Grand.”
Vivian moved toward the door.
The investigator closed it.
“You are not leaving yet.”
Vivian faced Nora.
“I can still fix this.
Give me the certificate, and I will restore the pension fund before anyone knows.”
“With what money?”
“I have properties.
Investments.”
“Things bought with money taken from the people who worked here?”
Vivian lowered her voice.
“Think carefully.
Ownership brings debt, lawsuits, and public shame.
You’re a waitress.
You cannot run this hotel.”
Nora looked down at her stained shoes.
“I know which housekeeper works two jobs because her pension stopped growing.
I know which cook sends half his pay to his widowed sister.
I know Eli’s father depends on every check.”
She looked up.
“You know their account numbers.
I know their names.”
Adrian moved suddenly toward the document.
Grace pulled it back, and Martin stood between them.
“Don’t,” Martin said.
Adrian struck the water pitcher with his case.
It shattered against the table, but the investigator caught his arm before he reached the certificate.
Vivian opened her handbag and pulled out her phone.
“Delete the Ashford archive,” she said into it.
“Everything.”
Eli held up the tablet.
“Too late.
The archive copied to three external servers when you stole this last night.”
The lead investigator spoke quietly to his partner.
“Secure both phones.
Neither of them leaves.”
Adrian’s shoulders dropped.
Vivian pointed at Nora.
“Daniel chose you because you were useful.
Don’t mistake that for love.”
Nora flinched, but Sophie came to stand beside her.
“My father chose my mother because she stayed kind when people like you called kindness weakness.”
The boardroom door opened.
Laura Ward stepped inside beside a federal financial investigator.
Celia covered her mouth.
Laura crossed the room and placed a sealed drive on the table.
“Every transfer,” she said.
“Every instruction.
Every payment Adrian made to keep me quiet.”
Vivian backed into her chair.
Samuel Price stood.
“Mrs.
Cross, the board removes you as chairwoman, effective immediately.”
Nora picked up the original certificate.
“And as controlling owner, I revoke your access to this hotel and every Ashford account.”
The investigator held out his hand to Vivian.
“Your phone.”
Vivian surrendered it, but her eyes stayed on Nora.
“You will destroy this hotel within a year.”
May you like
Nora opened the boardroom door for her.
“Then you’ll have plenty of time to watch me prove you wrong.”
