Chapter 7: The Plan They Made for My Daughter
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
I looked down at Grace, sleeping peacefully against my chest, then back at my father.
"What do you mean she's the reason?""
My father didn't answer immediately.
He took Catherine's tablet and read the message again.
"If Danielle refuses to cooperate, proceed with the original arrangement involving the child.""
His jaw tightened.
"Who wrote this?""
Catherine shook her head.
"We're trying to identify the account that accessed the archive.""
"Then find out.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Sir, our cybersecurity team is already tracing the access. The file was opened using an administrative credential.""
"Whose?""
"Marcus Reed's.""
My father looked toward the door.
"Where is Marcus now?""
Catherine hesitated.
"He left the building approximately fifteen minutes ago.""
"Did anyone authorize that?""
"No.""
Daniel immediately reached for his phone.
"I'll have security locate him.""
I barely heard the conversation.
My mind was trapped on one sentence.
The original arrangement involving the child.
I looked at Ethan.
"What arrangement?""
He wouldn't meet my eyes.
"Ethan.""
He rubbed his forehead.
"Danielle, I didn't know they would actually go through with it.""
My father stepped toward him.
"Go through with what?""
Ethan swallowed.
"Victor wanted custody of Grace.""
I felt the room disappear around me.
"What?""
"He believed she could be used to pressure your father.""
I stared at him.
"She's a newborn.""
"I know.""
"She's not a business negotiation!""
"I know, Danielle!""
His voice cracked.
I tightened my arms around Grace.
My father stepped between us.
"Lower your voice.""
Ethan immediately looked down.
I could feel tears running down my cheeks.
"Why would Victor want my daughter?""
Ethan took a shaky breath.
"Because of the inheritance.""
My father frowned.
"What inheritance?""
Ethan opened his briefcase and removed another document.
It was a copy of an old estate agreement.
My name appeared near the top.
So did Grace's.
I stared at the page.
"What is this?""
My father took it.
His expression changed as he read.
"Where did you get this?""
"From Victor's attorney.""
"Why does he have a copy of my estate documents?""
Ethan shook his head.
"Because Victor believes Grace is the beneficiary of a trust connected to Brooks International.""
I looked at my father.
He slowly sat down.
"That's impossible.""
"Why?"" I asked.
My father rubbed his temples.
"Because the trust was established before you were born. It was designed to protect future generations of the family, but it doesn't give anyone outside the family control over the assets.""
Ethan pointed to the document.
"Victor believes there's a provision that allows the legal guardian of the youngest beneficiary to influence certain voting rights.""
My father studied the page.
"That provision was removed.""
Ethan shook his head.
"Not from the version Victor has.""
I felt sick.
"So he thinks he can get control of the company through Grace?""
"Not exactly," my father said.
He looked at me.
"The trust contains a succession clause. It protects the family's long-term interests if something happens to the current controlling shareholder.""
I swallowed.
"Meaning you?""
He nodded.
"Under certain circumstances, the voting rights could eventually pass to the next generation.""
I looked down at Grace.
"To me?""
"Yes. And eventually, to her.""
Ethan continued.
"Victor discovered that if he could establish himself as a trusted family representative, he might influence the trust's administration.""
My father looked up sharply.
"How?""
"Through a guardianship arrangement.""
I stared at Ethan.
"Are you saying Victor wanted to become Grace's guardian?""
Ethan nodded.
"He wanted you to sign certain documents.""
I felt my stomach turn.
"What documents?""
"An authorization giving an independent administrator temporary authority over the trust.""
My father stood.
"And you were helping him obtain them?""
Ethan looked ashamed.
"Initially, yes.""
My father walked toward the window.
"Unbelievable.""
I couldn't stop staring at Ethan.
"Did you know what he planned to do?""
"Not at first.""
"When did you find out?""
He hesitated.
"After Grace was born.""
My voice became quiet.
"You knew?""
Ethan nodded.
"And you didn't tell me?""
"I tried to contact you.""
"You didn't call once!""
"I was being watched.""
I laughed through my tears.
"You expect me to believe that?""
