My Wife Stole My Daughter’s Future to Give Her Sons Everything

For several seconds, I couldn't speak.

Richard Sloan was Lily's biological grandfather?

I looked at the photograph again.

My father had been sitting in a hospital bed, looking exhausted and frightened. Richard stood beside him with one hand resting on the bedrail.

The caption on the back was written in my father's handwriting.

The man who visited Dad the night before he died.

I pressed the phone against my ear.

"Margaret, explain exactly what you mean.""

My aunt took a shaky breath.

"Richard was Lily's maternal grandfather. Her mother, Emily, was his only daughter.""

I sat down.

Emily.

Lily's mother.

The woman I had loved before she died in a car accident when Lily was three.

I knew her father had been wealthy, but I had never met him. Emily had been estranged from her family for years.

She rarely discussed her childhood.

When I asked, she simply said her father was a controlling man who believed money gave him the right to decide how everyone should live.

I had respected her decision to keep her distance.

After she died, I received a letter from a lawyer claiming Richard wanted to establish contact with Lily.

I declined.

I didn't want a stranger appearing in my daughter's life while she was grieving her mother.

And I certainly didn't want someone who had made Emily miserable influencing her childhood.

"Why didn't you tell me he was involved with Patricia?"" I asked.

"Because your father asked me not to. He was trying to establish what Richard wanted.""

"And what did he want?""

Margaret hesitated.

"Custody.""

My stomach tightened.

"Full custody?""

"He claimed that you were incapable of providing Lily with the lifestyle she deserved. He wanted to take her to live with him.""

I stood.

"He had no right.""

"That's what Robert believed.""

I walked to the window.

"And Vanessa?""

"Richard approached Patricia first. He knew she was struggling financially. He offered to help her in exchange for information about your father's estate.""

I closed my eyes.

Suddenly, several things made sense.

The mysterious transfers.

The forged documents.

Vanessa's determination to gain control of Lily's trust.

But one question remained.

"Why would Richard need Vanessa to take money from Lily's inheritance if he wanted custody of her?""

Margaret answered quietly.

"Because he wanted to prove that your household was financially unstable. He wanted evidence that Lily's inheritance had been mismanaged.""

I felt my jaw tighten.

"Then he could use that against me in court.""

"Exactly.""

I called Daniel immediately.

He listened without interrupting.

When I finished, he said, "We need to investigate Richard's involvement before making any assumptions. A financial arrangement doesn't automatically establish a custody conspiracy.""

"Understood.""

"Also, Marcus, don't contact Richard directly.""

I agreed.

But before we ended the call, Daniel mentioned something that made me reconsider everything.

"There's a family court filing from three years ago. Richard attempted to obtain visitation rights shortly after your marriage.""

"Why wasn't I informed?""

"The application was withdrawn before service was completed.""

"Who withdrew it?""

Daniel paused.

"Your wife.""

I stared at the wall.

Vanessa had secretly communicated with Richard while telling me she wanted nothing to do with Lily's maternal family.

She had known exactly who he was.

That evening, I confronted her.

She had returned to collect some belongings while Lily was at school.

When she saw me holding the court document, she stopped.

"What's that?""

"Richard Sloan's custody application.""

Her face changed.

"Where did you get it?""

"Does it matter?""

She placed her handbag down.

"Marcus, I can explain.""

"You always say that.""

She looked away.

"Richard contacted me after we got married.""

"What did he want?""

"To know how Lily was doing.""

"And you told him?""

"Yes.""

I felt something twist in my chest.

"Did you tell him about her school, her routine, her trust?""

She remained silent.

"Vanessa.""

"I gave him information.""

"What information?""

"Her school. Her activities. Your work schedule.""

I stepped backward.

"You gave a stranger my daughter's schedule?""

"He's her grandfather!""

"He's a man Lily has never met!""

"He has a right to know about her.""

"Not when her mother spent years protecting her from him.""

Vanessa raised her voice.

"Emily was unreasonable. Richard loved her!""

"Then why did she leave?""

"Because she was stubborn.""

I stared at her.

That was the moment I realized Vanessa had never cared about understanding Emily.

She had simply seen another person whose history could be used to justify her decisions.

"Did Richard pay you?""

She looked down.

I repeated the question.

"Did he pay you?""

Finally, she whispered, "He helped me.""

"With what?""

"Some debts.""

"How much?""

She didn't answer.

I placed the bank statement on the counter.

"Was it the seventy-five thousand dollars?""

Vanessa's eyes widened.

"Who told you about that?""

"Nobody. I found it.""

She sank into a chair.

"Richard said he would make sure the money was replaced.""

I stared at her.

"Why would he give you money?""

"Because he wanted Lily to have opportunities.""

"Then why did you take money from her trust?""

Vanessa began crying.

"Because Patricia said we needed to make the financial records look a certain way.""

"What way?""

"Like the trust had been used for household expenses. Like you had been taking money out for yourself.""

I felt sick.

"You're saying you deliberately created evidence against me?""

She shook her head.

"Not exactly.""

"Then explain.""

She covered her face.

"Patricia said Richard wanted to show that you were financially irresponsible. She told me if we cooperated, he would pay off my debts and make sure Caleb and Noah had everything they needed.""

I looked at her for a long moment.

"And Lily?""

Vanessa lowered her hands.

"Richard said she would be better off with him.""

The silence was unbearable.

I picked up my phone.

"Daniel needs to know about this conversation.""

Vanessa grabbed my wrist.

"Please, Marcus.""

I pulled away.

"You should have thought about that before you involved my daughter.""

She stood.