Diane knows more than she admits. But she isn't the only one.

Below it was a name.

Grant Mercer.

Chapter 4: The Man Behind the Gate

Grant Mercer was the chairman of Mercer Holdings.

Walter knew the name.

Ten years earlier, Mercer's company had purchased land throughout the Millbrook region. They had built housing developments, shopping centers, and resorts.

But Walter had never met Grant personally.

The next morning, a black car stopped outside the farm.

A man in his sixties stepped out.

Black suit.

Polished shoes.

Perfectly controlled smile.

Grant Mercer.

Walter was standing near the equipment shed.

Noah was nearby.

Grant smiled.

“Mr. Hayes.”

“I don't remember inviting you.”

“We need to talk.”

Walter looked at Noah.

“Go inside.”

“No.”

Noah answered.

“I'm staying.”

Grant smiled.

“The boy is like you.”

Walter crossed his arms.

“What do you want?”

Grant looked across the fields.

“Such a shame. All this land, and you're still only growing corn.”

Walter said nothing.

“Diane went too far.”

Grant continued.

“But this doesn't have to become a war.”

Walter stared at him.

“She works for you?”

“No.”

Grant smiled.

“She works for the interests of the county.”

“And you?”

“For the future.”

Walter laughed once.

“Men like you always call money the future.”

Grant's smile disappeared.

“You could sell. I'll make you a generous offer.”

“No.”

“I haven't even told you the price.”

“The answer is still no.”

Grant looked toward Noah.

“What are you going to leave him? An old farm?”

Walter looked at his grandson.

Then he answered.

“I'm going to leave him a choice.”

Grant stepped closer.

“You don't understand.”

“Maybe not.”

Walter said.

“But I understand one thing. You want this land very badly.”

Grant remained silent.

Walter continued.

“And the more you want it, the more certain I am that I should never sell it.”

Grant left.

But the confrontation was far from over.

Two days later, the official investigation expanded.

Data from Diane's phone showed repeated contact between her and employees at Mercer Holdings before the gate was locked.

Emails were discovered.

Secret payments.

And a development proposal titled:

MILLBROOK WATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.

Grant hadn't simply wanted to build.

He wanted to control the underground water source and sell extraction rights to private companies.

Diane had been promised a position on the project's management board.

Years earlier, her father had discovered a similar plan.

He had stopped it.

That was why he left the records for Walter.

Diane knew.

And she had spent years trying to finish what her father had prevented.

But the final evidence came from the person Diane had dismissed as “just a teenager.”

Noah.

For months, he had helped Walter install cameras around the farm after strangers began entering the property at night.

The cameras recorded Diane meeting an employee of Mercer Holdings near the eastern field.

The dates matched the documents.

The evidence was undeniable.

Grant Mercer was summoned for questioning.

Diane was officially suspended.

The entire town began talking about Millbrook Farm.

But Walter didn't celebrate.

One evening, Noah found him sitting on the front porch.

“Grandpa?”

Walter looked up.

“Yeah?”

“We won, right?”

Walter stared toward the gate.

The chain had been removed.

But the old padlock remained on the table beside him.