Chapter 5 - THERESA'S CONFESSION
Theresa stood at the bottom of the stairs.
She wasn't alone.
Two men stood behind her.
Neither wore a uniform.
Neither looked like security.
One carried a gun.
My heart pounded.
“Theresa?”
She looked at me.
“Give me the ledger.”
“No.”
“Please, Elena.”
It was the first time I'd ever heard her say that word.
Daniel stepped forward.
“You're trespassing.”
One of the men raised the gun.
Daniel stopped.
Theresa looked at Amelia.
For a moment, neither woman moved.
Then Theresa whispered,
“Amelia.”
Amelia's eyes filled with tears.
“Why?”
Theresa looked away.
“I thought you were dead.”
“You wanted me dead.”
“No.”
“You told him where I was.”
“I didn't know they would kill you.”
My stomach turned.
“Who?”
Theresa looked at me.
“The people behind Crown Harbor.”
“Who are they?”
She shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“Then why were you helping them?”
“I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“My husband.”
Silence.
Theresa's voice broke.
“He wasn't the man you think he was.”
I laughed bitterly.
“That's convenient.”
“He built Crown Harbor.”
“And you helped.”
“Yes.”
She finally admitted it.
“I helped.”
Daniel said,
“Why?”
“Because I had no choice.”
“There is always a choice.”
“Not when your children are involved.”
I looked at her.
“Mark?”
She nodded.
“They threatened him.”
“When?”
“Three years ago.”
“What did they want?”
“Access to Crown Harbor.”
“And Mark gave it to them?”
“He tried.”
“But the company belonged to Amelia.”
“Yes.”
“So they needed you.”
Theresa nodded.
“I signed documents.”
“Forged documents?”
“Yes.”
My stomach tightened.
“You forged my signature.”
She looked at me.
“Yes.”
The admission hit harder than I expected.
“You stole my restaurant.”
“No.”
“You tried.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because they told me if I didn't, Mark would die.”
Silence.
I stared at her.
“And Chloe?”
Theresa closed her eyes.
“She was sent to Mark.”
“What?”
“Her father had trained her for years.”
“To get close to him?”
“Yes.”
“And she did.”
“She needed information.”
“And Mark fell in love with her?”
Theresa shook her head.
“No.”
That surprised me.
“He never loved Chloe.”
“Then why?”
“Because Chloe threatened him.”
“With what?”
“The evidence.”
Daniel looked at me.
“She had proof of the money.”
Theresa nodded.
“She forced him to cooperate.”
“So Mark wasn't controlling Chloe.”
“No.”
“He was afraid of her.”
“Yes.”
I thought about the photographs.
The secret accounts.
The ledger.
Everything suddenly made more sense.
But one question remained.
“Why did you tell everyone Mark owned Aura?”
Theresa looked at me.
“Because I needed them to believe it.”
“Who?”
“The people watching us.”
“Why?”
“To make them think the transfer was complete.”
Daniel frowned.
“Then what was the real plan?”
Theresa looked at Amelia.
“To move the ownership back to her.”
I stared.
“You were trying to protect her?”
Theresa began crying.
“I was trying to fix what I had done.”
“Too late.”
“I know.”
The man behind her stepped forward.
“Enough.”
He pointed the gun at me.
“Give us the ledger.”
I held it tighter.
“No.”
He raised the weapon.
Then a loud crash came from upstairs.
Everyone froze.
Footsteps.
More than one person.
The gunman turned.
A voice shouted:
“DROP THE WEAPON!”
Gunfire exploded.
Theresa screamed.
I ducked.
Daniel pulled me behind a concrete pillar.
Amelia disappeared into the shadows.
The two armed men returned fire.
Then silence.
One gunman fell.
The other ran.
A man in a dark suit appeared at the top of the stairs.
He lowered his weapon.
“Everyone okay?”
I stared at him.
I recognized him.
Mark's attorney.
But he wasn't supposed to be here.
He looked at me.
“Elena.”
“Who are you working for?”
He hesitated.
Then said,
“Your husband.”
My heart sank.
“Mark sent you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
May you like
He looked at the ledger.
“To keep you alive.”
