“Mrs. McGrath,” Van said, his deep voice demanding recognition. “Did Herman Wade have a newer will than the one filed the day before his death?”
“What he had was a farce,” she said. “Of course it wasn’t filed.”
Dad laid his hands on the table. “Herman was confused near the end. He saw threats where none existed. He made accusations and claimed that he’d been coerced into losing part of Wade.”
“I don’t remember him like that,” I said.
“You weren’t there.” My mother’s volume increased. “My father would never have written his family out of their inheritance.”
I sat back against the chair. “Oh my God. There is fraud. You did this.”
Dad lifted his hand. “I did it. Me alone. I’ll take the blame.”
“It wasn’t supposed to go this far,” Mom said. She reached for Dad’s hand. “I’m sorry, Gregg.” She shook her head. “It was only supposed to stop…”
Her gaze came to Van and me.
“Wait. What?” I tried to make sense of what was happening. “Stop.” My eyes widened. “Mom, you filed the injunction?”
“No. It was an inquiry. It was never supposed to be an injunction. The judge took it too far.”
“An inquiry,” I repeated. “You filed an inquiry into Grandfather’s will the day Van and I announced our engagement before you came to Ashland.” It wasn’t a question. I wanted confirmation.
Mom’s lips came together. “Julia, you were only a child at the time your grandfather passed. Things snowballed. We had a plan. It was supposed to happen without fallout. Marlin would purchase more shares and sell everything to Biogen, the perceived value would rise, and our home would be safe. This company is draining us dry. And then you” —she looked at Van— “came in to save the day.” Her volume grew higher with each phrase. “You even sabotaged the merger—our last chance. You weren’t welcome. Your actions caused everything to implode. We were going to be free.”
“Your plans?” I turned to my Dad. “But you never wanted to sell.”
“Little girl, the offer was outstanding. Once Marlin sold, we would allow the value to rise and then follow suit.”
“Did Skylar know about this plan?”
My parents shook their heads.
“Biogen wants to shut down our research,” I said.
“It’s too late,” Dad said, looking down at the table. “Marlin. The SEC.”
“Who was the beneficiary of the will that wasn’t filed?” Van asked.
Van
Tension built around us, a growing cyclone of pride, emotion, secrets, and lies. I understood to what lengths people would go to come out on top. I knew it firsthand. I’d been the victor more than I’d been the victim.
As Julia’s hand trembled in my grasp, I asked the question again, “Who was the beneficiary?”
Gregg stood. Even if I couldn’t see the defeat in the way his shoulders slumped, I could hear it in his voice. If he were my prey, I would have confidence in his destruction.
Is he my prey?
Stopping his pacing and tuning toward us, Gregg said, “The house and all its furnishings were to be sold. The assets from that sale, the company, and all its assets were to be held in trust, a trust Ana and I couldn’t touch. Wade was to be run by the executive board, one that specifically did not include Ana and me.”
“In trust?” I asked. “For whom?”
“Can you imagine?” Ana asked, her hands flitting about for dramatic effect. “A board with no family ties. They would have run this company into the ground. What would their motivation be to do otherwise?”
Money.
It was always the motivation.