Chapter 15 - What Samuel Tried to StopThe answer was buried in legal correspondence.
Miriam called Daniel.
“Come to my office. Bring Maya if she's willing.”
An hour later Daniel and Maya sat across from her.
Samuel had written to Owen requesting an independent audit.
One passage:
I will not permit children's trusts or charitable funds to subsidize company operations without authority, documentation and safeguards.
Daniel stared.
“He knew?”
“He suspected weakness.”
Miriam corrected him.
“Not the whole scheme.”
Another document.
Samuel rejected the continuity amendment.
Then his health deteriorated.
He entered hospital.
He died six weeks later.
The supposedly executed amendment was dated during that hospitalization.
Maya touched the page.
“Did he know North Quay?”
“No. Formed later.”
“Then what worried him?”
Miriam showed another invoice.
An outside vendor charged for services employees could not verify.
Approved by Owen.
Samuel wanted an audit of outside vendors.
After his death, the protections weakened.
Then Andrea Bell sent Daniel an internal email chain.
Dated four days before the pool incident.
Participants:
Vanessa.
Owen.
Administrative account.
One sentence:
Sofia Bennett should be assigned to the pool terrace Saturday. She has already asked questions regarding Mrs. Harper's maternity support and is likely to intervene immediately if Emma enters the water.
Daniel stared.
Another message:
A visible household-safety failure followed by employee misconduct may strengthen the case for accelerated restructuring.
No explicit instruction to harm Emma.
But something horrifying was clear.
Vanessa had chosen Sofia.
Because Sofia would rescue the child.
And because her recent questions made her easy to paint as unstable.
Daniel looked at Maya.
“She chose Sofia.”
Maya read.
Her face went pale.
May you like
Daniel whispered:
“And she chose Emma.”
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