Chapter 9: The Aunt Who Sold Her Sister's Secret
Aunt Patricia had always been the person who brought Christmas to our family.
She decorated the dining room, organized the presents, and made sure every guest had a place at the table.
She was the one who told me that my mother would have wanted me to be strong.
She was the one who held my hand at the funeral.
And she was apparently the person who had helped Daniel steal my inheritance.
I sat on the floor of the underground room, reading my mother's final sentence over and over.
If Patricia claims I approved the transfer, she is lying.
“She's lying,” I whispered.
Vanessa nodded.
“I think so.””
I looked at her.
“Why would my aunt do this?””
“Money.””
“That doesn't explain everything.””
“No,” Vanessa said.
“But it explains enough to start.””
Mr. Bennett arrived twenty minutes later with a second attorney.
His name was Jonathan Reed, a specialist in estate fraud.
He examined the documents without touching them directly.
Then he photographed each page and placed the originals into protective sleeves.
When he reached the medical report, he stopped.
“Where did you find this?””
“In the false bottom.””
He read it carefully.
“This needs to be reviewed by an independent medical examiner. We cannot conclude what caused your mother's death from this document alone.””
I nodded.
“I understand.””
He turned toward Vanessa.
“Were you present when Margaret collapsed?””
Vanessa looked at me before answering.
“Yes.””
“Did you administer any medication?””
“No.””
“Did anyone?””
She hesitated.
“I saw Daniel holding a small glass.””
“What was in it?””
“I don't know.””
“Did he give it to Margaret?””
“I didn't see him give it to her.””
Jonathan made a note.
“Did you report this to the police?””
“I told the hospital doctor. Daniel said the report had been corrected.””
Jonathan looked at Mr. Bennett.
“Do we have the original hospital file?””
Mr. Bennett shook his head.
“Not yet.””
“Then that's where we begin.””
I looked at the notebook.
“What about these transfers?””
Jonathan examined the entries.
“These suggest repeated unauthorized transactions. But we'll need bank records to establish the destination of the funds.””
He turned another page.
Then he stopped.
“Mr. Bennett, do you recognize this account?””
The attorney leaned forward.
His expression changed.
“Yes.””
“What is it?””
“An account belonging to a company called Northbridge Property Services.””
I frowned.
“Who owns it?””
Jonathan looked up.
“Patricia Carter.””
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
My aunt hadn't simply been helping Daniel.
She had been receiving money.
And she had apparently been doing it for years.
That afternoon, we drove to Patricia's house.
It was a large white property on the edge of town, with perfectly trimmed hedges and a stone fountain in the front garden.
I had spent countless weekends there as a child.
I remembered sleeping in the upstairs bedroom during summer holidays.
I remembered Patricia teaching me how to bake apple pie.
I remembered her telling me that family was the only thing nobody could take away.
Now I stood on her porch with my mother's documents in my bag.
She opened the door before I knocked.
“Emily.””
Her smile was warm.
Almost convincing.
“Come inside, sweetheart.””
I didn't move.
“Did Mom approve the transfer?””
Her smile disappeared.
Patricia glanced toward the driveway.
Then she opened the door wider.
“Not here.””
“Why not?””
“Because this is a private family matter.””
“You made it a private family matter when you took money from the company.””
Her expression hardened.
“Watch your tone.””
I stepped inside.
Jonathan and Mr. Bennett followed.
Patricia looked at them.
“Why have you brought lawyers into my home?””
“Because I want answers,” I said.
She walked into the living room and placed her handbag on the coffee table.
“You have been listening to people who want to destroy this family.””
“Did you receive payments from Carter Holdings?””
She stared at me.
“Those were legitimate consulting fees.””
“Two hundred thousand dollars?””
“I worked for your father.””
“Mom's letter says you helped Daniel forge the trust agreement.””
Patricia laughed.
“Your mother was very ill. She was frightened of losing control.””
“Then why does she say you were lying?””
Patricia's face turned cold.
“Because Margaret always believed the worst of me.””
I took the document from my bag.
“Did you sign the original agreement?””
She looked at it.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she sat down.
“Yes.””
The admission hit me harder than I expected.
“You did?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because Richard was destroying Daniel's future.””
I stared at her.
“By asking him to return money he had taken?””
“Daniel was trying to save the business.””
“He stole nearly half a million dollars.””
“He borrowed it.””
“He hid it.””
“He intended to repay it.””
I stepped closer.
“And Mom?””
Patricia looked toward the fireplace.
“Margaret was stubborn. She wanted everything divided equally, even though Daniel had spent years working beside Richard.””
