Chapter 2 - The Stolen Legacy
Emma stared at the faded ink, her hands trembling as she read her grandmother's frantic handwriting.
The letter detailed a massive embezzlement scheme that Richard had orchestrated decades ago.
He had stolen millions from his own clients and hidden the money in offshore accounts under Cody’s fabricated legal identity.
That was why Richard and Denise needed Emma out of her bedroom so suddenly.
Emma’s bedroom used to be the old attic space before the renovation, and they were looking for this exact lockbox.
They kicked her out into the freezing night not out of spite, but because they needed to destroy the evidence before Daniel returned.
Emma immediately took photos of every single page using her phone.
She sent the encrypted file directly to her father in Chicago.
Daniel called her less than thirty seconds later.
His voice was terrifyingly calm.
He told her to double-lock the hotel door and not open it for anyone except the police.
Back in Ohio, Richard stood at a gas station pump, shivering as he swiped his premium credit card.
The machine flashed a bright red error message indicating the card was declined.
He cursed, pulling out a second card, but the machine rejected that one as well.
His phone began to vibrate violently with automated texts from his bank.
Every line of credit, every savings account, and every emergency fund had been completely zeroed out.
Denise called him a moment later, screaming that her car had just been towed from the driveway by a repossession company.
Richard realized Daniel had actually executed his threat.
He sped back to the house, his mind racing for a way to regain control of the situation.
When he burst through the front door, Cody was tearing the floorboards of Emma’s room apart with a crowbar.
Cody looked up with wild, panicked eyes.
He told his grandfather that the lockbox was not under the floorboards where they thought it was.
Richard felt the blood drain from his face as he looked at the empty trash bags on the bed.
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He knew Emma had accidentally taken the box with her to the hotel.
Richard turned to Cody and told him to get the hunting rifle from the garage.
