Chapter 4 - Fifty-One Percent
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Grant arrived before dawn.
He carried two leather folders.
Dominic did not offer him coffee.
“Explain.”
Grant opened the first folder.
The Legacy Trust had been created by Dominic’s grandfather decades earlier.
It held voting interests in real estate companies, investment firms, logistics businesses, and family properties.
Dominic ran most operations.
But the trust itself followed older succession rules.
The first biological child of Dominic’s branch became the next controlling beneficiary at age one.
Until adulthood, voting rights would be exercised by the child’s legal guardian under independent trustee supervision.
Dominic stared at the document.
“So when Lily turns one—”
“She becomes beneficial owner of fifty-one percent of the voting block.”
“And I vote for her?”
“If you remain her legal guardian.”
Rachel leaned forward.
“And if Celeste becomes guardian?”
Grant hesitated.
“She could exercise certain proxy rights.”
There it was.
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
“Why did nobody tell me?”
“You had authority already.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
Grant looked uncomfortable.
“Your father believed heirs should not grow up surrounded by discussions of ownership.”
“Lily is eight months old.”
“Yes.”
“I’m not worried she’ll become arrogant before breakfast.”
Rachel almost smiled.
Grant didn’t.
Dominic pointed at the papers.
“Who knew?”
“Trust officers.”
“Names.”
Grant listed four.
Himself.
Two outside attorneys.
And Adrian.
Dominic’s late brother.
Celeste’s husband.
Dominic looked toward the ceiling.
“Adrian told her.”
“Possibly.”
Grant closed the folder.
“But Dominic, do not assume financial motive based solely on—”
“Stop.”
Grant stopped.
“You came into my house after somebody staged an assault around my infant daughter.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“I’m not assuming anything.”
He pointed toward Rachel.
“She investigates.”
Then toward security.
“They preserve evidence.”
Then back to Grant.
“And you answer questions.”
For a moment, Grant looked offended.
Then the old warmth returned.
“Of course.”
Rachel opened the second folder.
“What’s this?”
Grant’s expression changed.
“A draft amendment.”
“To what?”
“The trust.”
Dominic read it.
The amendment would restructure Lily’s future voting rights into a new management entity.
One controlled by a board.
Three seats.
Grant Mercer.
Celeste Valero.
And an outside investor named Malcolm Price.
Dominic stared.
“When was this drafted?”
Grant cleared his throat.
“Months ago.”
“Who requested it?”
“Advisers.”
“Which advisers?”
Grant didn’t answer fast enough.
Rachel looked at him.
“You’re on the proposed board.”
“I was asked to provide continuity.”
Dominic’s voice became colder.
“By who?”
Grant finally answered.
“Celeste raised the proposal.”
Celeste had not simply discovered the trust yesterday.
She had known for months.
Then Rachel noticed the date on the draft.
Three days after Sofia Valero’s funeral.
Dominic stopped breathing.
His wife had barely been buried.
Celeste was already discussing Lily’s future shares.
Then security entered.
“We traced the burner phone number.”
Dominic turned.
“To who?”
“Not a person.”
“What?”
“A consulting company.”
Rachel read the name.
Mercer Strategic Holdings.
Nobody spoke.
Grant’s face went pale.
Dominic slowly turned toward the man his father had trusted for thirty years.
May you like
👉 Celeste’s burner phone had just led directly to a company bearing Grant Mercer’s name—and the man explaining Lily’s trust suddenly looked like he wanted to leave.
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