She held a small contingent family interest inherited through her mother.
Almost meaningless under normal conditions.
Not meaningless today.
Adrian needed a blood-family signatory to support his claim that the emergency transfer protected Mercer interests.
Vanessa would certify that I had intended Adrian to manage my voting rights.
My sister.
My half-sister.
The girl I taught to drive.
The girl whose first apartment deposit I paid.
She sat beside my husband and signed.
I did not cry.
I think I had used up that version of myself in the river.
Then Adrian signed an affidavit declaring that I was missing and “reasonably presumed deceased.”
He knew rescue crews had not found my body.
He signed anyway.
Next came the emergency sale authorization for the Evermere River terminal.
He picked up the pen.
That was when Mercer Holdings’ general counsel entered the room.
Adrian looked irritated.
“You’re late.”
The attorney closed the door.
“I was waiting for confirmation.”
“Of what?”
He placed a document on the table.
A temporary court order freezing the transaction.
Adrian stared.
Vanessa went pale.
“What is this?”
“Asset-protection order.”
“On whose request?”
The attorney looked directly at Adrian.
“Elena Mercer’s.”
Silence.
Adrian actually laughed.
“That’s impossible.”
Then his phone rang.
