Chapter 8 - The Carrington Trust
The next morning, three attorneys arrived at Ethan’s house.
They represented the Carrington Family Trust.
Claire expected skepticism.
Instead, they already knew her name.
The oldest attorney, Samuel Price, placed a sealed document on the table.
“David Carrington spent thirty years looking for his daughter.”
Claire stared at him.
“He knew I existed?”
“He learned in 1997 that Anna’s child had survived.”
“He never learned where Eleanor sent you.”
Rebecca had kept Claire hidden from everyone.
Even David.
Price explained that David had created a contingency trust.
If his missing daughter was ever identified through verified DNA, she would inherit the controlling interest in Carrington Global.
Ethan leaned back.
“How much?”
Price did not give a dollar amount.
He did not need to.
“Control of the company is worth several billion dollars.”
Claire stared at him.
“I don’t want a company.”
Price nodded.
“Unfortunately, someone else does.”
He opened another document.
For the past twelve years, temporary control of Carrington Global had belonged to a board of trustees.
One trustee had spent years attempting to change the inheritance provisions.
Eleanor Blackwood.
Claire stood.
“How?”
“She became a trustee through your father’s cousin.”
Ethan understood first.
“She believed Claire was dead.”
Price shook his head.
“No.”
Claire looked at him.
Price continued.
“We believe Eleanor always knew Claire was alive.”
“She simply needed everyone else to believe she wasn’t.”
Claire felt cold.
“Then why try to kill me now?”
“Because Richard’s key proved you had begun uncovering your identity.”
Ethan’s fists tightened.
Price slid another paper toward Claire.
“There’s more.”
David Carrington’s trust required the heir to make a formal claim within thirty days of learning her identity.
“If you don’t?”
“Control eventually becomes permanent in the existing trustee group.”
“And Eleanor keeps influence.”
“Yes.”
Claire laughed without humor.
“So she stole me as a baby and then tried to kill me because I might inherit money.”
Anna shook her head.
“It wasn’t only money.”
Everyone looked at her.
Anna had been silent until then.
“David had evidence against Charles Vale.”
“Rebecca copied it.”
“Richard hid it.”
Claire stared at her.
“What kind of evidence?”
Anna’s answer changed the room.
“Evidence connecting Charles and Eleanor to at least eleven illegal adoptions.”
Claire stopped breathing for a moment.
Eleven.
She had thought she was the only child.
Price looked grim.
“If those records exist, there may be ten other adults who never knew they were taken from their biological families.”
May you like
Claire suddenly understood Rebecca’s ledger.
It had never been only about her.
