Chapter 7: The Secret Daniel's Mother Took to Her Grave
Daniel read the final sentence again.
"If Edward discovers who you really are, he will do everything in his power to stop you.""
His fingers tightened around the letter.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Arthur sat motionless, staring at the young receptionist as though he were seeing him for the first time.
James finally broke the silence.
“Eleanor, what exactly does this mean?””
The solicitor closed her briefcase.
“It means Margaret didn't appoint Daniel by coincidence. She knew his family long before Daniel ever walked into this hotel.””
Daniel looked up.
“My mother knew your wife?””
Eleanor nodded.
“Very well.””
“How?””
Eleanor pulled out a photograph.
It showed two women standing outside a small community hospital. One was Margaret Whitmore, younger and smiling. The other was a woman Daniel recognized immediately.
His mother.
But there was something else.
Standing between them was a little boy wearing a blue sweater.
Daniel stared at the photograph.
“That's me.””
“Yes,” Eleanor replied.
Daniel took the photograph with both hands.
“When was this taken?””
“Twenty-six years ago.””
He shook his head.
“I don't understand.””
Eleanor took a breath.
“Your mother, Sarah Carter, was a nurse at St. Mary's Hospital. Margaret was admitted there after suffering a serious medical emergency. She had been experiencing complications from a condition that required immediate treatment.””
Arthur leaned forward.
“I remember the hospital. Margaret told me a nurse had stayed with her through the night.””
“That nurse was Sarah.””
Daniel looked at the photograph again.
Eleanor continued.
“Your mother didn't just care for Margaret during her recovery. She became her closest friend. She visited her even after Margaret was discharged. They exchanged letters for years.””
Arthur lowered his eyes.
“Margaret never told me how close they became.””
“She was private about many things,” Eleanor said.
“Especially the things that mattered most to her.””
Daniel swallowed.
“Why would she choose me to protect the foundation?””
Eleanor opened the original will.
“Because she believed you would understand what the foundation was meant to do.””
She pointed to a paragraph.
“Margaret wrote that Sarah had taught her something she never forgot: a person's dignity should never depend on their financial circumstances.””
Arthur looked toward Daniel.
“That sounds like something your mother would say.””
Daniel nodded slowly.
Eleanor continued.
“After Sarah died, Margaret contacted me. She asked whether you were still working and whether you had remained in the city. She wanted to ensure that you had the opportunity to build a stable future.””
Daniel looked confused.
“Wait. Did she know about my financial situation?””
“She knew your mother had left behind medical bills. She also knew you were helping your younger sister through college.””
Daniel's eyes filled.
He hadn't told anyone at the hotel about his mother's debts or Emily's tuition.
He looked down at the letter.
There was another paragraph near the bottom.
He read it silently.
Then he stopped.
“Ms. Price, what does this mean?””
Eleanor leaned closer.
Daniel pointed to a sentence.
It stated that the trust would remain under independent protection until Daniel reached the age of twenty-six.
Arthur frowned.
“Twenty-six?””
Daniel looked up.
“I'm twenty-six.””
Eleanor nodded.
“Your birthday was three weeks ago. The final condition has now been fulfilled.””
James slowly sat back.
“Then the appointment becomes effective immediately?””
“Yes. Subject to the formal verification process.””
Arthur stared at the document.
“My wife arranged all of this before she died?””
“She did.””
“And Edward knew?””
Eleanor hesitated.
“I believe he suspected something. That's why he became increasingly interested in obtaining the original will.””
Arthur stood.
“Where is the original?””
Eleanor looked toward the briefcase.
“Here.””
She removed a thick sealed document.
“The copy Edward used to submit the transfer request was not authentic. Someone altered the beneficiary and trustee provisions.””
James immediately examined the pages.
“Then the transfer authorization is invalid.””
“Correct,” Eleanor replied.
“The foundation's assets were never legally available to Edward.””
Daniel felt dizzy.
He had entered the Grand Sterling that morning thinking his biggest problem was finding another job.
Now someone was telling him that his late mother's closest friend had appointed him guardian of a multimillion-dollar charitable foundation.
“Why me?”” he whispered.
Arthur placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Because Margaret saw something in you.””
Daniel shook his head.
“I barely knew her.””
“Perhaps,” Arthur said.
“But she knew your mother. And she knew the kind of person your mother was raising.””
An hour later, the group moved to the executive conference room.
James had contacted the company's legal department, and Linda was preparing the documents needed to freeze the suspicious accounts.
But before the meeting could begin, Eleanor received a phone call.
She listened for nearly a minute.
Then her expression changed.
“What do you mean the documents were accessed?””
She stood.
“Who signed the visitor log?””
Another pause.
“Send me a photograph immediately.””
She ended the call.
Arthur looked at her.
“What happened?””
Eleanor placed her phone on the table.
“Someone entered my law office last night.””
James frowned.
“Was anything stolen?””
“The original estate records were disturbed. Several folders were removed from the locked archive.””
“Which folders?””
Eleanor looked at Daniel.
“Sarah Carter's employment records. And Margaret's private correspondence.””
Daniel felt his stomach tighten.
“Why would anyone want my mother's records?””
Eleanor didn't answer.
Instead, she opened a photograph sent by her assistant.
It showed the visitor log from the building's security desk.
A name had been entered at 8:42 p.m.
EDWARD WHITMORE.
Arthur closed his eyes.
His son hadn't simply stolen company money.
He had been searching for something connected to Daniel's mother.
Something Margaret had deliberately hidden.
Arthur turned toward James.
“Find Edward.””
James nodded.
But before he could make a call, Daniel's phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
A message appeared.
*Your mother lied to you about how she died. If you want the truth, come to the old St. Mary's Hospital tonight. Come alone.*
Daniel stared at the screen.
His face went pale.
Arthur noticed immediately.
“What is it?””
Daniel slowly turned the phone around.
And when Arthur read the message, he realized that the battle over the hotel was only the beginning.
May you like
Someone had been hiding a secret for twenty-six years.
And that secret involved both their families.
