Chapter 7: The Secret My Wife's Sister Was Hiding
Nia didn't cry after Camille disconnected the call.
That frightened me more than tears would have.
She sat at the kitchen table, staring at her phone while the folded petition lay between us. Her fingers rested against her stomach, moving slowly as if she were trying to reassure the baby.
Brielle stood near the front door.
"Marcus, I swear I didn't know Camille was involved.""
I turned toward her.
"You knew enough to help Mom prepare a fake paternity report.""
"I didn't prepare it!""
"You helped her contact the hospital.""
"I thought she was just gathering information.""
"You accepted a hundred thousand dollars to help her take control of my child's inheritance.""
Brielle lowered her head.
"I know how it sounds.""
"It sounds exactly like what you did.""
She wiped her cheeks.
"Mom said Nia was hiding something. She said there was a reason she didn't want anyone asking questions about the pregnancy.""
I looked at my wife.
Nia finally raised her eyes.
"Marcus, I need to speak to Camille alone.""
I hesitated.
"Are you sure?""
She nodded.
"She's my sister. Whatever this is, I need to hear it from her.""
I understood.
I asked Brielle to leave, then walked into the study to give Nia privacy.
Twenty minutes passed.
Then thirty.
I was reviewing Daniel's emails when I heard Nia's voice rise.
"No, Camille! You don't get to say that!""
I stood immediately.
When I entered the living room, Nia was holding her phone away from her ear.
Camille's voice was coming through the speaker.
"Nia, please listen to me. I never wanted this to happen.""
Nia was crying now.
"Then why did you let Diane use your name?""
"I didn't know she was going to file anything.""
"But you signed something!""
"It was just a statement.""
"What statement?""
There was a pause.
Then Camille said something that made me stop.
"I told her you had been struggling emotionally after the pregnancy.""
Nia stared at the phone.
"You told her I was unstable?""
"I was worried about you.""
"Worried enough to help someone take my baby?""
"That's not what I agreed to!""
I stepped closer.
"Camille, this is Marcus.""
Silence.
Then she answered quietly.
"I know.""
"Good. Then answer me directly. What did my mother ask you to sign?""
Camille hesitated.
"She asked me to confirm that Nia had told me she was afraid she wouldn't be able to handle motherhood.""
I frowned.
"Did Nia ever tell you that?""
"No.""
"Then why did you sign it?""
"Because Diane said she needed it for a family counseling appointment.""
I looked at Nia.
Her expression had gone completely blank.
"Did you know the document was going to be used in a custody petition?"" I asked.
"No.""
"Did you know she was preparing a guardianship agreement?""
"No.""
"Did you know she had ordered a fake paternity report?""
Camille didn't answer.
That silence was enough.
"Camille?""
Finally, she whispered, "She showed me something.""
"What?""
"A document from your father's estate.""
My chest tightened.
"What document?""
"She said Robert had written a letter before he died. A letter explaining why he didn't want Nia raising the baby without supervision.""
I stared at the phone.
"My father never said that.""
"That's what I thought.""
"What do you mean?""
Camille took a breath.
"Because the letter was dated six months after he died.""
I felt my stomach drop.
Nia covered her mouth.
"What?"" I asked.
Camille continued.
"I noticed the date. I asked Diane about it. She said it was a clerical mistake.""
"Did you believe her?""
"No.""
"Then why did you sign the statement?""
Camille began crying.
"Because she told me she would help pay for my husband's surgery.""
Nia's expression changed.
"David's surgery?""
Camille nodded, even though Nia couldn't see her.
"His insurance wouldn't cover everything. Diane said she had money available, and she would help if I cooperated.""
Nia closed her eyes.
My mother had been using financial desperation to recruit people into her plan.
First Brielle.
Now Camille.
I asked, "How much did she give you?""
"Nothing.""
"Did she promise you money?""
"She promised to pay the hospital directly.""