“She wanted me to have my share.””
“She didn't understand what Daniel was capable of.””
I felt my hands shaking.
“What did you do?””
Patricia took a deep breath.
“I helped Daniel prepare the agreement. I arranged for the documents to be witnessed. I signed the paperwork as a family representative.””
“Using my signature?””
She didn't answer.
“Patricia!””
“I didn't forge your signature.””
“Then who did?””
She looked at Jonathan.
“I won't answer questions in front of strangers.””
Jonathan placed a business card on the table.
“You are welcome to have your own attorney present. But you should understand that these documents may form part of a criminal investigation.””
Patricia laughed nervously.
“Criminal investigation? Don't be absurd.””
I placed the bank statement beside her handbag.
“Northbridge Property Services.””
Her eyes dropped to the paper.
The color drained from her face.
“How did you get that?””
“Mom kept records.””
Patricia stood.
“You have no idea what you're doing.””
“Then explain it.””
She walked toward the window.
For a moment, she looked like the aunt I remembered.
Then she turned around.
“Your mother wanted to take everything from Daniel. She was going to change the trust, remove him from the company, and give you control.””
“Why?””
“Because she believed you were more trustworthy.””
I stared at her.
“Was I?””
Patricia's jaw tightened.
“She thought so.””
“And you helped Daniel stop her?””
“I was protecting him.””
“From what?””
“From losing everything.””
I shook my head.
“He had a wife, a career, a home, and a company position. I had nothing but Dad's old house.””
“You always had Richard's affection.””
The words were so unexpected that I almost laughed.
“Is that what this was about?””
Patricia looked away.
“You don't understand.””
“No. I don't. So tell me.””
Her voice suddenly became bitter.
“Margaret always got everything. The house. The business.
Richard's attention. Even when we were children, our parents treated her like she was special. I was always the one standing beside her, waiting for someone to notice me.””
I stared at her.
“So you helped her son steal from her?””
“I wanted what I deserved.””
“And what did Mom deserve?””
Patricia's face twisted.
“Don't pretend she was innocent.””
I stepped closer.
“Did you know she was going to collapse that morning?””
Patricia didn't answer.
“Did you know Daniel was going to confront her?””
Nothing.
“Did you give him something to use against her?””
She suddenly slapped the table.
“Enough!””
The sound made everyone jump.
“You think your mother was some perfect woman? She had secrets too!””
I froze.
“What secrets?””
Patricia looked at me.
Then she said something that made Mr. Bennett immediately stand.
“Ask your father who your real biological father was.””
The room fell silent.
I stared at her.
“What?””
Patricia gave a bitter smile.
“You really don't know?””
Mr. Bennett stepped between us.
“Patricia, stop.””
But she continued.
“Richard knew. Margaret knew. And Daniel knew long before you did.””
My knees felt weak.
I looked at Mr. Bennett.
“Is that true?””
He didn't answer.
I turned back to Patricia.
“Who is my biological father?””
She opened her handbag.
From inside, she removed an old photograph.
It showed my mother standing beside a man I had never seen.
He was tall, dark-haired, and wearing a military uniform.
On the back was a handwritten name.
*Thomas Whitaker — 1989.*
I looked at the date.
I had been born in 1990.
“Who is he?””
Patricia's voice became almost gentle.
“Your mother loved him before she married Richard.””
I shook my head.
“That's impossible.””
“Richard knew you might not be his daughter. He raised you anyway.””
I felt the room closing in.
“Why are you telling me this?””
“Because you should know why he gave you everything.””
I looked at her.
“What does that mean?””
She leaned closer.
“Because he knew you weren't his. And he spent thirty-four years trying to make up for it.””
I wanted to scream.
I wanted to run.
But before I could say anything, Jonathan's phone rang.
He answered, listened for several seconds, and then looked directly at me.
“Emily, we've received preliminary information from the bank.””
“What information?””
“The $1.2 million withdrawal from your mother's account was transferred into a company registered under Thomas Whitaker's name.””
My heart stopped.
“Thomas?””
Jonathan nodded.
“And there's something else.””
He turned his phone toward me.
A photograph appeared on the screen.
It showed an older man leaving a private bank.
Beneath the photograph was a caption.
*THOMAS WHITAKER — ACCOUNT HOLDER.*
I stared at the screen.
The man who might have been my biological father had received the money my mother had spent years protecting.
But the date beneath the photograph was only three weeks earlier.
Thomas Whitaker was still alive.
And according to the bank records, he had been meeting someone from my family.
May you like
Someone whose name appeared beside his account.
*Daniel Carter.*
