Arthur's Confession
Chapter 06 - Arthur's Confession
Arthur's recorded voice filled Nora's living room.
"I owe you an apology."
Claire sat motionless.
Ethan stood behind her.
Arthur continued.
"I watched my family become a business long before I realized the business had stopped being a family."
He admitted he had spent years ignoring Vivian's increasingly aggressive financial decisions.
After Ethan's father died, Vivian had become obsessed with protecting the Cross name.
At first, Arthur admired her determination.
Then he became afraid of it.
"Your mother believes losing money is the worst thing that can happen to a person," Arthur said to the camera. "She's wrong."
Ethan turned away.
Arthur explained the secret accounts.
He had moved assets because he discovered Vivian was borrowing enormous sums to hide Cross Development's losses.
But there was something worse.
One of the companies receiving payments belonged to someone named Michael Dane.
Claire recognized the name.
Ethan didn't.
"Who's Michael?" she asked.
Ethan shook his head.
Arthur answered from the screen.
"Michael Dane is Vivian's brother."
Ethan stared at the television.
"My mother doesn't have a brother."
Apparently, she did.
Arthur described a family secret buried for more than thirty years.
Vivian had grown up poor in rural Ohio.
Her younger brother Michael had been arrested for fraud at twenty-two.
When Vivian married into the Cross family, she cut him out of her life and told everyone she was an only child.
Years later, Michael returned.
He needed money.
Then more money.
Eventually, he discovered enough Cross family secrets to make himself dangerous.
Arthur believed Vivian had been paying him for years.
"Blackmail," Claire whispered.
Ethan's face changed.
Suddenly Vivian's desperation looked different.
It didn't excuse her cruelty.
But it explained the fear behind it.
The video ended with Arthur speaking directly to Claire.
"Do not save the company because you think you owe us something."
Arthur paused.
"Save the people if they deserve saving."
The screen went black.
Ethan sat down.
"My entire life is a lie."
Claire looked at him.
"No."
He laughed bitterly.
"Claire—"
"Your mother lied. Your grandfather hid things. That doesn't make your life a lie."
Ethan looked at her.
"It makes your choices more important."
For the first time, she saw him truly understand.
Then his phone rang.
Samuel Reed.
Ethan answered.
After a brief conversation, he placed the phone on speaker.
Samuel sounded worried.
"Michael Dane arrived in Chicago this morning."
Claire and Ethan exchanged a glance.
"Why?" Claire asked.
May you like
Samuel hesitated.
"Because someone told him Claire now controls the Cross Building."
