Chapter 9 - THE INHERITANCE THAT STARTED EVERYTHING
Élise Beaumont had died thirty-one years earlier.
Her name appeared in old financial records, but Camille had never heard her family speak about her.
According to the trust documents, Élise had been a wealthy investor who owned substantial interests in several European technology and infrastructure companies.
She had no children.
No surviving spouse.
And apparently, no close relatives.
But she had maintained a long friendship with Madeleine Delcourt and Isabelle Mercier.
When Élise died, she left part of her estate in a private trust designed to support future children of both women.
Camille and Julien became named beneficiaries after their births.
The arrangement was unusual.
But not impossible.
What troubled Camille was the trust's value.
At its creation, it held approximately eight million euros.
Over three decades, the investments had grown substantially.
The most recent valuation in the documents suggested the assets could be worth more than ninety million.
Camille stared at the figure.
“Ninety million?”
Sofia nodded.
“Potentially. We need to verify the current value.”
“Why didn't Mom ever tell me?”
“Perhaps she intended to.”
Camille looked at the beneficiary provisions.
The trust had been designed to distribute income for education, medical needs, and certain family emergencies.
The principal was protected.
Full control would pass to the beneficiaries only after specified conditions were satisfied.
Camille frowned.
“What conditions?”
Sofia read carefully.
“Age requirements. Independent trustee approval. Verification of identity.”
“And?”
Sofia paused.
“A restriction on transfers involving anyone who had exercised undue influence over a beneficiary.”
Camille felt a chill.
Her mother had established similar protections for her Asterion shares.
Perhaps Madeleine had learned from the Beaumont trust.
Perhaps she had understood how wealth could attract people who disguised control as love.
Evelyn Brooks reviewed the documents the following morning.
Her expression became increasingly serious.
“This changes the financial motive,” she said.
Camille leaned forward.
“How?”
“Victor may have been targeting more than Asterion.”
“Meaning?”
“If Julien gained influence over your company and could pressure you into making certain financial commitments, Victor might have hoped to use those commitments to reach assets associated with the Beaumont trust.”
Sofia frowned.
“But the trust has independent protections.”
“Exactly,” Evelyn replied. “Which means Victor would need a more complicated strategy.”
Camille looked down.
“Could he actually take the money?”
“Not automatically. The documents we've seen don't establish that he could. But they show a possible motive for trying.”
Camille nodded.
She appreciated Evelyn's precision.
After days of secrets and accusations, she needed people who distinguished evidence from speculation.
Evelyn continued.
“We also need to understand why Victor was interested in Julien's identity.”
Camille looked up.
“Because Julien was his son.”
“Possibly. But the trust named Julien Mercier as a beneficiary. If Victor wanted access, he needed Julien to remain connected to that identity.”
Camille frowned.
“Yet Julien changed his surname.”
“Professionally, yes. Legally, his birth records still connect him to the Mercier family.”
Sofia leaned forward.
“Victor may have been using Julien as a route toward both families' assets.”
Camille felt sick.
Julien had believed he was avenging his father.
Victor had apparently been using him to pursue money from the very beginning.
That afternoon, Camille received a message from an unfamiliar number.
I know what Victor did. I want to help.
She stared at the screen.
A second message appeared.
It's Julien.
Camille hesitated.
Then she forwarded the messages to Sofia.
Sofia called immediately.
“Don't respond yet.”
Camille looked toward the window.
“He says he wants to help.”
“He also spent three years deceiving you.”
“I know.”
“If he's serious, he can speak through counsel.”
Camille nodded.
She sent a short reply.
Contact Sofia Bennett. Any cooperation must be documented.
Julien responded within minutes.
I will.
Then another message arrived.
Camille, I didn't know about the receivership plan.
She stared at it.
For a moment, she wanted to believe him.
Then she remembered the thirty-two percent.
The hidden financing.
Diane.
The lies.
She put the phone down.
Across the city, Julien sat in his apartment, staring at the message he had just sent.
He had spent the previous night reviewing documents Victor had once given him.
Old audit reports.
Bank statements.
Copies of correspondence.
For years, he had accepted those records as proof of Armand's guilt.
Now he noticed inconsistencies.
Dates that didn't match.
Signatures appearing on documents before they were supposedly created.
Transactions that originated from companies controlled by Victor.
He felt physically ill.
Then he found an old letter from Étienne.
It had been written shortly before his father's death.
Julien had read it dozens of times.
But one sentence now seemed different.
Son, don't let my suffering become the reason you hurt someone who never harmed you.
Julien covered his face.
He had done exactly that.
He had hurt Camille.
And no revelation about Victor could undo it.
His phone rang.
An unfamiliar number.
He answered.
“Hello?”
A man's voice spoke.
“Mr. Mercier?”
Julien stiffened.
Nobody had called him that in years.
“Who's this?”
“My name is Antoine Girard.”
Julien frowned.
“The auditor?”
“Yes.”
Julien stood.
“What do you want?”
“I worked on your father's case.”
His heart pounded.
“Then you helped destroy him.”
Antoine was silent.
“Yes,” he said finally. “I did.”
Julien gripped the phone.
“Why are you calling?”
“Because I have something you need to see.”
Julien closed his eyes.
“What?”
“Evidence that your father was framed.”
The room seemed to disappear.
Julien sat down slowly.
“Where?”
“I've provided copies to investigators. But there's also a personal letter.”
“From whom?”
“Madeleine Delcourt.”
Julien stopped breathing.
Antoine continued.
“She wrote it for you before she died.”
Julien stared at the wall.
For years, he had believed Madeleine was part of the family that destroyed his father.
Now she had apparently left him a letter.
“Why?” he whispered.
Antoine answered quietly.
“Because she wanted you to know who your real enemy was.”
Julien closed his eyes.
May you like
Then Antoine said something that made his blood run cold.
“Julien, Victor Lemaire is your biological father—and he knew Étienne Mercier was innocent.”
