Chapter 11 - What Rebecca Wanted
The recording changed everything.
Not because Rebecca had discussed murder.
She had not.
Her words were conditional and careful.
But they proved motive.
Sophie was not merely a child Rebecca had pretended to love.
She was a path to Elena’s shares.
Under Elena’s estate plan, her twenty-four percent of Asterion would eventually pass into trust for Sophie if Elena died.
Nathan had forgotten how much power that represented because he had never imagined Sophie’s inheritance could become a weapon.
Elena stared at the video.
“Rebecca wanted legal parental status before asking the court to declare me dead.”
Nathan looked up.
“She never filed.”
“She was preparing to.”
Nathan remembered the postnuptial agreement.
“What about my shares?”
“If you died while married, parts of your estate plan benefited Rebecca.”
Nathan felt physically ill.
He had signed revisions eighteen months earlier.
Prepared by Rebecca’s recommended estate attorney.
“I need to call Sophie.”
Elena looked terrified.
“Does she know you found me?”
“No.”
“Don’t tell her over the phone.”
Nathan’s anger returned.
“You’ve had three years to decide how to tell her.”
Elena absorbed that without defending herself.
“You’re right.”
Nathan saw pain cross her face and hated himself for wanting her to hurt.
Then hated her for giving him reasons.
They returned to Colorado separately.
Keene arranged Elena’s travel.
Nathan reached home first.
Sophie ran toward him.
“Did you find the place?”
Nathan knelt.
“Yes.”
“Did you find Mom?”
His silence answered.
Sophie stopped moving.
“She’s alive?”
Nathan nodded.
Sophie’s mouth opened.
No sound came.
Then she screamed.
Not with joy.
With grief.
“You knew and you left her there?”
“She’s coming.”
“When?”
“Tonight.”
Sophie hit his chest with both hands.
“You should’ve brought her!”
Nathan held her while she cried.
At 8:17 p.m., headlights appeared outside.
Elena entered through the front door.
Sophie stood halfway down the staircase.
Mother and daughter stared at each other.
Elena whispered, “Hi, starlight.”
Sophie began shaking.
That had been Elena’s nickname for her.
Elena opened her arms.
Sophie did not move.
“Why didn’t you come home?”
Elena’s face collapsed.
“I was scared.”
“I was four.”
“I know.”
“I needed you.”
“I know.”
“Rebecca said you didn’t love me.”
Elena cried openly.
“She lied.”
“You let her.”
Nathan looked away.
Elena nodded.
“Yes.”
Sophie ran upstairs.
Elena did not follow.
Nathan stopped her when she tried.
“Give her time.”
“I’ve already given her three years.”
“That wasn’t time. That was absence.”
Elena stared at him.
“And what did you give her, Nathan?”
The question landed hard.
“You married the woman I warned you about.”
“You disappeared.”
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
“And I was trying to raise our daughter.”
“By letting Rebecca tell her I abandoned her?”
“I believed Rebecca!”
“That does not make it better.”
“No.”
Nathan’s voice rose.
“It makes me guilty too.”
Silence.
For the first time, Elena softened.
Before either could speak again, Keene called.
Federal agents had finally moved.
Search warrants were being prepared for Northlight offices and Hart Ridge servers.
But Gavin had vanished.
His phone was off.
His home was empty.
Rebecca was still in Denver.
Elena whispered, “He knows.”
Nathan asked, “Knows what?”
“That I came back.”
The lights went out.
Daniel’s voice came through Nathan’s phone.
“Backup power should activate.”
It did not.
Nathan looked toward the staircase.
“Sophie!”
They ran upstairs.
Her bedroom was empty.
The window was open.
May you like
On the floor lay one half of Sophie’s silver star necklace.
And outside, fresh tire tracks cut through the snow.
