Chapter 6 - THE NIGHT THEY CAME FOR ME
The fire destroyed half of Ethan’s study.
Fortunately, Vivian had kept the original financial records in a safe elsewhere.
Unfortunately, whoever started the fire had not known that.
Which meant they might try again.
By sunrise, private security surrounded the estate.
Jason was furious.
He stormed into the breakfast room demanding answers.
“What is this? Why can’t I leave?”
Vivian calmly buttered toast.
“Someone attempted to burn my house.”
“You think I did it?”
“I think anyone offended by being searched should be searched twice.”
Jason’s eyes found mine.
For one second, his polished mask slipped.
He knew the warning had reached us.
But he still did not know Ethan was awake.
That remained our greatest advantage.
The board meeting had been postponed after Dr. Warren refused to sign the incapacity declaration.
Jason pretended not to care.
He cared.
I could see it.
Around noon, my phone rang.
Dad.
I almost ignored it.
Then I answered.
“Claire, I need to see you.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“I’m finished cleaning up your mistakes.”
“Jason knows Ethan may be improving.”
My blood chilled.
“How?”
“I don’t know.”
“You told him?”
“No.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“Because he just threatened to kill me.”
Silence.
“Where are you?”
“At home.”
I looked toward Ethan.
He was doing assisted exercises with Dr. Warren.
I told him everything.
“No,” Ethan said immediately.
“He’s my father.”
“He sold you to Jason.”
“He’s still my father.”
“And that makes you easier to manipulate.”
His words stung.
“So what am I supposed to do? Let him die?”
“No. You let Charles bring him here.”
My father refused.
He claimed Jason had people watching the house and would retaliate if he left with security.
Against everyone’s advice, I agreed to meet him at a coffee shop in Yonkers.
Charles drove.
Two security vehicles followed.
My father was already inside.
He looked terrified.
“Sit.”
I remained standing.
“Talk.”
He slid a flash drive across the table.
“What’s this?”
“Insurance.”
“Against Jason?”
“Yes.”
“How long have you had it?”
“Three weeks.”
Anger surged through me.
“You had evidence and still forced me into this marriage?”
“I didn’t know what was on it until yesterday.”
“What is it?”
“Recordings.”
“Of what?”
“Jason.”
My father lowered his voice.
“He used my office for meetings because he thought nobody would suspect anything. I had security cameras with audio.”
“Why would he discuss crimes inside your office?”
“He didn’t know the cameras recorded sound.”
I picked up the drive.
“Does this prove he caused Ethan’s accident?”
“I think so.”
The lights in the coffee shop suddenly went out.
Every instinct screamed.
Charles stood.
“Mrs. Thornton, behind me.”
The front window shattered.
People screamed.
Not gunfire.
A black SUV had smashed into a parked car outside, blocking the entrance while two masked men came through the rear.
Charles moved fast.
He pushed me behind the counter.
“Stay down.”
Everything happened in seconds.
Tables overturned.
Customers ran.
One man grabbed my father.
The other came toward me.
Charles intercepted him.
I crawled toward the kitchen exit.
Then somebody seized my hair from behind.
I screamed.
A hand covered my mouth.
“Move.”
They dragged me through the back door.
I kicked, twisted, clawed.
A van waited in the alley.
My father shouted my name.
Then the door slammed.
A hood went over my head.
When it finally came off, I was inside an empty warehouse.
Jason stood ten feet away.
No smile this time.
No charm.
Only anger.
“You’ve become inconvenient.”
My wrists were secured to the chair.
“If you wanted another marriage proposal, this is excessive.”
He stared at me.
“You think Ethan is awake.”
Not a question.
I said nothing.
Jason crouched in front of me.
“Here’s what’s going to happen. You will call Vivian. You will tell her you found documents proving Ethan wanted Jason to manage the company if he became incapacitated.”
“And then?”
“You sign the guardianship petition.”
“No.”
His expression turned almost regretful.
“Claire, people imagine cruelty requires anger. It doesn’t.”
My fear sharpened.
“Your father already taught you that.”
I hated him for being right.
Jason stood.
“Daniel had one job. Deliver you. Keep you obedient.”
“So he was working for you.”
“He was afraid of prison.”
“And my mother?”
Jason paused.
“What about her?”
“My father’s fraud started before she died.”
A strange smile appeared.
“You really don’t know.”
My stomach dropped.
“Know what?”
“Your mother was the reason Ethan discovered the missing money.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
“She contacted Thornton Global anonymously.”
The room spun.
“Ethan knew?”
“Eventually.”
Jason walked closer.
“Your mother planned to expose Daniel. She kept copies of his financial records.”
“My mother died from an aneurysm.”
“So everyone said.”
My blood went cold.
“What are you implying?”
Jason smiled.
Before he could answer, his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
And went completely still.
“What?”
The person on the other end spoke.
Jason’s face changed.
“No.”
Another pause.
“That’s impossible.”
He turned toward me.
For the first time, I saw genuine panic.
He ended the call.
“What happened?” I asked.
Jason crossed the room and turned on a television mounted on the wall.
A financial news channel appeared.
Reporters stood outside Thornton Global headquarters.
A headline filled the screen.
BREAKING: ETHAN THORNTON SEEN ALIVE AND CONSCIOUS.
Then footage played.
Ethan.
Sitting upright in his wheelchair outside the estate.
Eyes open.
Speaking directly to cameras.
“My recovery is ongoing,” he said. “But reports of my permanent incapacity are inaccurate.”
Jason stared.
Ethan continued.
“I also intend to resume limited control of Thornton Global immediately.”
I almost laughed.
Jason hurled the remote across the room.
“You knew.”
I met his eyes.
“Yes.”
His face twisted.
“You lied to me.”
“Apparently I learned from family.”
He stepped toward me.
Then the warehouse doors exploded inward.
Police vehicles flooded the entrance.
Charles came through first with officers behind him.
Jason spun toward another exit.
He made it three steps.
Then stopped.
Ethan Thornton sat beyond the doorway in his wheelchair.
Dr. Warren stood behind him.
Two federal investigators stood beside him.
Jason stared at his cousin.
Ethan’s voice was calm.
“Hello, Jason.”
Jason looked as though he had seen a ghost.
“You should be unconscious.”
Ethan’s eyes turned cold.
“That was your first mistake.”
Police moved forward.
Jason lifted his hands slowly.
Then smiled.
“No.”
Everyone froze.
“You still don’t understand.”
He looked directly at me.
“Ask Claire’s father what happened the night her mother died.”
My chest tightened.
My father had arrived behind Charles.
His face collapsed.
“Dad?”
He could not look at me.
Jason laughed softly as officers took him.
“You think this ends with me?”
He nodded toward my father.
“Tell her, Daniel.”
My father began to cry.
“Claire…”
I stood perfectly still.
“What happened to Mom?”
May you like
His answer destroyed the relief of being rescued.
“She wasn’t supposed to die.”
