Chapter 6: The Price of Keeping Quiet
Daniel didn't speak for nearly a minute.
He stood in the kitchen with his father's letter in one hand and the bank statement in the other.
Patricia sat at the table.
Brooke remained near the counter, her handbag hanging from one shoulder.
I could hear the refrigerator humming.
Nothing else.
Finally, Daniel looked at his mother.
"How much is left?""
Patricia pressed her fingers together.
"I don't know exactly.""
"Mom.""
"Perhaps eighty thousand.""
Daniel stared at her.
"From eight hundred and forty thousand?""
She nodded faintly.
"Some investments failed.""
"Which investments?""
Brooke stepped forward.
"Daniel, this is getting out of control.""
He turned toward her.
"Stay out of it.""
Brooke looked offended.
"I've spent years helping Mom.""
"With what? Spending Dad's money?""
"Building a business!""
"Using money that wasn't yours!""
Patricia began crying again.
"Please, Daniel. I didn't want you to find out this way.""
He looked at her.
"How was I supposed to find out? After you took the rest?""
She covered her face.
I watched Daniel struggle to contain his anger.
He wasn't just discovering financial dishonesty.
He was discovering that the story he had believed about his father, his mother, and his childhood was built on missing pieces.
Brooke finally spoke.
"There's something else.""
I turned toward her.
She looked directly at Daniel.
"The trust isn't the only problem.""
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
"What now?""
"Northbridge Holdings owes money.""
"How much?""
"Almost six hundred thousand.""
He stared at her.
"Why?""
"Expansion costs. Loans. A failed property development.""
"And what does that have to do with me?""
Brooke glanced at Patricia.
Neither answered.
Then I remembered the document.
The property transfer authorization.
I felt the pieces begin to connect.
"You wanted to use our house as security.""
Brooke looked at me.
"Nobody asked you.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Answer her.""
Brooke sighed.
"Northbridge needs collateral. The bank wants additional security before renewing the credit facility.""
"Your company is in debt.""
"Temporarily.""
"And you thought you could use our home?""
Brooke raised her voice.
"You're acting as though I was trying to steal from you! I was trying to protect the family.""
I shook my head.
"By making your mother frame me?""
Brooke's expression changed.
"Don't be ridiculous.""
I opened the notebook and placed it on the counter.
"Then explain this.""
I turned to the page with the instructions.
Make Daniel choose. If Nia leaves, the house papers can be signed.
Brooke glanced at it.
Then she laughed.
"Mom writes all kinds of nonsense.""
Patricia looked up.
"Brooke...""
"Don't.""
That single word silenced her.
I stared at Brooke.
"You're not even pretending to care about your mother anymore.""
Brooke turned toward me.
"You have no idea what I've sacrificed.""
"Then tell us.""
She slammed her handbag onto the counter.
"I spent years trying to keep this family financially stable while Daniel played the perfect husband. He gets the house, the marriage, the comfortable life. I get nothing!""
Daniel looked stunned.
"Nothing? You received hundreds of thousands from Dad's trust.""
"Which I invested!""
"And lost!""
Brooke pointed at him.
"You have no idea what it takes to run a business.""
Daniel's voice became quiet.
"Apparently, it takes stealing from your own family.""
Brooke's face flushed.
She grabbed her handbag.
"Fine. Believe whatever you want.""
Then she turned toward Patricia.
"Mom, we're leaving.""
Patricia didn't move.
"Brooke...""
"I said we're leaving.""
Daniel stepped in front of the doorway.
"Not until you explain what you planned to do with the property document.""
Brooke looked at him.
Then she smiled.
It wasn't warm.
It wasn't friendly.
It was the same expression I had seen on Patricia's face when she thought nobody was watching.
"Ask your wife why she thinks she's entitled to half of everything.""
Daniel frowned.
"What?""
Brooke looked at me.
"Ask her about the insurance.""
My stomach dropped.
"What insurance?""
Brooke shrugged.
"Maybe she hasn't told you.""
Daniel turned toward me.
I shook my head.
"I don't know what she's talking about.""
Brooke opened the front door.
"Then perhaps you should ask her about the life insurance policy your father-in-law took out before he died.""
And she walked away.
That afternoon, Daniel and I returned to Rebecca's office.
We brought the letter, the bank statement, and the notebook.
Rebecca examined everything carefully.
When I mentioned Brooke's comment about insurance, she stopped typing.
"Did she say there was a life insurance policy?""
"Yes.""
Rebecca leaned back.
"That could be important.""
Daniel frowned.
"My father died twelve years ago. I thought his estate had been settled.""
