The words left Sebastian silent for a moment.
Naomi looked at the folder again.
She had spent years believing that her father had trusted Eleanor and Sebastian to manage everything after his death. She had accepted their explanations because she thought they were simply handling difficult responsibilities.
Now she was beginning to wonder whether she had been deliberately kept away from the truth.
NAOMI: "Richard, what happened to Harbor House?"
Richard turned to another section.
RICHARD: "Your father placed the property under a protective legal structure. He wanted it preserved for the family, particularly because it held personal significance for him."
Naomi remembered the coastal house immediately.
She remembered the wooden staircase, the old garden, and the view of the sea from the upstairs windows. Her father had spent countless mornings there, drinking coffee while watching the tide.
It had been his favorite place.
NAOMI: "I was told it had been sold."
Richard shook his head.
RICHARD: "The public records suggest that the ownership structure was changed, but the original arrangement did not authorize an unrestricted sale."
NAOMI: "Who changed it?"
Richard pointed toward a transfer document.
RICHARD: "The paperwork was prepared through an entity connected to the family business. We are still determining who gave the instructions."
Eleanor's face became pale.
ELEANOR: "Harbor House was expensive to maintain. Frank knew that."
RICHARD: "He agreed to reasonable maintenance expenses. He did not authorize the property to be used as collateral for unrelated business activities."
Sebastian moved his hand across the table.
SEBASTIAN: "That property was losing money. Someone had to make practical decisions."
NAOMI: "Then why didn't you tell me?"
SEBASTIAN: "Because you were never involved in the business."
NAOMI: "I didn't need to be involved in the business to know what happened to Father's property."
Sebastian looked away.
Richard placed another page in front of Naomi.
RICHARD: "There is also a document changing the beneficiary structure of the protected fund."
Naomi read the heading.
Her name appeared in the original arrangement, but the later document reduced her involvement and gave additional authority to another family representative.
NAOMI: "This isn't what Father originally agreed to."
RICHARD: "That is correct. The question is whether the later document was validly authorized."
NAOMI: "When was it signed?"
RICHARD: "Approximately fourteen months before his death."
Naomi looked at the date.
She remembered that period clearly. Frank had been in and out of hospital, and she had been trying to arrange leave so she could visit him.
She had been told that he was too weak to receive visitors.
NAOMI: "Was Mother with him when this was signed?"
Eleanor answered too quickly.
ELEANOR: "I was with him throughout that period."
Richard turned toward her.
RICHARD: "The medical records show that Frank was receiving treatment on the date listed in this document. We need to establish the circumstances under which the signature was obtained."
ELEANOR: "I have already explained that he understood what he was signing."
RICHARD: "Then an independent examination should resolve the question."
Sebastian shook his head.
SEBASTIAN: "This is turning into a circus."
Naomi looked directly at him.
NAOMI: "You hit me in front of four hundred people because you thought I had no right to be here. Now you're telling me I have no right to ask about my father's money."
SEBASTIAN: "Don't twist everything."
NAOMI: "I'm asking a simple question. Where did the money go?"
He did not answer.
Richard closed the folder.
RICHARD: "There is no reason to argue tonight. The records will be reviewed properly, and the relevant authorities have already been notified."
Eleanor looked at him sharply.
ELEANOR: "You contacted the authorities?"
RICHARD: "I fulfilled my legal responsibilities."
For the first time, Eleanor seemed genuinely frightened.
The security officers were still standing near the ballroom entrance. Master Chief Daniel Brooks approached the table and checked that Naomi was comfortable continuing.
MASTER CHIEF BROOKS: "Admiral, would you prefer to move somewhere private?"
NAOMI: "Yes, please. I don't want the charity event to become a family spectacle."
Brooks nodded.
Richard gathered the documents and led Naomi toward a private meeting room beside the ballroom. Eleanor followed reluctantly. Sebastian came behind them, his expression dark.
Inside, the room was quiet. A long conference table stood beneath a row of soft ceiling lights. Richard placed the briefcase in the center and opened it again.
Naomi sat opposite him.
NAOMI: "I want to see everything. Not just the documents you think I should read."
RICHARD: "That is why I brought the complete file."
He removed several folders arranged by date.