Chapter 5 - Rebecca Was Caroline’s Secret Source
Caroline suspected someone was feeding internal project forecasts to Hawthorne Capital, a fund quietly buying debt tied to Michael’s developments.
If those projects failed, Hawthorne could acquire valuable properties cheaply.
Rachel Monroe, Michael’s former CFO, had become a Hawthorne adviser after Caroline died.
Rebecca had helped Caroline trace the money.
Michael demanded to know why Caroline never told him.
Thomas answered carefully.
“Because she thought the leak was close to you.”
The second envelope contained a photograph of Michael’s older brother, Jonathan Reed, meeting Rachel privately.
Michael’s anger rose.
Jonathan and Caroline had once been close.
When Jonathan arrived, he stared at the photograph and said something unexpected.
“Rachel was my source.”
He too had suspected financial manipulation. Rachel promised him evidence, then used their secret meeting to make Caroline suspicious of him.
The next page of Caroline’s notes confirmed it:
JONATHAN IS NOT THE LEAK. RACHEL WANTED ME TO THINK HE WAS.
Then the final envelope contained a stranger sentence:
THOMAS IS HIDING SOMETHING, BUT IT ISN’T THE MONEY.
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Thomas sat down.
Caroline, he revealed, had another child.