"No. I expect you to hate me. I deserve that.""
He reached into his briefcase again.
This time, he removed a small flash drive.
"This contains the original correspondence between Victor, Victoria, and the attorney who prepared the proposed guardianship documents.""
Daniel took it.
"Are these original files?""
"Yes. I downloaded them before Victor discovered what I'd been doing.""
My father looked at him.
"Why didn't you bring them to the authorities?""
"Because Victor threatened to accuse me of stealing confidential records and manipulating the original acquisition.""
"That doesn't answer the question.""
Ethan lowered his head.
"I was afraid.""
My father stared at him.
"So you allowed my daughter and granddaughter to remain exposed.""
Ethan nodded.
"Yes.""
I looked away.
I couldn't bear to hear another excuse.
A knock interrupted us.
Daniel stepped into the hallway and spoke quietly to someone.
Then he returned.
"Sir, we've located Marcus Reed.""
"Where?""
"His apartment.""
"Has he been contacted?""
"Not yet. But there's another development.""
My father turned.
"What?""
"Victoria Hale has left the property. Her vehicle was seen heading toward the private airport.""
Catherine frowned.
"She has a flight scheduled?""
Daniel checked his phone.
"There's a charter departure registered under Hale Properties in approximately forty minutes.""
My father looked at me.
"She's leaving.""
I hugged Grace closer.
"Can she just walk away?""
"No," he answered.
"But we need to handle this properly. We can't detain anyone without legal authority.""
Daniel nodded.
"Our attorneys are coordinating with law enforcement regarding the suspected document theft and potential financial fraud.""
My father looked toward Catherine.
"Secure the hotel. Preserve all access records. Nobody deletes anything.""
"Understood.""
Then he turned to me.
"Danielle, I want you and Grace somewhere safe.""
I shook my head.
"I'm not leaving until I know what happened.""
"Sweetheart—"
"No, Dad.""
I stood.
"I've spent months being told I don't deserve answers. Ethan wouldn't tell me the truth. Victoria thought she could hit me and walk away. Marcus thought he could erase what happened.""
I looked directly at my father.
"I'm not hiding while they decide what happens to my daughter.""
He studied my face.
Then he nodded.
"All right.""
He turned toward Daniel.
"Arrange a secure room. Keep the security team nearby.""
Daniel nodded.
Before anyone could move, Ethan's phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
He looked at it and went completely pale.
"What is it?"" I asked.
He turned the screen toward us.
The message came from an unknown number.
You have five minutes to hand over the flash drive. Otherwise, the arrangement changes.
I felt my blood run cold.
My father took the phone.
"Can you identify the sender?""
Ethan shook his head.
"No.""
Another message appeared.
This one contained a photograph.
I stared at it.
It showed the entrance to my father's house.
The house where Grace and I had been staying.
And parked across the street was a black sedan.
My father immediately called his head of residential security.
"Robert Brooks. I need you to listen carefully. Is anyone at my house?""
A few seconds passed.
Then his expression hardened.
"How many?""
He listened.
"Do not approach them. Keep the cameras running. Contact the police.""
He ended the call.
I was shaking.
"Dad?""
He looked at me.
"Two men have been sitting outside the house for nearly an hour.""
Grace began to stir.
I kissed her forehead.
My father placed both hands on my shoulders.
"Nobody is taking my granddaughter.""
But before he could say anything else, Daniel received a call.
He answered.
Listened.
Then slowly lowered his phone.
"Sir...""
"What?""
"The police have just contacted us.""
My father waited.
Daniel looked at Ethan.
"Victor Hale has filed an emergency petition claiming Danielle Brooks is mentally unstable and has been hiding financial documents from her family.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
Daniel continued.
"He's also requesting an immediate review of Grace's custody arrangements.""
I felt my knees weaken.
My father caught my arm.
"On what grounds?""
Daniel looked down at the report.
"He's claiming Danielle is being manipulated by her father and is using the child to gain access to family assets.""
I looked at Ethan.
He closed his eyes.
May you like
Then he whispered the words that made everything even worse.
"Victoria already has the documents prepared.""
