Three days later, Richard requested a private meeting with Helen Brooks.
He claimed that he was prepared to provide information about the financial misconduct.
Helen immediately informed the investigators.
They agreed to arrange a monitored interview.
Richard arrived wearing a dark suit.
He looked older than he had at the restaurant.
His face was pale, and his confident expression had disappeared.
Helen sat opposite him.
"Mr. Collins, you requested this meeting."
Richard nodded.
"I want to make a statement."
"About what?"
"Everything."
Helen opened her notebook.
"Then begin."
Richard stared at the table.
For several minutes, he said nothing.
Finally, he spoke.
"I didn't start out planning to destroy anyone."
Helen remained silent.
"I wanted to become successful. I wanted people to respect me. Arthur had everything I wanted. Money, influence, a respected name."
He paused.
"Michael Carter was different. He was honest. People trusted him. Arthur trusted him more than he trusted me."
Helen looked at him.
"So you decided to remove him."
Richard nodded slowly.
"I created false transactions. I used companies that didn't exist. I made it look as though Michael had authorized the payments."
"Did you personally alter the documents?"
"Yes."
"Did Arthur know?"
"No. He believed what I showed him."
Richard rubbed his forehead.
"I thought it would end there."
Helen turned a page.
"But it didn't."
"No."
Richard explained how he gradually gained control of the company.
He manipulated financial reports, created false debts, and used subsidiaries to transfer money.
He admitted that he had pressured employees into signing documents they did not understand.
He also admitted that he had arranged for the Riverside project funds to be diverted.
Helen listened carefully.
"Why did you continue?"
Richard looked toward the window.
"Because every time I committed another crime, I had more to lose."
He paused.
"At first, I wanted money. Then I wanted power. Eventually, I just wanted to make sure nobody discovered what I had done."
Helen closed her notebook.
"And the threat against Arthur?"
Richard looked down.
"I wanted him frightened. I wanted him to stop investigating."
"Did you arrange the burglary at the Carter residence?"
Richard hesitated.
"I gave instructions to recover the documents."
"Did you authorize violence?"
"I told them to get the agreement."
Helen's expression hardened.
"That isn't an answer."
Richard finally looked up.
"I knew they might use force."
The room became silent.
Helen wrote something down.
"Your statement will be passed to the investigators. Any cooperation will be considered according to the law, but it does not erase your responsibility."
Richard nodded.
"I understand."
Helen stood.
"Then we're finished."
As she prepared to leave, Richard spoke again.
"There's something I want to ask."
She stopped.
"What?"
"Does Daniel know everything about Michael?"
Helen frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Richard looked at his hands.
"There is one more thing I never told Arthur."
Helen sat down again.
"What is it?"
Richard swallowed.
"Michael wasn't only investigating the financial fraud. He had discovered that the company was ignoring serious safety violations at several construction sites."
Helen waited.
"One of those incidents resulted in the death of a worker."
"Who?"
Richard looked away.
"His name was Samuel Reed."
Helen immediately recognized the seriousness of the statement.
"Was the incident reported?"
"Yes. But the official report was altered."
"Who altered it?"
Richard closed his eyes.
"I did."
Helen remained motionless.
Richard continued.
"Michael found the original report. He wanted to expose the truth. I framed him before he could."
Helen slowly closed her notebook.
"Mr. Collins, you understand that this could result in additional criminal charges?"
Richard nodded.
"Yes."
For the first time, he looked genuinely ashamed.
"I know."
When Daniel learned about the confession, he was sitting beside Arthur in the hospital garden.
Arthur listened quietly.
"Samuel Reed," he repeated.
"Do you know him?" Daniel asked.
Arthur nodded.
"He was a young worker. He left behind a wife and a little girl."
Daniel looked at him.
"Did the company ever help them?"
Arthur shook his head.
"I believed the official report. I thought the accident had been investigated properly."
He lowered his head.
"Another family I failed."
Daniel sat beside him.
"Then we need to find them."
Arthur nodded.
"Yes."
He looked toward the garden.
"Michael spent his life trying to protect people. I spent mine trying to protect a company. Perhaps now I can finally understand what he was trying to tell me."
Daniel thought about his father's letter.
Never let another person's darkness convince you to abandon your own light.
He looked at Arthur.
"There's still time to do something good."
Arthur smiled sadly.
"I hope so."
Success brought Daniel new responsibilities, but it also introduced challenges he had never anticipated.
The foundation was growing quickly. Applications for assistance arrived every week, and the small team struggled to respond to everyone.
Some families needed medical treatment.
Others needed temporary housing.
A few needed legal assistance to recover money they had lost through dishonest employers.
Daniel wanted to help everyone.
But he was beginning to discover that good intentions alone were not enough.
One afternoon, he sat in his office surrounded by paperwork.
A volunteer named Sarah entered.
"Daniel, you've been here since seven this morning."
He continued reading.
"I know."
"You haven't eaten."
"I'll eat later."
Sarah placed a sandwich on his desk.
"That's what you said yesterday."
Daniel smiled.
"Thank you."
She sat opposite him.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Do you ever feel like you're trying to save everyone?"