Chapter 6: The Recording He Tried to Erase
Nobody moved.
My mother's voice continued playing from the small recorder.
"Daniel, you keep asking me to change the trust. I've already explained that I won't.""
There was a pause.
Then Daniel's voice.
"You don't understand the situation, Eleanor.""
My mother gave a tired laugh.
"I understand perfectly. You want access to money that doesn't belong to you.""
"I want to protect Nia.""
"Then stop lying to her.""
I looked at my husband.
His face had become almost colorless.
Madeline leaned closer to the recorder.
"That's my mother.""
I nodded.
The recording continued.
Daniel sounded younger, but the arrogance in his voice was unmistakable.
"You're making this harder than it needs to be.""
"Because you're asking me to betray my daughter.""
"She's my wife.""
"And Madeline is my daughter too. I won't allow either of them to become your financial safety net.""
There was a long silence.
Then Daniel said something that made my entire body stiffen.
"What if I told you I know what happened to Thomas?""
I turned toward Mr. Bennett.
Madeline's mouth fell open.
My mother didn't answer immediately.
Then her voice became quiet.
"What did you say?""
Daniel continued.
"You heard me.""
"Thomas has been dead for years.""
"Yes. But you don't know everything about the circumstances.""
I felt my stomach twist.
My biological father.
The man I had never known.
What had Daniel discovered about him?
My mother spoke again.
"Stay away from my daughters.""
Daniel laughed.
"You can't protect them forever.""
The recording stopped.
I stared at the device.
"That's it?""
Mr. Bennett nodded.
"That's the first part.""
"Where is the rest?""
He looked toward Daniel.
"Your husband has it.""
Daniel immediately shook his head.
"That's nonsense.""
Mr. Bennett placed a second file on the desk.
"Then perhaps you can explain why the original recording was deleted from the hospital archive two days after Eleanor's death.""
Daniel's jaw tightened.
Madeline looked between us.
"Why would he delete it?""
I turned toward her.
"Because it contains something he doesn't want us to hear.""
Daniel suddenly slammed his hand against the desk.
"Enough!""
His voice echoed through the office.
"You two are being manipulated by a bitter old man who wants revenge.""
Mr. Bennett remained calm.
"Then explain the edited recording.""
Daniel looked at Madeline.
"She doesn't know anything about our business.""
Madeline straightened.
"Don't talk about me as though I'm not here.""
Daniel pointed at her.
"You wanted your inheritance. I was helping you get it.""
"You told me my mother hated Nia.""
"She did.""
"That's not what the letters say.""
Daniel looked away.
Madeline picked up the assignment document and tore it in half.
Then she tore it again.
"I won't sign anything.""
Daniel stared at her.
"You have no idea what you're doing.""
"Neither do you, apparently.""
He turned toward me.
"Nia, we need to talk privately.""
I shook my head.
"We're done talking privately.""
"Don't be stupid.""
The words came out before he could stop himself.
Madeline looked at him.
Mr. Bennett slowly closed his briefcase.
And I finally understood why Daniel had always insisted that our disagreements remain behind closed doors.
He didn't want witnesses.
He wanted control.
I picked up my handbag.
"Where are you going?"" he demanded.
"To see my mother's attorney.""
"You're not going anywhere with Bennett.""
I looked at him.
"You don't get to decide that anymore.""
Then I walked out.
Madeline followed.
Mr. Bennett came last.
Outside, the morning air felt unusually cold.
I stopped beside the car.
"Madeline.""
She turned.
"Yes?""
"Did you know about me before Daniel contacted you?""
She shook her head.
"I knew Eleanor had another daughter. I just didn't know where you were.""
"Did you ever try to find me?""
Her eyes filled.
"Twice.""
I frowned.
"What do you mean?""
"After my mother died, I found an old address in her papers. I sent letters there. Both were returned.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"What address?""
She showed me a photograph of the envelope.
It was addressed to our house.
The house Daniel had claimed we owned together.
The first letter was dated four years earlier.
The second was dated three years earlier.
I stared at the handwriting.
"Daniel never gave me these.""
Madeline nodded.
"I figured that out when he contacted me.""
I closed my eyes.
For years, I had believed I was alone.
Meanwhile, my sister had been trying to reach me.
And my husband had apparently made sure we never met.
"Why did he contact you now?"" I asked.
Madeline hesitated.
"He said he needed someone to help him challenge the trust.""
"Why would you agree?""
"Because he told me Eleanor had left me out of everything. He said you knew and had refused to share.""
I looked at her.
