Chapter 5 - Adrian’s Name
Naomi found Adrian on the aft deck.
The storm had moved offshore.
Gray dawn spread over the marina.
She held Gabriel’s black logbook against her chest.
“Your name is in it.”
Adrian did not pretend not to understand.
“I know.”
“You knew Dad was investigating you?”
“Yes.”
Naomi’s anger rose.
“Then explain before I decide you’re worse than Bianca.”
Adrian leaned against the railing.
“Six years ago, when I resigned from Mercer Maritime, I took two million dollars.”
Naomi stared.
“What?”
“Company money.”
“You stole from Dad?”
“No.”
“That sounds exactly like stealing.”
“It was unauthorized.”
“That is stealing.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
“Your father was preparing the Atlantic acquisition. I believed it would bankrupt the company. I moved two million into a protected reserve account so payroll could continue if the lenders pulled out.”
“You took company money behind his back.”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“The acquisition collapsed.”
“And?”
“Gabriel discovered the reserve.”
“He thought you stole it.”
“He did.”
“Did you return it?”
“Every dollar.”
Naomi opened the log.
Beside Adrian’s name:
2018 — unauthorized reserve transfer. Repaid. Motive disputed. Trust damaged.
“You two really did fight.”
“Yes.”
“Then why trust you later?”
Adrian smiled sadly.
“Because when he found twenty-two million disappearing, he knew I was the one person who had already risked losing him to protect the company.”
Naomi did not know whether to admire or condemn that.
Probably both.
“Why are you named trust protector?”
“Because Gabriel did not want Bianca, Damian, the board, or even you to be able to move control alone.”
Naomi stiffened.
“Even me?”
“He loved you.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“He didn’t fully trust your experience.”
The answer hurt.
Naomi looked down.
Adrian continued.
“He planned to give you control. He also built brakes into the trust.”
“So I inherit fifty-one percent but can’t do everything I want.”
“Correct.”
“Good.”
Adrian looked surprised.
Naomi shrugged.
“Maybe Dad was right about that.”
It was the first time she consciously rejected the idea that ownership should mean unchecked authority.
Bianca would never understand.
Adrian pointed toward the log.
“Keep reading.”
The entries documented Gabriel’s suspicions.
Damian Cross controlled fake vendor payments.
Bianca received money through Bellrose Consulting LLC.
Adrian had been asked to investigate offshore wires.
Captain Lucas tracked meetings aboard the Asteria.
Then one name appeared repeatedly as initials.
R.V.
No full name.
Naomi frowned.
“Who is R.V.?”
“I don’t know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“Yes.”
“Dad wrote that R.V. approved the Cayman structure.”
Adrian nodded.
“He never told me the name.”
“Why?”
“He thought I knew the person.”
Naomi looked up.
That was worse.
Someone connected closely enough to Adrian that Gabriel feared accidental disclosure.
Bianca appeared through the deck door.
“Naomi, your lawyer has arrived.”
“My lawyer?”
“Maya Sanders.”
Naomi hurried inside.
Maya had represented Naomi personally for four years and had handled several of Gabriel’s gifts and real-estate transactions.
She entered the salon carrying a leather briefcase.
“Do not sign anything.”
Naomi laughed.
“That has become the family motto.”
Maya reviewed the amendment.
Her expression sharpened.
“This looks properly executed.”
Bianca’s lawyer disagreed.
He identified himself as Preston Vale.
According to him, a later revocation existed.
Naomi froze.
“What revocation?”
Preston produced a copy.
Three months before Gabriel died, he allegedly signed a document canceling the amendment and restoring Bianca as primary controller of the maritime trust.
Naomi stared at the signature.
It looked real.
Adrian swore.
Maya read the witness lines.
Two names.
Damian Cross.
And a Florida notary.
Naomi looked at Bianca.
“You had a later document?”
Bianca folded her arms.
“Your father changed his mind.”
“Then why were you trying to make me sign a transfer?”
Bianca did not answer.
Maya caught it immediately.
“If the revocation is valid, you would not need Naomi’s voluntary transfer.”
Preston Vale shifted.
Bianca’s face hardened.
Maya continued.
“So either this revocation is not enforceable, or Mrs. Mercer does not trust it.”
Naomi looked at the copy.
“Where is the original?”
Preston said, “In secure custody.”
“With whom?”
“Mr. Cross.”
Damian.
Naomi laughed bitterly.
“The CFO Dad accused of stealing twenty-two million.”
Preston’s eyes narrowed.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Naomi opened the logbook.
“I do.”
Bianca stood abruptly.
“You have no authority to accuse executives based on Gabriel’s private notes.”
Maya said, “She has enough authority to preserve evidence.”
She began issuing litigation-hold notices from her phone.
Mercer Maritime.
Damian.
Bianca.
Preston’s firm.
Trust administrators.
Company IT.
“Do not delete documents, messages, accounting records or communications relating to Gabriel Mercer’s estate, the Mercer Family Trust, Bellrose Consulting, or offshore vendors.”
Bianca laughed.
“You’re going to burn the company down.”
Naomi answered:
“No.”
She closed Gabriel’s log.
“I’m going to find out who already tried.”
Her phone rang.
Mercer Maritime’s board secretary.
Naomi answered.
“Ms. Mercer, I’m sorry to call like this.”
“What happened?”
“Damian Cross called an emergency board meeting for ten o’clock.”
“About what?”
Silence.
Then:
“Removing you from the board.”
Naomi stared at Bianca.
May you like
Bianca smiled.
The fight had just left the yacht.
