Chapter 8 - SARAH'S OTHER SECRET
The vault also contained something Mark did not expect.
Emails between Sarah and attorney Allison Grant.
Not about Richard.
About Mark.
SARAH:
If I confront them, Mark will defend his father first.
ALLISON:
Are you sure?
SARAH:
He always does.
Mark stared.
The sentence hurt because it was true.
Before Sarah died, Mark had dismissed concerns about:
Richard’s control,
David’s spending,
family-business opacity.
He had told Sarah:
“Dad built all of this.”
And:
“David’s messy, not corrupt.”
Then one email:
SARAH:
I need evidence strong enough that Mark can’t explain it away as family style.
Mark closed his eyes.
That was why she hid the vault from him.
Not because she trusted Eli more.
Because she feared Mark’s loyalty would outrank his judgment.
He had not known his marriage contained that much doubt.
Rachel said:
“This doesn’t make you responsible for what happened.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Mark looked away.
He had spent years letting Richard define normal.
Sarah built around that.
Now Eli had been hit inside the same family hierarchy.
Pattern.
May you like
Different generation.
Same loyalty test.
