She tugged at it. A thin piece of fabric pulled away, revealing something hard stuck inside. Emma slipped her finger in and pulled out a silver USB stick, no bigger than her fingertip.
She looked up, her eyes wide. Uncle Ethan, the bear is torn, and there’s this. Ethan stopped what he was doing and came over.
He took the USB from her, looked at Emma, and asked, Do you want to see together what’s inside? Emma gave a small nod, still clutching the teddy bear tight against her chest. Ethan opened the laptop on the kitchen table. He plugged in the USB, and the screen showed a single audio file, named with a date from one year ago.
He clicked play. From the speakers, Richard’s voice came through, shaky but clear. Robert, what is this bottle of medicine? I don’t need this.
When I take it, my heart races. Karen, where did you get this? Robert’s voice answered, cold and flat. The doctor prescribed it.
Take it. You’re weak. Don’t be paranoid.
There was a thin stretch of silence. Then Karen’s voice slid in, whispering close to the device. Let him drink more.
Let him die already. Ethan pressed his hand against the edge of the table. Emma blinked fast, then broke into sobs.
The question spilling out as if she could no longer hold it back. They… they poisoned my dad? Ethan placed his hand gently over the back of hers. He kept his voice low, steady, and firm.
Your father didn’t want you to live in fear. He left you the truth. Emma squeezed the bear, her tears soaking into its fur.
Dad… knew what they were doing to him? Maybe your father knew he wouldn’t survive. He understood what was happening, and he believed someone would protect you and preserve this evidence. Today, that’s what I’ll do.
I’ll expose every one of those vile people. Ethan rewound a few sections, listening carefully to the breathing. The clink of a glass, the scrape of a chair.
He opened the file properties, took a screenshot, and saved two backup copies. One to the hard drive, and one to the cloud. His movements were precise, not a second wasted.
Uncle Ethan. If they find out about this, they’ll take the USB back, won’t they? No one can take it anymore. Ethan’s gaze was steady, his voice low.
Not even them. He pulled out his phone and dialed a middle-aged man. When the voice answered on the other end, Ethan said briefly, Anderson, this is Ethan.
I need you today. There’s audio evidence connected to poisoning, and a family dispute. Professor William Anderson was a law professor, and an attorney specializing in finance and family matters in New York.
He had advised Ethan in several difficult transactions, and was known for his meticulousness. On the line, Anderson spoke calmly. Keep everything as it is.
Do not send anything through messages. I will come over. And Ethan.
Stay calm. Protect the child first. Ethan hung up, then bent down to meet Emma’s eyes.
This morning, we are going to have a proper breakfast. After that, a trusted uncle will come to see you. He doesn’t talk much, but he always stands on the side of the truth.
Emma gave a slight nod. Uncle, if dad were still alive, would he be happy that I found this? Ethan swallowed hard. Your father would be proud that you were brave enough to face the truth.
He placed the USB drive into a shock-proof pouch, stored it in the mini-safe in his office, locked it, then sent a short message to Anderson. Saved three copies, one offline. Emma wiped her tears with the sleeve of her shirt.
She took a deep breath, and whispered to her teddy bear. Mom, I found what dad left behind. I will hold it tight.
Inside Ethan, determination rose tall like a pillar. At first, he had only intended to repay Richard, but from the moment he heard Karen’s whisper, he knew this was no longer about gratitude. This was responsibility.
Emma was a smaller version of himself as a child, one who had been stripped of a rightful place. He was going to give it back to her. At the same time, in a rented apartment, Karen slammed the newspaper down on the glass table.
The news from the night before read, Millionaire Ethan Collins takes the Collins’ daughter out of the house. She dug her nails into the edge of the table, her voice hissing through her teeth. He is challenging me.
Robert lit a cigarette, leaned back, and smirked. Calm down. Don’t cry like that in front of the press again.
They can see the fakery. You think I don’t know that? The girl is with him, and she still holds shares in the company. Karen spun around.
I will sue him for kidnapping. I will say he is exploiting her to seize the assets. Robert exhaled smoke, his eyes narrowing.
Then sue him. But you must drag her back at all costs. If she stays out of reach, our plan will collapse.
He lowered his head and spoke softly, as if sealing an unspoken order. The girl holds company shares. She must be brought back at all costs, otherwise, our plan will collapse.
That afternoon, Ethan’s phone would not stop buzzing. His inbox flooded with new alerts, articles, short news flashes, online comments. A picture of Karen standing in front of the house appeared everywhere, her eyes red, clutching a black-and-white portrait of Richard.
The headlines scrolled across the screen, Millionaire Ethan Collins Removes Child from Home to Seize Assets? Ethan shut off the screen. He poured Emma a glass of warm milk and said quietly, Finish this, then we’re going to the library. Emma nodded, hugging her teddy bear tight, the wary look in her eyes refusing to fade.
They walked into the lobby of the public library. The space was hushed, footsteps soft against the floor. At the information desk, a young woman looked up and offered a gentle smile.
She was in her mid-twenties, hair neatly tied back, a name tag clipped to her sweater. Emily Carter, librarian in charge of digital archives and public records. Her voice was steady and clear.
How can I help you and your little one today? Ethan set a thin folder on the desk, a copy of the will, stock registration papers, Richard’s treatment schedule. We need to cross-check these. Authenticity, dates, and any irregularities.
Emily glanced at the documents, then extended her hand toward Emma. Hello there. My name is Emily.
I’ll help you find the right answers. Emma took her hand lightly. Emily turned to her computer, accessing corporate databases, electronic registries, and the hospital’s public records.
Her clicks were precise. Then her eyes froze on a detail. Here, she said, swiveling the screen so they could both see.
The stock transfer agreement is dated March 14th. Ethan stiffened. The day Richard was admitted to the hospital for the second time.
Emily nodded. The hospital records confirm he was under sedation for 48 hours. The signature on this contract could not have been his, unless someone else signed it.
She printed two copies, clipped them, and marked the time discrepancy with a red pen. I’ll create a table, contract dates, hospital entry logs, and Richard’s older signature samples. The inconsistency here is significant.
Emma’s voice was a whisper. Do you believe me? I’m not lying. They hate me.
Emily met her eyes. I believe you. And I’ll help.
Ethan exhaled slowly, placing his hand on Emma’s shoulder like an anchor. He turned back to Emily. Thank you.
If there are copying fees or record access charges, put them on me. Emily shook her head. Public records are every citizen’s right.
I’m just doing my job. She paused, then lowered her voice. But you should brace yourself for another media strike.
I’ve already seen a second article going up on the local news site. They’re telling the story their way. A message from Professor William Anderson came through at that moment…
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