Chapter 5: The Secret in My Father's Will
I spent the night staring at my grandfather's letter.
The house was silent.
Vanessa hadn't returned, and Emily had taken our mother to her apartment so she wouldn't have to sleep in the house where she'd been locked away.
Lauren had left after arranging a meeting with the independent trustee the following morning.
But I couldn't sleep.
The sentence kept repeating in my head.
If Michael Harris discovers the truth about his birth...
At 6:15 a.m., I called my mother.
She answered after several rings.
"Michael?""
"Mom, I need to ask you something.""
Her voice sounded tired.
"What's wrong?""
"Grandpa's letter mentions my birth.""
There was a long silence.
Then I heard her exhale.
"I was afraid this day would come.""
I sat up.
"Afraid of what?""
"Come over. We need to talk.""
I arrived at Emily's apartment twenty minutes later.
My mother was sitting near the window, wearing a cream-colored sweater. A cup of tea rested between her hands.
Emily was in the kitchen preparing breakfast.
Neither of them looked surprised to see me.
I placed the letter on the table.
"Mom, what did Grandpa mean?""
She stared at the handwriting.
For several seconds, she didn't speak.
Then she reached into a drawer and pulled out an old photograph.
It showed my mother standing beside my grandfather in front of a lake.
They were both smiling.
On the back was a date.
Thirty-four years earlier.
"Michael," she said quietly, "your grandfather wasn't just your grandfather.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
She looked directly at me.
"He was your biological father.""
The room went silent.
I stared at her.
"No.""
"I'm sorry.""
"No, Mom. That's impossible.""
My mother began to cry.
"Your father knew.""
I stood up.
"You're telling me the man I called Dad knew that Grandpa was my real father?""
She nodded.
I walked toward the window.
My childhood suddenly seemed to rearrange itself.
The family photographs.
The strange distance between my grandfather and my father.
The way my grandfather always called me his special boy.
The way my father sometimes looked at me when he thought nobody was watching.
I turned around.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?""
My mother wiped her cheeks.
"Because your father loved you.""
"That doesn't answer the question.""
She nodded.
"You're right.""
She took a deep breath.
"Your father and I were married when I became pregnant. Our marriage was already falling apart. Your grandfather had been helping us financially, and one evening, everything came out.""
I sat down slowly.
My mother continued.
"Your father wanted a divorce. Your grandfather wanted to take responsibility. But your father refused to let you grow up believing you were unwanted.""
"So he raised me as his own?""
"He raised you as his son because you were his son in every way that mattered to him.""
I looked at the photograph.
"Did Grandpa know?""
"He knew everything. He also knew that his family would never accept the truth.""
Emily came out of the kitchen holding two plates.
She stopped when she saw my expression.
"What happened?""
I looked at her.
"Grandpa was my biological father.""
Emily slowly placed the plates down.
"What?""
Our mother nodded.
Emily sat beside me.
"Does that mean...""
I understood her question.
"Yes. We have the same biological father.""
Emily covered her mouth.
For a moment, none of us spoke.
Then my mother reached across the table.
"Your grandfather wanted you both protected. That's why he created the trust.""
I looked at her.
"But why was Emily the beneficiary?""
"Because he knew your father had already provided for you through his own estate. He wanted Emily to have something that belonged entirely to her.""
"Then why didn't you tell us?""
My mother looked down.
"Because he made me promise.""
I shook my head.
"Mom, secrets don't protect people forever.""
"I know.""
She pulled another envelope from the drawer.
This one was addressed to me.
My name was written in my grandfather's familiar handwriting.
I opened it carefully.
Inside was a letter.
Michael,
If you're reading this, then the truth has finally reached you.
I have loved you since before you were born. I watched you grow into a man, and I have regretted every day that I couldn't tell you who I really was.
Your father raised you with more love than I could ever have asked for. Never mistake his silence for weakness.
I established the trust for Emily because I wanted her future protected. I established a separate reserve for you because I knew one day the truth might create conflict.
But there is one person I never trusted with either arrangement.
I stopped reading.
Emily leaned closer.
"Who?""
I continued.
Vanessa Harris.
My hands went cold.
The letter explained that my grandfather had met Vanessa once, years before our wedding.
She had accompanied me to a family gathering.
Apparently, she had asked several questions about the estate.
He had noticed.
He had also noticed how quickly she became interested in my financial situation.
The final paragraph was underlined.
If Vanessa ever attempts to control your mother's property or Emily's inheritance, do not assume she is acting alone. I discovered that someone in my family has been providing her with confidential information.
I looked up.
"Someone in the family?""
My mother nodded.
"Your grandfather suspected it, but he never proved it.""
I continued reading.
At the bottom was a name.
*Thomas Harris.*
My father's younger brother.
My uncle.
I leaned back.
"Uncle Thomas?""
Emily frowned.
"He hasn't spoken to us in years.""
"Exactly.""
My mother looked frightened.
"He called me three months ago.""
I turned toward her.
"What did he want?""
"He asked whether I still had your grandfather's original trust papers.""
"Did you tell him?""
"No.""
"Why?""
"Because he told me something that frightened me.""
"What?""
She swallowed.
"He said Vanessa was not the first person who had tried to access the estate.""
Emily looked at me.
"What does that mean?""
My mother shook her head.
"I don't know.""
I checked my phone.
There were six missed calls from Vanessa.
One voicemail.
I played it.
Her voice sounded unusually calm.
"Michael, I know you've been speaking to Lauren. I know about the letter. Please don't believe everything she tells you. Your grandfather made mistakes, and some of those mistakes could destroy this family.""
I stopped the recording.
Then another message appeared.
*We need to talk about Thomas.*
I stared at the screen.
A second message followed.
*He was the one who introduced me to Richard Cole.*
I looked at Emily.
"Did you know Uncle Thomas was involved?""
She shook her head.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A man's voice came through.
"Michael, it's Thomas.""
I stood up.
"What do you want?""
"I heard you've been asking questions.""
"Where have you been for the last twelve years?""
He ignored that.
"Listen carefully. Your wife is in trouble, but she isn't the person you should be worried about.""
"Then who?""
There was a pause.
"Your mother.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"She's sitting right here.""
"Then tell her to check the locked drawer in her bedroom. The one your father told her never to open.""
I looked at my mother.
Her face had gone completely white.
"What's in the drawer?"" I demanded.
Thomas lowered his voice.
"Proof that the inheritance was never meant to go to Emily.""
Then he hung up.
My mother slowly stood.
"Michael...""
I looked at her.
"What's in that drawer?""
May you like
She began shaking her head.
"Please. Don't make me open it.""
