Chapter 4 - THE REAL THIEF
Richard refused to speak.
The assistant was taken into custody.
The documents were sent for forensic examination.
Three hours later, the results arrived.
The money had been stolen years earlier.
Not by my mother.
Not by Richard.
By someone else.
Someone who had been controlling the accounts from the beginning.
My father's brother.
Arthur.
I had never met him.
He had supposedly died before I was born.
But the investigation showed otherwise.
Arthur had created the shell companies.
He had manipulated the stock.
He had framed Richard.
Then he convinced my grandfather to blame my father.
My mother had discovered the truth.
She started taking money from Claire's account because she needed funds to keep Arthur from finding the hidden trust.
But that didn't excuse what she had done.
She had still stolen from Claire.
She had still abused my pregnant wife.
And she had still lied.
We returned home.
My mother was sitting alone.
I placed the documents in front of her.
“Tell me everything.”
She cried.
“I was scared.”
“You hurt Claire.”
“I know.”
“You stole from her.”
“I know.”
“You lied about Richard.”
“I know.”
“Why didn't you ask me for help?”
She looked at me.
“Because I knew you would choose Claire.”
I stared at her.
“Yes.”
She nodded.
“That is why.”
My voice became quiet.
“You were afraid I'd protect my wife.”
She looked down.
“Yes.”
I couldn't understand how fear had turned my mother into someone I barely recognized.
Then Claire walked into the room.
My mother looked at her.
“I am sorry.”
Claire didn't answer immediately.
Then she said:
“You don't have to love me.”
My mother looked up.
“But you will never hurt my child again.”
Evelyn nodded.
“I won't.”
The police arrived moments later.
They had found Arthur.
He had been living under another name.
May you like
And he had one request.
He wanted to speak to me.
