I Sold My Company For $120 Million And Retired To Santorini. My Nephew Kept Asking About My Will While Holding A Poisoned Bottle Of Wine. I Decided To Play Dead To See His True Colors.
“Elena, wait. Think about this. If they find him down there… the investigation, the press, the questions. Wouldn’t it be better if—”
He trailed off.
“Better if what?”
Her voice was sharp with hysteria and anger.
“I’m just saying. An old man, retirement party, heart attack at a scenic overlook. It’s tragic, but natural. Nobody needs to know about the cliff. We could say he collapsed in his room, died peacefully.”
A long silence followed. Then Elena’s voice came through, cold and deadly.
“You want to cover up my father’s death?”
“I’m trying to protect his legacy! Protect you from—”
“From what? An inheritance you think you deserve more than me?”
“That’s not—Elena, listen to yourself. You’re emotional, you’re not thinking clearly.”
“Get away from me!”
Movement sounded above.
“Maria, call the police. Tell them there’s been an attempted murder.”
“Elena, don’t be ridiculous—”
“I saw you! I saw you push him!”
I heard scuffling. Derek’s voice was panicked now.
“You’re making a mistake! That money should be managed by someone who understands it! Someone who won’t waste it on charity projects and foundations!”
“So this is about the money.”
Elena’s laugh was bitter.
“My god, Derek. We grew up together. I trusted you.”
“Trust?”
Derek’s voice rose.
“You want to talk about trust? I’ve watched you coast on your last name while I work twice as hard for half the recognition! I’ve watched Vincent hand everything to you just because you’re his daughter!”
He yelled.
“Do you know what it’s like being the charity case? The nephew who’s here because his father died? I earned this! I deserved a piece of that 120 million! And instead, Vincent was going to give it all away to strangers!”
“So you tried to kill him.”
“I tried to take what should have been mine!”
The Arrest
Sirens sounded in the distance. I hung on the railing, my arms screaming, and listened to my nephew confess to my murder. I should have felt triumphant; instead, I just felt sad.
Benjamin’s voice joined the chaos above.
“Derek Palmer, you’re under arrest for attempted murder. I’ve already called the authorities. They’re on their way.”
“You can’t, Benjamin! You’re a corporate lawyer, you don’t have—”
“I also sit on the board of the local police foundation, and I’ve recorded this entire conversation.”
A pause.
“Vincent? Are you all right down there?”
I called up.
“I’ve been better, but I’ll live.”
More screams came from Elena, but they were different this time. They were relief and joy.
“Dad! Dad, you’re alive!”
“Barely,”
I grunted.
“Someone want to help me up before my arms give out?”
It took three of them—Benjamin, Maria, and Elena—to pull me back over the wall. I collapsed on the terrace, every muscle shaking. Elena threw her arms around me, sobbing.
Derek stood against the far wall, his face ashen.
“This isn’t—I can explain.”
“Save it for the police,”
Benjamin said.
They arrived 15 minutes later along with an ambulance. The paramedics checked me over. I had bruised ribs, strained shoulders, and mild shock, but nothing was broken.
They wanted to take me to the hospital, but I refused. I wanted to see this through. The police took Derek away in handcuffs.
He didn’t look at me as they led him past. He looked at the ground, at his hands, at anywhere but my eyes.
Rebuilding the Bond
That night, I sat with Elena on the terrace, the same spot where I’d nearly died. We didn’t speak for a long time. Finally, she spoke.
“I brought him into your company. I vouched for him.”
“You didn’t know.”
“I should have. The signs were there. He was always comparing himself to others, always talking about who deserved what. I thought it was just ambition. I thought—”
Her voice broke.
“I almost lost you because of my blindness.”
I took her hand.
“You didn’t lose me. I’m right here.”
“Why didn’t you tell me what he was planning?”
“Because I wasn’t sure. Because I needed to protect you from the possibility that I was wrong, that I was paranoid. And because—”
I paused.
“Because I knew if I told you, you’d try to stop me from getting proof. And we needed that proof.”
“You used yourself as bait.”
“I did.”
“That was incredibly stupid.”
“It was.”
She laughed through her tears.
“Mom would have killed you.”
“Your mother probably is killing me, wherever she is.”
We sat in silence again. Then Elena spoke.
“Dad, I’m taking a leave of absence from my firm. Three months, maybe six.”
“Elena, you don’t have to.”
“Yes, I do. You were right. Mom was right. I’ve been making the same mistakes you did, putting work above everything else. I almost lost you without ever really knowing you. The real you. Not just the Sunday phone calls and quarterly visits.”
She squeezed my hand.
*”Teach me who you are. Tell me about Mom. About your life before success. About the things that matter.”
My throat tightened.
“I’d like that.”
“And Dad? The foundation idea? I want to help. Not just with money, but with time. Real time.”
