Not anger.
Not shock.
Nothing.
Then his hands began shaking.
"She stole from my children."
Martin spoke carefully.
"We don't know the full extent yet."
Adrian stood so quickly that the chair moved backward.
"She stole from my children."
"Adrian."
"My mother created this for them."
"I know."
"And Victoria took it."
"We need to determine where the money went."
Adrian began walking toward the window.
His reflection stared back at him.
For months he had told himself that Victoria had acted out of obsession.
She wanted him.
She had removed Clara.
She had hidden the pregnancy.
She had intercepted messages.
It was monstrous, but at least he had understood the motive.
Now another possibility existed.
Maybe Victoria hadn't only wanted Adrian.
Maybe she had wanted what surrounded him.
The family.
The businesses.
The money.
The name.
The future.
"How much is left?"
Martin hesitated.
"Approximately three hundred thousand."
Adrian turned.
"Out of two million?"
"Yes."
"Where did the rest go?"
"We're tracing it."
"To Victoria?"
"Some of it."
"How much?"
"At least six hundred thousand can be connected to accounts that benefited companies associated with her family."
Adrian stared.
"And the rest?"
"We don't know yet."
He looked back at the paperwork.
"Why didn't anyone catch this?"
Martin's shame was obvious.
"The amendment contained your mother's signature. It was notarized. Victoria was already known to the family. At the time, she claimed your mother wanted the structure changed because she was concerned about Clara controlling the money."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"Of course she did."
"I should have spoken directly to your mother."
"Yes."
"I know."
Adrian's anger rose.
"You absolutely should have."
Martin did not defend himself.
"You're right."
The quiet admission left Adrian with nowhere to direct the next wave of rage.
He walked back to the desk.
"What happens now?"
"We investigate."
"No."
Adrian placed both hands on the desk.
"We don't hide this inside conference rooms. We don't make calls to protect reputations. We don't settle anything quietly because someone's last name is important."
Martin looked at him.
"What do you want?"
"The truth."
Adrian pointed to the documents.
"Every account. Every transfer. Every person who signed something. Every person who knew."
"That could include members of your family."
"I know."