Chapter 12 - The Night Before Five
On the night before his birthday, Leo climbed into Andrea’s bed.
Marco had moved to the guest wing, claiming he needed quiet to prepare his speech.
Valerie’s room was two doors away from his.
Leo held the silver frame beneath the blanket.
“Rosa said I have to give this to you if Daddy tells the lie.”
Andrea sat up.
“What did she give you?”
Before Leo could remove the backing, the bedroom handle moved.
Leo quickly hid the frame.
Marco entered.
“You should be asleep in your own room.”
“He had a nightmare.”
Marco looked at the shape beneath the blanket.
“What are you holding?”
“My bear.”
Marco reached toward it.
Andrea stepped between them.
“He’s frightened. Leave him alone.”
Marco’s eyes narrowed.
“Tomorrow needs to go smoothly.”
“It’s his birthday, not a board meeting.”
“It’s both.”
He lowered his voice.
“You can make this easy, Andrea. Sign the co-trustee amendment tonight. I’ll cancel the announcement.”
Andrea finally understood.
He was offering to preserve her public identity as Leo’s mother in exchange for control of the trust.
“You want me to buy the right to remain my son’s mother?”
“I’m offering you privacy.”
“You created a lie and now you’re selling me protection from it.”
Marco’s face became empty.
“Once the court sees Valerie’s evidence, privacy will be the least of your problems.”
Andrea looked toward Leo.
The boy was pretending to sleep.
She would not let him hear more.
“Get out.”
Marco moved close to her.
“Tomorrow, everyone will know what you did.”
Andrea held his gaze.
“Yes. Tomorrow everyone will know.”
After he left, Leo brought out the frame.
Andrea removed the back.
She found Rosa’s note, the server access code and the printed image of Valerie inside the safe.
Andrea immediately contacted Rebecca through a secure device.
Detective Daniel downloaded the entire recording.
They finally had direct evidence of theft and document tampering.
“Should we arrest her tonight?” Andrea asked.
Daniel hesitated.
“The footage gives us probable cause. But if Marco makes the public claim tomorrow and presents the forged evidence, we also establish his role.”
Rebecca agreed.
“If we stop them now, he’ll blame everything on Valerie.”
Andrea hated allowing the party to continue.
But she wanted Marco’s lies recorded in his own voice.
May you like
“Let him speak,” she said.
👉 Andrea chose not to stop the birthday announcement because Marco’s own microphone would connect him to the conspiracy Valerie could otherwise take the blame for.