"And did she?""
"No.""
I looked at Nia.
She seemed physically exhausted.
"Camille," she said quietly, "I need you to tell me one thing.""
"Anything.""
"Did Diane ever tell you why she wanted the baby?""
Camille went silent.
Then she said:
"She told me the child was the only way to unlock your father's trust.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"Explain.""
"She said the trust would become available when Marcus became a father. But she believed there was a condition that allowed the family to appoint a guardian if the mother was considered unsuitable.""
Daniel had mentioned the trust's restrictions.
But not that.
"Did you see the original trust documents?"" I asked.
"No. Diane showed me photocopies.""
"Where are they?""
"She keeps them in a locked cabinet at her house.""
Nia looked at me.
"Marcus, why would my mother-in-law need to convince my sister that I'm an unfit mother?""
I had no answer.
Camille suddenly spoke again.
"There's something else.""
"What?"" Nia asked.
"Diane told me your baby wasn't supposed to be raised by you two.""
My blood ran cold.
"What does that mean?""
Camille started crying harder.
"She said someone had already agreed to take the baby.""
Nia stood abruptly.
"Who?""
Camille whispered:
"Rebecca.""
I stared at the phone.
"Rebecca Cole?""
"Yes.""
"Why would Rebecca want our child?""
"I don't know. Diane said Rebecca had been waiting for this opportunity for years.""
Nia shook her head.
"That's insane.""
Camille's voice trembled.
"She said Rebecca couldn't have children of her own. She wanted to adopt.""
I felt something twist in my stomach.
My mother had not only been trying to make herself guardian.
She had apparently been arranging for someone else to receive our child.
"Did you sign anything agreeing to this?"" I asked.
"No. I only signed the statement about Nia.""
"Send me a copy.""
"I will.""
"And Camille?""
"Yes?""
"If you have anything else, anything at all, you tell us now.""
She hesitated.
Then she said:
"I have a recording.""
Nia looked up.
"What recording?""
"Something Diane said when she thought I had already left her house.""
"What did she say?""
Camille took a breath.
"She was talking to Rebecca about the baby's birth.""
I leaned closer.
"What about it?""
Camille whispered:
"They were discussing how to make sure Nia wouldn't be allowed to hold the baby immediately after delivery.""
The call ended shortly afterward.
Nia sat down.
I knelt beside her.
"Sweetheart, we're going to get to the bottom of this.""
She shook her head.
"Why would anyone want to separate me from my baby?""
I took both her hands.
"Because they think they can control something that belongs to us.""
She looked at me.
"And what if they can?""
I kissed her forehead.
"They can't.""
My phone buzzed.
A message from Daniel.
I have something important. Call me immediately.
I stepped into the study.
"What happened?""
Daniel sounded unusually tense.
"We obtained a copy of the trust's original beneficiary instructions.""
"And?""
"Your mother was not simply trying to become guardian.""
I waited.
"She was trying to trigger a clause that would release a separate $450,000 management fund.""
I gripped the phone.
"Management fund?""
"Yes. The person appointed to manage your child's inheritance receives a substantial administrative allowance. Your mother would have controlled that money if her appointment had been accepted.""
I closed my eyes.
"Who else could receive it?""
"An independent trustee. Or someone appointed by the court under the trust's terms.""
I thought of Rebecca.
Then I remembered Camille's warning.
"Daniel, do you know anything about Rebecca Cole?""
There was a pause.
"Yes.""
"What?""
"She was named as a proposed alternate guardian in a document submitted to the trust administrator yesterday.""
I felt my blood turn cold.
"Yesterday?""
"Yes.""
"Who submitted it?""
Daniel took a breath.
"Your mother.""
I looked through the study doorway.
Nia was sitting alone on the sofa.
And suddenly, I realized that my mother wasn't improvising.
She had a plan.
May you like
A detailed plan.
And she was getting closer to putting it into motion.