"An insurance policy is separate from a trust. Do you know who the beneficiary was?""
Daniel shook his head.
"Mom handled everything.""
Rebecca made a note.
"I'll investigate what records can be obtained. In the meantime, we need to establish the exact status of the property document and determine whether any unauthorized transactions have occurred.""
She turned toward me.
"Do you have access to your husband's email or financial records?""
"Not his private accounts.""
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
"I can check.""
Rebecca nodded.
"Good. And please don't confront your mother or sister about anything further until we understand the situation.""
On the drive home, Daniel barely spoke.
At a red light, he finally said, "Do you think my mother knew all along?""
I looked out the window.
"I think the notebook answers that.""
He tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
"She raised me.""
"I know.""
"She was there when Dad died.""
"I know, Daniel.""
He swallowed.
"I don't know who she is anymore.""
I reached over and touched his arm.
"Neither do I.""
When we arrived home, Maya was sitting on the living room rug.
She looked up immediately.
"Mom!""
I smiled.
"Hey, baby.""
She ran toward me and hugged my waist.
Then she looked at Daniel.
"Are you angry with Grandma?""
He knelt down.
"No, sweetheart. I'm just trying to understand some things.""
Maya hesitated.
"Can I tell you something?""
Daniel nodded.
"Of course.""
She looked toward the staircase.
"Grandma told me not to tell you about the blue folder.""
Daniel and I exchanged a glance.
"What blue folder?"" he asked.
Maya lowered her voice.
"The one she keeps under her bed.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Did you see what's inside?""
She nodded.
"There's a picture of Grandpa, and some papers. Grandma said they're important. She told me if anyone asked, I should say I never saw them.""
Daniel stood up.
"What picture?""
Maya described an old photograph of Robert standing outside a building.
Daniel recognized it immediately.
"That's his office.""
Maya nodded.
"There's another picture too. Grandma was holding a baby.""
Daniel went completely still.
"Which baby?""
Maya shrugged.
"I don't know. It was an old photograph.""
I looked at Daniel.
His face had lost its color.
"Mom," he whispered.
He hurried upstairs.
We followed him.
Patricia's bedroom door was closed.
Daniel knocked once.
"Mom, I need to talk to you.""
No answer.
He knocked again.
"Mom?""
The door opened slowly.
Patricia stood there, holding a folded blanket.
"What?""
Daniel looked past her.
"Where's the blue folder?""
Her fingers tightened around the blanket.
"What folder?""
"The one under your bed.""
Patricia's expression changed.
For a moment, she looked almost frightened.
Then she stepped into the hallway and closed the bedroom door behind her.
"Why are you searching through my things?""
Daniel stared at her.
"Maya told us.""
Patricia turned toward my daughter.
Her face hardened.
"You promised me you wouldn't tell.""
Maya immediately moved behind me.
I stepped forward.
"Don't speak to her like that.""
Patricia ignored me.
She looked directly at Daniel.
"That folder contains things you don't understand.""
"Then explain them.""
She shook her head.
"Not now.""
"Why?""
"Because your father made mistakes.""
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
"What mistakes?""
Patricia looked toward the bedroom door.
Then she whispered:
"Your father had another child.""
Nobody moved.
Daniel stared at her.
"What?""
Patricia's eyes filled with tears.
"He had a daughter before he met me.""
Daniel shook his head.
"That's impossible.""
"Her name was Emily.""
He looked completely lost.
"Why have I never heard of her?""
Patricia pressed her lips together.
"Because I made sure you never would.""
Then, from inside her bedroom, a phone began ringing.
Patricia glanced toward the door.
Daniel noticed.
"Who's calling?""
She didn't answer.
The phone rang again.
Then Daniel stepped forward and opened the door.
A blue folder lay on the bed.
Beside it was a photograph.
A young woman stood next to Robert.
She had his eyes.
His smile.
And in her arms was a little girl.
Daniel picked up the photograph with trembling hands.
On the back, someone had written:
*Emily and her daughter, Lily — 2014.*
Daniel looked at his mother.
"Who is Lily?""
Patricia began crying.
Then she said the words that made my blood run cold.
"She's your daughter, Daniel.""
He stared at her.
"What?""
Patricia looked toward me.
Then back at her son.
"Your father knew about her before he died. And Brooke knows exactly where she is.""
Daniel's hand began shaking.
But before he could ask another question, his phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
One message.
May you like
Daniel, my name is Emily. I think it's time you learned what your family has been hiding from you.
And please, whatever you do, don't let Brooke find out that I've contacted you.
