The Confession in Arthur’s Name
Chapter 06 - The Confession in Arthur’s Name
Arthur’s confession was dated twelve days before his death.
In it, he claimed Ethan had created the shell companies, stolen pension money, and fled after being confronted. The document stated that Arthur had concealed the theft to protect the family name.
Daniel watched Ethan read every page.
“Well?” he asked.
“It is false.”
“It has Father’s signature.”
“It has an image of his signature.”
Ethan held the page beneath the lamp. The ink looked too even, the pressure identical from beginning to end. Arthur’s hand had trembled during his final months. His genuine signature wandered upward at the final stroke. This one did not.
Daniel wanted to believe him, but years under Helena’s influence had trained him to distrust hope.
“She showed this to the board after you disappeared,” Daniel said. “It is why they gave her emergency control.”
“Why did Victor bring it to the gala?”
“He planned to read it if anyone challenged the sale.”
Nora scanned the document. Metadata embedded in the digital copy showed it had been created on Victor’s office computer three days after Arthur died.
Daniel sat down hard.
For a moment, the brothers were boys again—two sons waiting outside their father’s study, fearing the sound of his disappointment.
Ethan asked Daniel what happened the night Arthur died.
Daniel looked toward the window.
“Mother said his heart failed during dinner.”
“Were you there?”
“I arrived after the doctor.”
“Who called you?”
Daniel’s silence lasted too long.
“Victor,” he finally said. “He told me not to come through the front entrance because reporters were outside. But there were no reporters.”
Nora leaned forward. “Which entrance did you use?”
“The service corridor.”
Daniel remembered a woman in a gray coat leaving through the kitchen as he entered. Her face was hidden, but she carried Arthur’s medical case.
Miriam later confirmed that no doctor on Arthur’s official care team wore gray.
The clue led Nora to Dr. Sabine Roth, a private physician who had left the country the week after Arthur’s death.
Before they could locate her, Ethan’s phone rang.
The independent hospital had received the sealed DNA samples.
May you like
One of the vials had arrived broken.
The other contained DNA belonging to a woman.
