If this letter has reached you, then the circumstances I feared have finally come to pass.
I hope I am wrong about many things.
I hope your brother has found a way to correct his mistakes.
I hope your mother has chosen honesty over fear.
And I hope you have not been forced to carry a burden that should never have belonged to you.
But if you are reading this, I suspect that at least some of my fears were justified."
Victoria stopped.
Her eyes filled with tears.
She continued.
"I want you to know that I never intended to place the responsibility of this family upon your shoulders. You have already given more than enough of yourself to the people you serve.
I created the trust to protect both of my children.
I did not want either of you to feel that money was the measure of my love.
But I learned that when money becomes more important than honesty, even the strongest relationships can be destroyed.
I tried to reach Richard.
I tried to explain that the company could survive a difficult financial period, but it could not survive dishonesty.
He refused to listen.
I also spoke with your mother.
I asked her to help me resolve the situation before it became worse.
She promised that she would."
Victoria looked up.
Samuel remained silent.
Daniel waited.
She returned to the letter.
"I do not know whether your mother kept that promise.
I hope she did.
I know she loves both of you, even if she has sometimes confused protecting one child with sacrificing the other.
If she has made mistakes, I hope she finds the courage to admit them.
If Richard has made mistakes, I hope he accepts responsibility.
But I do not want you to sacrifice your future to repair their decisions.
You are allowed to say no.
You are allowed to protect yourself.
And you are allowed to walk away from people who repeatedly hurt you, even when those people share your name."
Victoria pressed the letter against the table.
For several moments, she could not continue.
Her father had understood.
He had understood the imbalance in their family.
He had understood how often she had been expected to compromise.
And he had tried to give her permission to stop.
She wiped her eyes and continued reading.
"There is one final matter.
The financial records will reveal that several transfers were made through Northbridge Holdings.
I want you to know that I did not establish that company.
I discovered its existence during my final investigation.
The company appears to have been used to receive funds from the second account.
However, the records I obtained suggest that the money was not simply used to cover business expenses.
Some of it may have been transferred to a person outside our immediate family.
I was unable to establish the full purpose before my illness progressed.
Daniel has the correspondence and the original bank instructions.
Please do not assume that Richard acted alone.
There are people who may have encouraged him, misled him, or benefited from his decisions.
Find the truth before deciding whom to trust.
And remember this:
The most valuable inheritance I can leave you is not money, property, or a title.
It is the ability to look at yourself honestly and know that you did not betray your principles to make someone else comfortable.
I love you, Victoria.
Always.
Dad."
Victoria lowered the letter.
For a long time, she simply sat there.
Samuel waited patiently.
Daniel finally spoke.
"Your father wanted you to have the opportunity to make your own decisions."
Victoria nodded.
"He knew."
Daniel looked at her.
"I believe he knew more than he was able to prove."
Victoria looked at the archive box.
"What do we know about Northbridge Holdings?"
Samuel opened another folder.
"We have identified the registered agent and the original incorporation date."
"Who established it?"
"The filing was submitted through a corporate services firm."
Daniel added, "The beneficial ownership information has not yet been fully obtained."
Victoria looked at the documents.
"Can we find out who received the money?"
"Yes," Samuel replied. "We have requested the banking records through the appropriate channels."
Victoria nodded.
Then she noticed another sheet of paper inside the folder.
It contained a handwritten list of dates and names.
One name appeared several times.
Edward Miller.
But beside it was another name.
Martin Blake.
Victoria looked at Daniel.
"Why does Dad mention both of them?"
Daniel examined the page.
"Because he believed they were communicating about the account."
Samuel nodded.
"There is also a reference to a meeting scheduled at the company's headquarters."
Victoria looked at the date.
It was two days before her father's death.
"Did Dad attend?"
Samuel shook his head.
"He was already hospitalized."
"Did anyone attend on his behalf?"
Samuel examined the record.
"According to this note, Richard and Edward Miller were present."
Victoria felt her stomach tighten.
"Was Mom there?"
Samuel checked the document.
"Her name is not listed."