Chapter 6: The Price of a Mitchell Name
Russell arrived forty minutes later.
He didn't come alone.
Two men in dark suits accompanied him into Nyla's apartment building.
Preston stood near the window, watching their black SUV pull into the parking lot.
"He's really coming here?"" he asked.
Nyla closed the blue ledger.
"Your father doesn't seem like the kind of man who accepts losing control.""
Preston looked at her.
"He's not my father.""
The words came out before he could stop them.
Nyla didn't respond.
A loud knock interrupted them.
Three sharp strikes.
Then Russell's voice.
"Open the door, Preston.""
Preston looked toward Nyla.
She shook her head.
"Don't.""
Another knock.
"Preston, I know you're in there.""
Preston approached the door.
"Why are you here?""
"Open it.""
"No.""
A brief silence followed.
Then Russell spoke again.
"That ledger belongs to the Mitchell family.""
Nyla walked toward the door.
"Funny. The name on the original account belongs to Thomas Carter.""
Russell's expression appeared through the narrow gap when Preston opened the door slightly.
His eyes immediately went to the blue ledger on the coffee table.
"Give it to me.""
Nyla stepped forward.
"No.""
Russell looked at her.
"You have no idea what you're holding.""
"Then explain it.""
"It's private business.""
"My father was part of that business.""
"Your father was a thief.""
Nyla's eyes narrowed.
"Then why did you pay him two hundred thousand dollars?""
Russell's face stiffened.
Preston turned toward him.
"Was it true?""
Russell ignored the question.
"Preston, come outside. We need to talk.""
"I'm not going anywhere.""
Russell exhaled.
"You're making an emotional decision.""
"You've been making decisions for me my entire life.""
Russell's voice became colder.
"I gave you everything.""
Preston stepped closer.
"You gave me a name.""
"And a future.""
"You gave me a lie.""
Russell looked at Nyla.
"She is manipulating you.""
Nyla folded her arms.
"You don't have to blame me anymore, Russell. I'm not married to your son.""
Russell's eyes flashed.
"You're the reason this family is falling apart.""
Nyla almost laughed.
"Your fiancée slept with your father, your wife concealed the truth about your birth, and you paid my father to surrender his rights. But somehow, I'm still responsible?""
Preston looked at Russell.
"Is that what happened?""
Russell didn't answer.
Instead, he stepped into the apartment.
One of the men behind him moved forward.
Nyla immediately placed herself between them and the coffee table.
"Don't touch that.""
Russell pointed at the ledger.
"That book contains confidential financial information. If you release it, you'll be exposing yourself to legal consequences.""
Preston picked up the ledger.
"Then let's call the police and a lawyer.""
Russell's expression changed.
For the first time, he looked genuinely worried.
"You wouldn't do that.""
Preston stared at him.
"Why not?""
"Because you don't understand what those records mean.""
"Then tell me.""
Russell looked toward Nyla.
"Not in front of her.""
Preston shook his head.
"She's the only person in this room who has been telling the truth.""
The sentence hit Nyla harder than she expected.
She looked away.
Russell noticed.
"You still think you can get him back?"" he asked her.
Nyla turned slowly.
"Excuse me?""
"You think exposing this family will make Preston love you again?""
Preston's face hardened.
"Stop.""
Russell continued.
"She was always obsessed with having a place in this family. That's why she kept pushing you to investigate your fertility problems. She wanted you to feel guilty.""
Nyla stared at him.
For years, she had endured comments about her inability to conceive.
She remembered Russell bringing up grandchildren at every family dinner.
She remembered him asking whether she had considered another doctor.
She remembered him telling Preston privately that a man shouldn't have to sacrifice his legacy because of his wife's medical problems.
Now he was trying to turn the same cruelty into a weapon again.
Nyla took one step forward.
"I went through medical procedures because I wanted to have a family with your son.""
Russell rolled his eyes.
"And?""
"And every time I came home crying, I had to listen to you explain how disappointed the Mitchell family was.""
Russell said nothing.
Nyla's voice trembled slightly.
"I lost a pregnancy, Russell.""
Preston looked at her.
He hadn't known.
Not the whole story.
Nyla continued.
"I was twelve weeks pregnant. I never told anyone because the doctor warned me that another pregnancy might be difficult. I wanted to tell Preston when I was ready.""
Preston looked stunned.
"Nyla...""
She raised her hand.
"Don't.""
Russell frowned.
"That's impossible.""
Nyla looked directly at him.
"Why?""
"Because if you had been pregnant, the family would have known.""
She gave a painful smile.
"That's exactly why I never told you.""
Preston sat down slowly.
He remembered the night Nyla had spent hours in the bathroom, crying.
He remembered her saying she had a terrible stomachache.
He remembered Russell calling the following morning to ask whether they had booked another fertility appointment.
He had believed his father.
He had believed that Nyla was hiding something.
Now he understood.
He had been so desperate to become a father that he hadn't noticed the woman beside him was already grieving.
"Why didn't you tell me?"" Preston whispered.
Nyla looked at him.
"Because you were already listening to everyone except me.""
The room fell silent.
Russell cleared his throat.
"Enough sentimental nonsense. Give me the ledger.""
Preston stood.
"No.""
Russell's face hardened.
"Think carefully.""
"I am.""
"You're going to destroy the company.""
Preston looked at the blue book.
"Maybe the company was built on something that should never have been hidden.""
Russell turned toward the two men.
"Get it.""
Neither moved immediately.
Preston stepped between them and the table.
"Touch that book, and I'll make sure every page is examined by an independent forensic accountant.""
Russell stared at him.
Then his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
The name displayed was Brianna.
He answered.
"What?""
Brianna's voice came through loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"Russell, you need to come back.""
"Not now.""
"Preston knows.""
Russell closed his eyes.
"Knows what?""
"Everything.""
A pause.
Then Brianna said something that made Russell's face turn white.
"The baby isn't the only secret.""
Preston snatched the phone from his father's hand.
"Brianna? What are you talking about?""
Her breathing was uneven.
"Preston, I need to tell you something before your father does.""
"Tell me.""
She began crying.
"Your mother left something else.""
Preston froze.
"What?""
"A recording.""
Russell lunged for the phone.
Preston stepped back.
Brianna's voice grew quieter.
"Margaret recorded a conversation with Russell before she died. And in that recording, he admits what really happened to Thomas Carter.""
Preston looked at Nyla.
Nyla's face had gone completely still.
"Where is it?"" Preston demanded.
Brianna whispered:
"At the Mitchell estate. Inside the safe in your father's study.""
Russell grabbed Preston's shoulder.
"Hang up!""
Preston pushed him away.
"Why?""
Russell's expression was no longer controlled.
He looked like a man watching the last pieces of his carefully protected life collapse.
Brianna spoke again.
"There's something else, Preston.""
"What?""
"The recording mentions your mother's death.""
Preston stopped moving.
His voice became barely audible.
"What about my mother's death?""
Brianna hesitated.
Then she delivered the words that changed everything.
"Your mother didn't die believing she had lost her family.""
A pause.
"She died knowing your father had arranged for her to be silenced.""
Russell dropped his phone.
And for the first time, Preston wasn't looking at him as a betrayed son.
He was looking at him as a man who might have murdered the only woman who had ever truly loved him.
*But Russell's next words were even more terrifying.*
"Preston," he whispered, "before you listen to that recording, you need to understand one thing.""
He looked directly at Nyla.
"Your mother-in-law wasn't the only person who knew what happened to Thomas Carter.""
Nyla's blood ran cold.
May you like
Russell continued.
"Your father didn't die naturally either.""
