Chapter 4: The Company That Was Already Mine
For several seconds after Thomas disconnected, nobody in the hotel suite moved.
I stared at my phone.
Then I looked at Zoe.
"Tell me he made a mistake.""
Zoe didn't answer.
"Zoe?""
She walked to the window, pulled the curtains aside, and looked down at the street.
"Daniel, I need you to verify the ownership records for Peterson Development Holdings. Not the current filing. I want the original incorporation documents, every amendment, every transfer, and the beneficial ownership disclosures.""
Daniel was already typing.
Rebecca closed her notebook.
"Chloe, do you recognize the name Andrew Collins?""
"Of course. He's one of the biggest investors connected to Bennett Global.""
"Have you ever met him socially?""
"Once. At a company dinner. Why?""
Rebecca exchanged a glance with Zoe.
"Because if Megan was involved with him while the Petersons were negotiating financial arrangements with his investment group, this could be considerably more complicated than a family scandal.""
I rubbed my forehead.
"I don't care about Megan's affair. I want to know why a company supposedly owned by Frank Peterson has my name on its original documents.""
Daniel looked up.
"I found something.""
He turned his laptop toward us.
The screen displayed a scanned corporate registration from eleven years earlier.
The company name was Peterson Development Holdings, LLC.
The registered owner was listed as:
*Chloe Bennett — 100% Membership Interest.*
I leaned closer.
"That's my name.""
Zoe nodded.
"Yes.""
"But I was twenty-three. I was working at a bank in Columbus. I had never even met Mark.""
"Exactly.""
I stared at the date.
Eleven years ago.
Mark and I had met seven years ago.
"How could I own something before I knew him?""
Daniel enlarged the document.
"There's an initial capital contribution listed here. One hundred eighty thousand dollars.""
My grandmother's inheritance.
I felt the blood drain from my face.
"That's impossible. I didn't invest that money in a real estate company.""
Zoe sat beside me.
"Chloe, do you remember what happened to your inheritance?""
I nodded slowly.
"My grandmother died when I was twenty-two. Her attorney handled the estate. I received the money through a trust.""
"Who was the attorney?""
"Richard Hale.""
Daniel typed the name.
A few seconds later, he stopped.
"Interesting.""
"What?""
"Richard Hale was also the registered attorney for Peterson Development Holdings.""
I looked at him.
"You're saying my grandmother's attorney helped create this company?""
"That's what the records suggest.""
My thoughts began racing.
I remembered meeting Richard in a small office in Columbus. He had explained that my grandmother wanted me to have financial security.
He had given me several documents to sign.
I had been grieving, overwhelmed, and completely unfamiliar with legal paperwork.
I had trusted him.
"Did I sign the incorporation papers?""
Daniel studied the scanned signature.
"Possibly. We need the original documents and a forensic comparison.""
Zoe leaned back.
"There's something else. Bennett Global has been in discussions with Peterson Development for nearly two years.""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
"Because Peterson Development controls several commercial properties in Chicago and owns a valuable portfolio of undeveloped land. We were considering a partnership.""
"Was that why Mark kept asking about your company?""
"Possibly.""
She paused.
"Chloe, I need to tell you something. Six months ago, when you first discovered those suspicious transfers, I instructed my legal team to investigate. We found that Peterson Development had been using your name as the beneficial owner while Frank controlled its operations.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because we couldn't establish whether you had knowingly transferred control to him. And because the investigation was beginning to involve your husband.""
I stared at the screen.
Eleven years of ownership.
Seven years of marriage.
Millions of dollars moving through accounts bearing my name.
And I had known nothing.
My phone vibrated.
A message from Mark.
*MARK: My father says you're spreading lies about the company. Stop immediately.*
Another arrived.
*MARK: You have no idea what you've walked into. Come home before this destroys us.*
I showed Zoe.
She read both messages.
"He's frightened.""
"Good.""
I typed:
*CHLOE: I want copies of every document I signed relating to Peterson Development.*
His reply came almost immediately.
*MARK: There is nothing to discuss. The company belongs to my father.*
I looked at the original registration.
Then I typed:
*CHLOE: Then why does the original filing say I own 100%?*
The typing indicator appeared.
Disappeared.
Then the phone rang.
I answered.
"What?""
Mark's voice was different now.
Not angry.
Afraid.
"Where did you get that document?""
"Answer the question.""
"Chloe, listen to me. Those records are outdated.""
"Then show me the updated ones.""
"Your grandmother made an arrangement with my father.""
I froze.
"What arrangement?""
"She wanted the money protected. My father helped manage it.""
"Why did she put my name on the company?""
"Because she trusted him.""
"Did she?""
Mark sighed.
"Chloe, please. Don't let Zoe convince you that my family stole something from you.""
I looked at Zoe.
She was listening carefully.
"Did you know I owned the company when we got married?""
Silence.
"Mark?""
"Yes.""
My throat tightened.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because the company was already being managed by my father. It didn't change anything.""
"Did you marry me because of it?""
"That's ridiculous.""
"Did you?""
His voice rose.
"I loved you!""
I closed my eyes.
Then he said something that made me realize he had just revealed more than he intended.
"Your grandmother made it very clear that the company would stay in the family.""
I opened my eyes.
"How did you know what my grandmother wanted?""
Another silence.
"Mark?""
He ended the call.
Daniel looked up from his laptop.
"I found the attorney's archived correspondence.""
"What does it say?""
He opened a scanned letter.
The date was two weeks before my grandmother died.
The letter was addressed to Richard Hale.
Its final paragraph read:
My granddaughter must retain full ownership and independent control of the company. No spouse, relative, or third party should ever be allowed to exercise authority over her shares without her explicit written consent.
I read it twice.
Then I noticed the signature.
My grandmother's.
Underneath it was another handwritten sentence.
If anyone attempts to take this from her, tell Chloe about the Chicago property.
I looked at Daniel.
"What Chicago property?""
He enlarged the next page.
It contained an address.
An address I recognized.
The Peterson family brownstone.
The very house from which Mark had allowed his mother to throw me and Lily into the freezing night.
May you like
And according to the original records, the house wasn't owned by Frank Peterson.
It belonged to me.
