Chapter 10: The Marriage That Was Never Supposed to Happen
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
I stared at my father's handwriting.
Everything belongs to Nia, provided she never marries Marcus Reed.
I read it again.
Then a third time.
The words didn't change.
My father had specifically named the man I eventually married.
He had known Marcus's original surname.
He had known something about him.
And he had tried to prevent our marriage before I ever understood why.
"That's impossible," I whispered.
Daniel took the document from Charlotte and examined the signature.
"Where did you get this?""
"From a storage unit my mother maintained," Charlotte answered.
"She gave me the key shortly before she disappeared.""
I looked at her.
"Your mother?""
Charlotte nodded.
"Helen. Our mother.""
The word sounded strange.
Our mother.
For thirty-eight years, I had believed I was an only child. Now I was standing in a room with a sister who had known my mother in ways I never would.
"Why didn't you come to me sooner?"" I asked.
Charlotte's eyes filled.
"Because Marcus found me first.""
I turned toward him.
He was standing beside the staircase, his hands in his pockets.
"Explain," I said.
Marcus shook his head.
"She's lying.""
Charlotte opened another folder.
"Then explain the payment you made to my former landlord.""
She placed a bank transfer on the table.
It showed a payment of $75,000 to a property management company in Boston.
The date was three years earlier.
"That money was supposed to convince me to sign a document," Charlotte continued.
"What document?""
"A release of interest in the family trust.""
Daniel examined the transfer.
"Who authorized it?""
Charlotte pointed at Marcus.
"His office.""
Marcus laughed.
"That doesn't prove anything.""
Charlotte removed another sheet.
"This one does.""
It was an email.
From Marcus.
To Vanessa.
Get Charlotte to sign before the end of the quarter. If she refuses, remind her that her biological identity can become public. She won't want the attention.
I felt sick.
He had threatened my sister with exposing the very secret our mother had spent decades trying to protect.
I looked at him.
"How could you?""
He gave me a cold stare.
"Because your father left behind a mess.""
"My father left behind a family.""
"Your father left behind money, Nia. That's all anyone cared about.""
"Then why did he write that condition into his will?""
Marcus didn't answer.
Daniel was studying the document.
"There's a problem.""
I turned.
"What?""
"The will is validly executed on its face, but it appears to have been superseded by a later document.""
"What later document?""
He opened his briefcase and removed a copy.
"An amendment filed six months before your father's death. It removed the marriage condition and transferred certain voting rights into a separate trust.""
I stared.
"Who filed it?""
Daniel checked the signature page.
"Evelyn.""
Everyone turned toward her.
She was standing near the fireplace, gripping the back of a chair.
"I didn't understand what I was signing.""
Daniel's expression hardened.
"Mrs. Carter, you signed as the authorized trustee.""
"Marcus told me it was temporary.""
Marcus stepped forward.
"Mother, don't make this worse.""
She looked at him.
"You told me Nia would be protected.""
"I was protecting the company.""
"No," Evelyn whispered.
"You were protecting yourself.""
Marcus's face darkened.
I walked toward him.
"Why did my father forbid me from marrying you?""
He looked at me for a long time.
Then he gave a small, exhausted laugh.
"Because he knew who my father was.""
I frowned.
"Your biological father?""
"Robert Reed.""
I glanced at Patricia.
She nodded slowly.
Marcus continued.
"Robert worked for your grandfather. He managed several private investment accounts. When money disappeared, your grandfather blamed him.""
"What happened?""
"He was arrested. He lost everything.""
Patricia stepped forward.
"That's not the whole story.""
Marcus turned toward her.
"Don't.""
"Robert stole the money," she said.
"He admitted it before he died.""
Marcus's face changed.
"You're lying.""
Patricia shook her head.
"Your father was involved in an investment scheme with two other men. He used company funds, lost them, and blamed your grandfather when the scheme collapsed.""
Marcus stared at her.
For the first time, he looked genuinely lost.
I turned toward Daniel.
"Did my father know?""
Daniel nodded.
"Your father discovered the connection years before your engagement. That's likely why he included the restriction.""
I remembered the night Marcus proposed.
My father had pulled me aside afterward.
He had looked at Marcus across the restaurant and said, "Nia, I want you to be absolutely certain.""
I had thought he was being protective.
I had told him he was being unfair.
I had accused him of not trusting the man I loved.
And he had simply kissed my forehead.
"Just promise me you'll keep your eyes open.""
I had promised.
Then I had spent twelve years closing them.
Daniel placed both versions of the will into separate folders.
"The court will need to determine which document controls. But we now have evidence that the later amendment may have been obtained through misrepresentation.""
Marcus shook his head.
"You're not going to overturn anything.""
Daniel looked at him.
"We'll see.""
At that moment, Vanessa spoke.
"There's something you should all know.""
She had been sitting quietly near the window.
Her face was pale, and the diamond ring was still on her finger.
"Marcus didn't just want the company.""
I looked at her.
"What else?""
"He wanted Nia to sign a new marital property agreement.""
My stomach tightened.
"When?""
"Three months ago.""
I remembered.
Marcus had brought a thick document home one evening and told me it was an updated estate-planning arrangement.
He had said it would make things easier if anything happened to either of us.
I had signed the first two pages.
Then Daniel had called about an unrelated family matter, and I had left the document unfinished.
"Where is it?"" I asked.
Vanessa looked at Marcus.
"In his office.""
Daniel immediately took out his phone.
"We need to secure that document.""
Marcus laughed.
"You're all acting as though I've committed some enormous crime.""
Vanessa reached into her handbag.
"Then explain why the agreement transfers Nia's voting shares to you in the event of a divorce.""
I felt my blood run cold.
"What?""
Vanessa placed a photograph of the agreement on the table.
At the bottom was my signature.
But the signature was dated three months earlier.
I had never signed that page.
Daniel examined it.
"This appears to be a forged signature.""
Marcus finally lost his composure.
"Enough!""
He grabbed his briefcase.
One of the security officers stepped in front of him.
"Sir, please remain here.""
Marcus looked around the room.
His mother.
His biological mother.
His mistress.
My sister.
My attorney.
For the first time, he had no one left to impress.
Then he looked at me.
"You think you've won?""
I didn't answer.
He leaned closer.
"You haven't even discovered what happened to the original will.""
My stomach tightened.
"What original will?""
He smiled.
"The one your father kept in his office safe.""
Daniel went still.
"The safe was emptied after his death.""
Marcus nodded.
"Exactly.""
He looked at me.
"And the person who removed it was you.""
I shook my head.
"I never went into his office.""
Marcus's smile widened.
"Maybe you should check your old bank records.""
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded receipt.
He dropped it onto the table.
It was a storage facility receipt.
My name was printed at the top.
May you like
The date was four days after my father's funeral.
And the signature was mine.