"Did you believe him?""
"At first.""
She lowered her voice.
"Then he showed me the recording.""
I thought about the edited video.
"Did he tell you where he got it?""
"No. But he said he had the original documents and that I could only receive my inheritance if I helped him.""
I felt anger rising in my chest.
"He used you.""
Madeline nodded.
"Just like he used you.""
We stood silently for a moment.
Then she reached for my hand.
"I don't know you yet, Nia. But I don't want to fight you.""
I squeezed her fingers.
"Neither do I.""
For the first time since the anniversary dinner, I felt I wasn't completely alone.
But that feeling didn't last long.
My phone rang.
Richard Cole.
I answered.
"Richard?""
"Mrs. Carter, where are you?""
"On my way to your office.""
"Don't come here.""
I stopped walking.
"Why?""
"Because Daniel has filed an emergency application to freeze the estate.""
I looked at Mr. Bennett.
"What?""
"He claims there is evidence of financial misconduct involving you and your mother's trust.""
I almost laughed.
"He's accusing me?""
"Yes. And he's submitted documents bearing your signature.""
I closed my eyes.
Another forged signature.
Another attempt to make me responsible for his crimes.
"Can you prove they're fake?""
"Possibly. But there's a bigger problem.""
"What?""
Richard lowered his voice.
"Daniel has also submitted a document claiming your mother transferred her controlling interest in Whitmore Properties to him before she died.""
I stared at the pavement.
"That's impossible.""
"I know. But the document has been notarized.""
Mr. Bennett stepped closer.
"Ask him who notarized it.""
I repeated the question.
Richard went silent.
Then he answered.
"An attorney named James Holloway.""
I looked at Mr. Bennett.
He shook his head.
"That's not possible," he whispered.
I covered the phone.
"Who is James Holloway?""
Mr. Bennett looked toward the street.
"He's the attorney who witnessed your mother's original trust agreement.""
My stomach dropped.
"Then how could he sign Daniel's document?""
Mr. Bennett's expression darkened.
"Because James died two years ago.""
I felt the world shift beneath my feet.
A dead attorney had notarized a document transferring my mother's company shares to my husband.
Richard continued speaking.
"Mrs. Carter, there's something else.""
I pressed the phone closer.
"What?""
"The court has accepted Daniel's application for an emergency hearing.""
"When?""
"Tomorrow morning.""
I looked at Madeline.
Then at Mr. Bennett.
"Can we stop it?""
Richard hesitated.
"We can challenge the documents. But we need the original recording, the original trust agreement, and proof that Daniel forged your authorization.""
I looked down at the USB drive in my handbag.
"Then we'll bring everything.""
Richard's voice became almost apologetic.
"There's one complication.""
"What now?""
"The court has also received a statement from someone claiming to have witnessed your mother sign the transfer.""
"Who?""
Richard paused.
Then he said a name I had never expected to hear.
"Your mother-in-law, Patricia Carter.""
I went completely still.
Daniel's mother.
The woman who had hugged me at our wedding.
The woman who had sat beside me at my mother's funeral.
The woman who had once told me I was the daughter she never had.
I remembered her last visit to our house.
She had brought flowers, kissed my cheek, and asked whether I was still keeping my mother's old jewelry.
At the time, I thought she was being sentimental.
Now I wondered whether she had been searching for something.
"Richard," I whispered, "what exactly did Patricia claim?""
He took a breath.
"She claims she was present when your mother signed the transfer.""
I looked at Mr. Bennett.
He seemed just as stunned as I was.
Then Richard added:
"She also claims your mother told her that Daniel was the rightful heir to Whitmore Properties.""
My hands began shaking.
Because if Patricia was lying, she was risking her reputation to protect her son.
But if she was telling the truth about being present at the hospital, it meant she knew far more about my mother's final days than I had ever imagined.
I ended the call.
Madeline touched my arm.
"What's wrong?""
I looked at her.
"Daniel's mother has joined his side.""
Mr. Bennett shook his head.
"No. I don't think that's what happened.""
I frowned.
"What do you mean?""
He looked at the photograph of my mother and Thomas.
Then he said something that made my blood run cold.
"Patricia Carter wasn't just present when your mother died.""
He paused.
"She was the last person Eleanor asked to leave the hospital room.""
And before I could ask why, my phone vibrated again.
This time, it was a message from an unknown number.
There was no greeting.
No explanation.
Just a photograph of my mother in her hospital bed, taken on the day she died.
May you like
Beneath it were seven words:
*Ask Patricia what happened that night.*
