Chapter 5 - The Last Night of Claire’s Life
Claire had died from complications after a car accident.
That was what I had believed for four years.
Now I reopened everything.
Police report.
Hospital records.
Insurance.
Phone logs.
Claire had driven alone.
Heavy rain.
No alcohol.
No mechanical failure.
She lost control on a curve.
End of story.
Except there was one unanswered call.
Victoria.
Eleven minutes before the crash.
Then another call.
Two minutes after.
Claire had spoken to Victoria that night.
For nineteen minutes.
I asked Samuel whether he knew why.
He did.
“They were arguing about Charles’s estate.”
“Again?”
“Yes.”
“Four years after his death?”
“Yes.”
Victoria had recently discovered a paternity acknowledgment proving Charles legally recognized her when she was a child.
That document could have supported a challenge to the original estate.
Claire had agreed to reopen negotiations.
She offered Victoria twenty-five million dollars from her own inheritance.
Victoria refused.
Why?
“She wanted shares.”
“How many?”
“Half of Monroe Capital.”
Claire said no.
Then Victoria threatened court.
That was the argument before Claire’s accident.
Did Victoria cause the crash?
No evidence.
None.
But Claire’s final voicemail to Samuel contained one chilling sentence.
If something happens to me, make sure Lily’s shares cannot be touched by Victoria.
May you like
Claire had been scared enough to say it.
That changed everything.
