Chapter 7: My Mother Wasn't Innocent
"Mom, who visited you the night Dad died?""
My mother stood beside the kitchen table, gripping its edge so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
She didn't answer.
Robert Hayes slowly closed his leather folder.
Richard Collins looked from her to me.
"Margaret," he said gently, "I think it's time you told Marcus everything.""
My mother shook her head.
"Not everything is as simple as Daniel makes it sound.""
I stared at her.
"Then make it simple.""
She looked at me, tears gathering in her eyes.
"Elaine came to the house that night.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"After Dad died?""
She nodded.
"What did she want?""
"She wanted the blue folder.""
I glanced at Robert.
He didn't look surprised.
"Did you give it to her?"" I asked.
My mother closed her eyes.
"Yes.""
I stepped backward.
"Why?""
"She said your father had promised it to her. She said there were documents inside that belonged to Daniel.""
"And you believed her?""
"I didn't know what to believe!""
Her voice cracked.
"Your father had just died. I was alone with two boys. Elaine was threatening to expose the affair. She told me that if I didn't cooperate, she'd make sure Daniel was taken away from us.""
I shook my head.
"Daniel was fourteen. You were his guardian.""
"She said she had evidence that I wasn't his biological mother and that I had no legal right to keep him.""
Richard interrupted.
"That wouldn't automatically have given Elaine custody.""
My mother looked at him.
"I know that now.""
I rubbed my forehead.
"So you handed her my father's records?""
She nodded.
"And what happened to them?""
"I don't know. She took the folder and left.""
Robert leaned forward.
"Margaret, did you see what was inside?""
"No.""
"Did you read any of the documents?""
She hesitated.
Then she slowly nodded.
"One.""
"What document?""
My mother walked to the cabinet and pulled out a small envelope.
"I kept this.""
She placed it on the table.
Inside was a photocopy of a single page.
Richard examined it.
His expression changed immediately.
"What is it?"" I asked.
He turned the paper toward me.
It was a shareholding certificate.
My father's name appeared at the top.
Below it was a handwritten note confirming that a significant portion of the company's original ownership had been transferred into a private trust.
But there was another name.
Thomas Reed.
I looked at Robert.
He nodded.
"That's the original agreement.""
"Why is it important?""
"Because Thomas never actually sold all his shares. Your father purchased operational control, but a portion remained protected under a separate agreement.""
I looked at the certificate again.
"So Northbridge Capital never owned those shares?""
"Not legally," Richard replied.
"At least, not based on this document.""
Robert leaned back.
"Your father and Thomas had reached a settlement. Elaine knew about it. That's why she wanted the blue folder.""
I turned toward my mother.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
She began crying again.
"Because Elaine came back six months later.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"She said the documents weren't enough. She wanted Daniel to have the shares. She threatened to tell you everything about your father.""
"And you gave her more money?""
My mother nodded.
"From the family account.""
I stared at her.
"How much?""
"Three hundred thousand dollars.""
The room went silent.
I couldn't believe it.
My mother had spent twenty years allowing Elaine to take money from the family.
And now Vanessa and Daniel had continued the same arrangement.
"Did you ever tell Daniel?"" I asked.
"No.""
"Why?""
"Because I wanted him to grow up believing he belonged here.""
I looked at the woman who had raised me.
For the first time, I wondered whether protecting Daniel had become more important to her than protecting me.
Robert quietly spoke.
"There's something else you should know.""
He opened his folder and removed a photocopy of an old letter.
"Your father wrote this three days before he died.""
I read it.
Robert,
I have discovered that the original ownership agreement has been copied. Elaine believes she can use the duplicate to challenge the trust.
I am concerned that Margaret has been frightened into helping her.
If anything happens to me, make sure Marcus receives the original records.
My hands went cold.
"Did Dad think someone was going to hurt him?""
Robert shook his head.
"I don't know. But he was frightened.""
I looked at the letter again.
"Why didn't you come forward?""
"Because your father asked me to wait until the trust became active. I was trying to respect his wishes.""
Richard shook his head.
"That doesn't explain why you allowed fraudulent transfers to continue.""
Robert's expression hardened.
"I didn't know about all of them. By the time I discovered the payments, Elaine had already built a complicated financial structure.""
I turned toward him.
"Who else is involved?""
Robert looked at the table.
"That's what I've been trying to find out.""
My phone vibrated.
A message from Vanessa.
Please come home. I need to tell you something before Daniel does.
I read it twice.
Then I showed Richard.
He immediately shook his head.
"Don't go alone.""
I nodded.
But I knew I had to see her.
Vanessa was standing in the living room when I arrived.
She wore the gray sweater I'd bought her for Christmas.
Her eyes were swollen.
The champagne bottle from her birthday was still on the coffee table.
Daniel wasn't there.
"Where is he?"" I asked.
"At the police station.""
I looked around.
"Where's your mother?""
"She left.""
I turned toward Vanessa.
"Start talking.""
She walked toward the sofa.
"Marcus, I know you hate me.""
"That's not what we're discussing.""
She took a shaky breath.
"My mother told me to marry you.""
I stared at her.
"Why did you agree?""
"Because she said it would protect Daniel.""
"From what?""
"From losing his inheritance.""
I laughed bitterly.
"So you married me to steal my inheritance?""
"No. I thought I could convince you to share it.""
"By sleeping with my brother?""
She covered her face.
"I didn't plan that.""
"Eight months is a long accident, Vanessa.""
She began crying.
I didn't move.
Finally, she reached into a drawer and removed a small flash drive.
"My mother gave me this.""
I stared at it.
"What's on it?""
"Copies of the original documents. Bank transfers. Emails. Everything.""
"Why are you giving it to me now?""
She looked directly into my eyes.
"Because I found something about your father.""
My heart began beating faster.
"What?""
She swallowed.
"Your father didn't die from a heart attack.""
I stepped closer.
"How do you know?""
"Because my mother told me.""
"Your mother was there?""
Vanessa nodded.
"She said your father was going to change his will. He had discovered that Daniel's inheritance had been manipulated.""
I stared at her.
"And?""
Vanessa's voice dropped.
"She said he threatened to expose everyone involved.""
I looked at the flash drive.
"Did she tell you what happened that night?""
Vanessa nodded.
Then she said something that made my knees weaken.
"My mother told me she was the last person to see your father alive.""
I slowly took the flash drive.
"Why are you telling me this?""
Vanessa looked toward the front window.
"Because she knows you've found the storage unit.""
A car pulled into the driveway.
Vanessa's face went white.
"Marcus, you need to leave.""
"Why?""
She grabbed my arm.
"Because my mother isn't running from you.""
The front door handle began turning.
May you like
Vanessa whispered:
"She's coming to finish what she started.""
