Chapter 3 - The Broken Ledger
The headmistress collapsed into her leather chair, breathing heavily as Adrian towered over her.
"If you lie to me again, I will buy this entire county and have you thrown into a federal prison," Adrian threatened.
"I will ruin your life, your family, and everything you have ever built."
Tears of pure panic welled up in the old woman's cold eyes.
"He is not here anymore," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the storm outside.
Adrian grabbed the collar of her blouse, pulling her slightly out of her chair.
"Where is my son?" he screamed, losing the cold composure he had practiced for ten years.
"He was adopted," the woman cried out, holding her hands up in defense.
"He was taken five years ago by a very wealthy man."
Adrian dropped her back into the chair, his mind spinning violently.
"Show me the records," he demanded, pointing to the massive filing cabinets lining the wall.
The headmistress shook her head frantically.
"There are no official records for him," she confessed, tears streaming down her face.
"The man who brought him here paid us a million dollars to keep him off the books."
"They called him Matthew, but the man told me the boy’s real name was Noah."
Hearing his son’s name spoken aloud by a stranger felt like a physical blow to Adrian's chest.
"Who brought him here?" Marcus demanded, pulling a tactical flashlight from his belt.
The woman pointed a trembling finger toward an old iron safe hidden behind a bookshelf.
"I kept a private ledger of the transaction to protect myself," she admitted.
Marcus immediately stepped over, spun the dial, and pulled out a small black leather notebook.
He flipped through the pages until he found the entry from ten years ago.
Marcus stared at the page for a long moment, his face turning entirely pale.
"Adrian," Marcus said softly, handing the open book to his boss.
May you like
Adrian looked down at the neat handwriting on the yellowed page.
The man who had paid to erase Noah was Julian Caldwell, Adrian’s own younger brother.
