Chapter 9 - WHAT CHLOE LEFT ME
The company was called Fairmont Meridian International.
I had never heard of it.
That was intentional.
Raymond explained that my father had acquired it through a chain of trusts.
“It controls logistics contracts across North America.”
“How much?”
“Approximately $2.1 billion in annual revenue.”
I stared at him.
“And Chloe owned it?”
“Beneficially.”
“Why?”
“Your father wanted her protected.”
I touched the document.
“But she's gone.”
“Yes.”
“And now?”
“You control it.”
I closed my eyes.
For three years, I had thought my daughter was a burden to Brendan's family.
A medical expense.
A complication.
A weakness.
My father had seen something different.
He had seen an innocent child who deserved protection.
I decided to take control of Fairmont Meridian.
The board met two days later.
I walked into the room carrying Chloe's photograph.
The executives expected an older male investor.
Instead, they saw me.
One director stood.
“Mrs. Fairchild.”
I nodded.
“My daughter was your beneficial owner.”
“Yes.”
“She died three weeks ago.”
The room went silent.
“I didn't come here to talk about money.”
I placed the photograph on the table.
“I came here to tell you why I'm taking control.”
Nobody moved.
“My father built this structure because he believed power should protect families.”
I looked around.
“Not destroy them.”
The board unanimously confirmed my authority.
Then came the difficult part.
What to do with the Fairchild Group.
I could destroy it.
I could sell everything.
I could walk away.
Instead, I made a decision.
I would rebuild it.
But first, I would remove everyone who had participated in the corruption.
Victor was arrested.
Ximena became a cooperating witness.
Several executives resigned.
Samantha disappeared from Chicago.
And Brendan?
He remained.
He didn't ask for forgiveness.
Perhaps that was the first decent thing he had done.
Three months passed.
The Fairchild Group stabilized.
Then the lawsuit began.
Victor's lawyers claimed I had engineered a corporate takeover.
They claimed my father had manipulated the ownership structure.
They claimed I had exploited Chloe's death.
I ignored the noise.
Until the court hearing.
Victor sat across from me.
Older.
Angrier.
He smiled.
“You still think you've won?”
I looked at him.
“Yes.”
He laughed.
“Your father left one thing out.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
He leaned forward.
“Chloe's death wasn't the first tragedy.”
I stared.
“What does that mean?”
“My sister died because of your father.”
Raymond looked at me.
Victor continued.
“She discovered what he was doing.”
“What was he doing?”
Victor smiled.
“Ask Raymond.”
I turned.
Raymond's face had changed.
“Is it true?”
He didn't answer.
“Raymond?”
He finally whispered,
“Your father had secrets.”
My heart sank.
“What kind?”
He looked at Victor.
“Not here.”
Victor laughed.
“Oh, she'll find out.”
The judge ordered a recess.
I walked outside.
Raymond followed.
“Tell me.”
He sighed.
“Your father wasn't always the man you remember.”
“What did he do?”
“He made enemies.”
“That isn't an answer.”
“He built his first fortune through a company that later collapsed.”
“So?”
“People died.”
I stared.
“How?”
“An industrial accident.”
My heart sank.
“Was he responsible?”
“No.”
“Then why hide it?”
“Because he believed the truth would destroy you.”
I looked back toward the courthouse.
Victor knew something.
Something bigger.
That night, I returned to my father's house.
I opened every file.
Every box.
Every hidden drawer.
At midnight, I found a false bottom beneath his desk.
Inside was a letter.
My father's handwriting.
Nora,
If you found this, then Victor has told you enough to make you doubt everything.
I kept reading.
Do not trust his version.
Then:
The accident was not caused by me.
My heart raced.
It was caused by Victor.
I stopped.
The letter continued.
Victor had falsified safety reports.
My father had discovered it.
When he threatened to expose Victor, Victor retaliated.
Then came the final line.
The person who ordered the accident was never punished.
I turned the page.
There was a name.
I stared.
It wasn't Victor.
It wasn't Brendan.
It wasn't Samantha.
It was someone I knew.
Someone I had trusted.
Someone who had been helping me since Chloe died.
I whispered the name.
“Raymond.”
The door behind me closed.
I turned.
He stood there.
He looked exhausted.
And guilty.
“Nora.”
I stepped back.
“You knew.”
He closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because your father ordered me not to.”
“You lied to me.”
“I protected you.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You protected the truth.”
He looked at me.
Then said,
“There is one final thing you need to know.”
“What?”
“Your father's death wasn't natural.”
I froze.
“What?”
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Raymond whispered,
“He was murdered.”
