Chapter Sixty

Margaret had spent years avoiding the past, only to find that it had been waiting for her to turn around and examine it.

When the caller reiterated his findings, she grabbed her phone. On the night that Emily's parents passed away, Ryan's father gave Thomas Reed the command to exit their residence. There was no explanation for the order in the security report, and the one remaining copy did not mention what happened once Thomas departed.

"Who provided you permission to access such files?" asked Margaret.

"Madam, the archive was being cleared. Somebody wanted the remaining files destroyed."

Margaret commanded, "Bring me the report." "And don't tell anyone you discovered it."

Understanding that the last instruction may have been given too late, she hung up the phone.

She had been certain that remaining silent for years would protect Ryan and preserve the status of the Carter family. She persuaded herself that she could cooperate enough to safeguard her interests without becoming caught when Victor Knight's people contacted her about financial transactions.

She had made a mistake. She had seen too many papers go through her hands by the time she understood how the deals were related to Emily's inheritance. She had kept quiet about other people's crimes, concealed transfers, and held back information.

However, she hadn't given Thomas the command to depart that evening. She was starting to question whether the distinction was as important as she had previously thought.

An hour later, Ryan discovered her in her study. Her desk was covered in the report. "Is this why you've been warning me to quit digging?" Ryan inquired. Margaret nodded her head.

"Did you know what happened to Emily's parents?" Ryan inquired.

Margaret confessed, "I knew there were things I should have questioned." "But I chose not to."

Her eyes were fixated on Ryan. "You let Emily think there was nothing else to uncover."

"I believed I was keeping you safe."

"From the truth, or from the consequences of what you did?"

The question had a more profound effect than Margaret had anticipated.

Her eyes fell. "Maybe both."

Although he came in ready for a confrontation, but his mother's response left him feeling something more painful than rage. She still was not ready to tell him everything. but at least she was eventually admitting that she had helped cover the truth. "Victor Knight used you, didn't he?" Ryan asked.

Margaret looked up briefly and said that Victor used everyone who believed they could haggle with him.  "Your dad believed that he could still be in charge while working with Victor. Before anybody noticed, I thought I could transfer money and replace it. We both made the error of thinking that he needed us more than we needed him."

"Then, Ryan said, "Tell me what you know.

A lengthy breath was drawn by Margaret.

"Victor participated in the financial preparations for Emily's trust. His businesses showed up in documents that ought to have had no bearing on her inheritance, as I noticed. I was reminded of how much I risked losing if anyone looked at my own deeds when I brought up the transactions."

"Did he arrange for the deaths of Emily's parents?" He asked.

Margaret said, "I can't establish that fact." "And I will not turn distrust into a fact simply because I fear him."

Ryan thought she was telling the truth for the first time.

A cluster of authentic financial documents was taken out of a locked drawer by Margaret. She had preserved them because, in her opinion, keeping them was always less dangerous than hiding them. Before him, she arranged them.

"Here are the transfers I hid," Margaret stated. "They will reveal what I have done. Deliver them to Sophia's legal counsel. I'll sign a statement and respond to their inquiries."

Ryan looked at his mother before gazing at the papers.

Ryan replied, "You understand that this could ruin your reputation."

With a weary grin devoid of humor, Margaret smiled.

"Years have passed since I've relied on my good name. See where I've gotten."

She had ultimately decided against continuing to defend herself at Emily's cost. It was the first sincere decision she had taken in a long time, even though it wouldn't undo what she had done.

___

Emily listened at Sophia's office as Ryan detailed what his mother had given him. She had no pleasure from Margaret's admission. Margaret had mishandled her inheritance, and the revelation that she had caused pain in a place that anger could not reach was due to the woman who had helped raise her following her parents' deaths. Sophia carefully went through the records.

"These might prove a straight financial relationship between Victor's organizations and the exchanges from your confidence," Sophia expressed. "However, we must still show who approved each transaction and where the money ultimately ended up."

"Is there proof that Victor was the mastermind?" Emily inquired.

Sophia said, "Not yet." "But they provide us a method to dispute him."

Near the window, Ryan watched the rain slow down traffic.

"Victor will be aware that someone has begun to unravel the thread," Ryan stated. "He won't wait for us to finish."

As she looked at him, she could see he knew the danger even though she no longer had faith in him as a spouse.

Emily stated, "You could leave this alone."

He turned to face her. "Do you want me to quit?"

"I want you to reconsider before sacrificing everything in an effort to repair something you contributed to damaging."

They both kept their true feelings to themselves. Emily wanted him to stop weighing her down with his shame. Ryan hoped she would think that, for once, he was trying to do something right without expecting her pardon.

Ryan stated that he would consider it.

It wasn't a commitment, but it was the best either of them could do.

Sophia's phone rang. After listening for a short while, she had a different expression.

"What's that?" Emily questioned.

Sophia hung up.

"Victor has arranged an urgent board conference at Knight Global. He is questioning Damian's authority as CEO."

Emily felt her stomach constrict. Victor was acting against Damian, who was already finding it difficult to trust her, and there was still not enough information to support either family.

Ryan's phone vibrated before she could talk. He read the communication from a past Carter Holdings official who had formerly collaborated with his dad.

Color left his face.

"What happened?" Asked Emily.

Ryan raised his gaze.

"Victor has learned the original security report is still available." "And he's aware that we have Margaret's files," Ryan said.

He swallowed hard and then paused.

"According to what this message says, Victor won't start by going after Damian first." He said, as he looked at Emily.

"He's coming after you."