Chapter 4: The Woman Behind The Lie
The next morning, I woke up before sunrise.
I hadn’t slept much.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Ryan standing in that doorway.
I saw him pushing my suitcase outside.
I saw the look on his face when he told me goodbye.
But now I saw something else.
Fear.
Not mine.
His.
Sophie was sleeping beside me in the guest room, her tiny chest rising and falling.
I watched her for a long time.
That was when I made a decision.
I was done begging people to tell me the truth.
I was going to find it myself.
Grandmother was already awake when I entered the kitchen.
She had coffee in one hand and a folder in the other.
“You were expecting me to come down here, weren’t you?””
She smiled slightly.
“I know you.””
I sat across from her.
“What do we do?””
She opened the folder.
“We start with Linda.””
The name alone made my stomach tighten.
I hated that.
I hated that someone could have so much power over my emotions.
Grandmother placed several documents on the table.
“Your mother noticed patterns.””
“Patterns?””
“Money disappearing. Decisions being made without permission. People being told different stories.””
I studied the papers.
“Why didn’t anyone stop her?””
“Because people like Linda don’t walk around looking like villains.””
Grandmother looked toward the window.
“They look helpful.””
That was the hardest part.
Linda had always looked helpful.
She brought food after Sophie was born.
She offered to babysit.
She told me I was like the daughter she never had.
And I believed her.
Because I wanted to.
Because after becoming a mother, I was exhausted.
I wanted family.
I wanted support.
I wanted to believe the people around me loved me.
Grandmother tapped one of the papers.
“There’s something else.””
I looked up.
“What?””
“She wasn’t just moving money.””
My stomach dropped.
“What else?””
“She was collecting information.””
“About me?””
“Yes.””
I felt a chill.
“Why?””
Grandmother looked at me.
“That’s the question.””
For the rest of the morning, we searched through everything we could find.
Old messages.
Financial records.
Documents.
Anything that could explain why Ryan and Linda had both suddenly turned against me.
Then I found something.
A transfer.
Not from Grandmother.
From Ryan.
To an account I didn’t recognize.
I stared at the number.
“What is this?””
Grandmother leaned closer.
“Do you know that account?””
I shook my head.
“No.””
She reached for her phone.
“We need help.””
A few hours later, we met with the bank manager again.
He reviewed the information carefully.
Then he looked at me.
“Mrs. Carter, I need to ask you something.””
“What?””
“Did your husband ever ask you to sign any financial documents after Sophie was born?””
I thought back.
There had been paperwork.
So much paperwork.
Insurance.
Hospital bills.
Baby expenses.
“I signed things.””
“Without reading everything?””
My silence answered.
The manager nodded slowly.
“That may be important.””
My heart sank.
“What are you saying?””
“I’m saying someone may have used a period when you were vulnerable.””
The word hit me.
Vulnerable.
That was exactly what I had been.
Tired.
Overwhelmed.
Trusting.
I looked at Grandmother.
Her face had changed.
She wasn’t just angry anymore.
She was determined.
“We need copies of everything,” she said.
The manager nodded.
“I’ll help however I can.””
When we stepped outside, my phone rang.
This time, it wasn’t Ryan.
It was Linda.
I stared at her name.
Grandmother noticed.
“Answer.””
I hesitated.
Then I did.
“Hello?””
Linda’s voice was calm.
Almost gentle.
“Emily, sweetheart.””
My stomach turned.
“Where are you?””
“That’s not important.””
“It is to me.””
A pause.
Then she sighed.
“I know you’re upset.””
I almost laughed.
Upset.
That was what she called it.
“Did you take my grandmother’s money?””
Silence.
A long one.
Then Linda said something that made my blood run cold.
“Your grandmother always had too much control over your life.””
I gripped the phone.
“What?””
“She made you dependent on her.””
“No. She helped me.””
“She made you weak.””
I felt my face heat.
“You stole from me.””
Linda’s voice became sharper.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.””
“Then explain.””
Another pause.
Then she whispered:
“You should have listened to Ryan.””
My heart stopped.
Because that was the first time she admitted it.
She wasn’t surprised.
She wasn’t confused.
She was involved.
And before she hung up, she said one final thing.
“Emily, you need to understand something.””
May you like
I waited.
“You were never supposed to find out.””
