Chapter 8: The Twelve-Million-Dollar Secret
I read the trust agreement three times.
Twelve million dollars.
A fortune I had never known existed.
A fortune my mother had protected for nearly thirty years.
And a fortune Richard Carter had apparently been trying to claim since the day I was born.
Alexander studied the document.
"Who established this trust?""
Dr. Brooks adjusted her glasses.
"Margaret Collins's parents. They owned several commercial properties and a manufacturing company. Their daughter was their only child.""
"Why wasn't Claire informed?""
"Because she was an infant when Margaret died. Eleanor was appointed guardian and later trustee.""
I looked at the doctor.
"Did Richard know about the money?""
"He knew there was an inheritance. He believed he could challenge the adoption and claim it on your behalf.""
"But I was legally adopted.""
"Yes. And the trust was established in your name. Richard had no legal entitlement to it.""
I looked down at the agreement.
There was a clause near the bottom.
The beneficiary shall receive full control upon reaching the age of thirty.
I turned toward Alexander.
"My thirtieth birthday was four years ago.""
He nodded.
"Then we need to determine why the trust wasn't transferred.""
Dr. Brooks looked uncomfortable.
"Because your mother requested an extension.""
"Why?""
"She believed someone was attempting to access the funds illegally.""
I thought of Nathan's signature.
The forged estate documents.
The messages from an unknown number.
Everything seemed connected.
"Who was trying to access it?""
The doctor hesitated.
"Richard Carter.""
I leaned forward.
"How?""
"He submitted a claim arguing that he was your biological father and that your adoption had been fraudulent.""
I stared at her.
"But he wasn't my father.""
"Correct.""
"Then why did nobody tell me?""
Dr. Brooks lowered her eyes.
"Your mother wanted to protect you from the legal battle.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Everyone keeps saying that.""
Alexander closed the folder.
"Dr. Brooks, do you have evidence of Richard's claim?""
She nodded.
"I have copies of the correspondence.""
She handed him a separate envelope.
Inside were letters from Richard's attorney, dated over several years.
The earliest was from twenty years ago.
The most recent was dated just two months before Mother's death.
Alexander read silently.
Then his expression changed.
"Claire.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
He handed me the final letter.
It contained a proposed settlement.
Richard had demanded three million dollars from the trust.
In exchange, he would withdraw his claim.
But the settlement had been rejected.
By Eleanor Carter.
My mother.
I felt a strange mixture of pride and sadness.
Even when she was sick, she had refused to let him take what belonged to me.
"There's another signature," Alexander said.
I looked down.
The letter had been copied to a second recipient.
Nathan Hayes.
I closed my eyes.
"Of course.""
Dr. Brooks leaned forward.
"I should tell you something else.""
"What?""
"Your mother visited me six weeks before she died.""
I looked at her.
"What did she say?""
"She told me that Richard had contacted Stephanie. She was afraid he would use your sister to gain access to the trust.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Did she know Stephanie was involved?""
"She suspected it.""
"Then why didn't she tell me?""
Dr. Brooks looked at me sadly.
"Because she believed you would try to save your sister.""
I couldn't answer.
She was right.
Even after everything Stephanie had done, part of me still wanted to believe there was something good left between us.
We left Dr. Brooks's house with copies of the original records and a promise that she would cooperate with the investigation.
Outside, Alexander received a call.
He listened for several seconds.
Then he turned toward me.
"Mr. Bennett has an update.""
"What happened?""
"Stephanie has been at his office for the past hour.""
I frowned.
"Why?""
"She's trying to withdraw her involvement in the estate transfer.""
I looked at him.
"Can she do that?""
"Not if the documents were already submitted.""
He ended the call.
"We should go back.""
When we arrived at Bennett & Associates, Stephanie was sitting alone in the reception area.
Her hair was messy.
Her expensive coat was folded across her lap.
She stood as soon as she saw me.
"Claire.""
I stopped.
"What's happened?""
She glanced at Alexander.
"Can we talk alone?""
"No.""
Her face fell.
"Please.""
Alexander looked at me.
I nodded.
He walked toward the attorney's office.
Stephanie approached me.
"I didn't know about the twelve million.""
I stared at her.
"How did you find out?""
"Dad called me.""
"When?""
"An hour ago.""
I folded my arms.
"What did he want?""
"He said you were going to take everything.""
I almost laughed.
"Everything?""
She began crying.
"He told me the estate was supposed to be ours. He said Mom had promised him the money years ago.""
"Mom didn't own Margaret's trust.""
"I know that now.""
"Do you?""
Stephanie reached into her handbag and pulled out a folded document.
"I found this in Dad's briefcase.""
I opened it.
It was a private agreement between Richard and Nathan.
The terms were simple.
If Nathan helped secure the estate transfer, Richard would pay him five hundred thousand dollars.
Stephanie would receive a separate payment of two million.
But there was another condition.
The money would only be released if I signed a declaration challenging my adoption.
I looked at her.
"Did you know about this?""
She nodded slowly.
"Yes.""
"When?""
"Three months ago.""
I felt something inside me break.
"Stephanie.""
She wiped her face.
"I thought it was just a legal formality.""
"You thought I would sign away my identity for money?""
"No!""
"Then why did you agree?""
She looked at the floor.
"Because I was scared.""
"Of what?""
"Richard said he would expose something about me.""
I stared at her.
"What could he possibly expose?""
Stephanie looked toward the attorney's office.
Then she whispered:
"He's my biological father.""
I blinked.
"Yes. We already knew that.""
She shook her head.
"No, Claire. I mean he isn't the man I thought he was.""
My stomach tightened.
"What are you talking about?""
She took a trembling breath.
"Richard didn't just abandon us twenty years ago. He came back into my life when I was seventeen.""
I waited.
"He told me things about Mom. Things about her marriage. Things about the night you were born.""
"Get to the point.""
Stephanie looked directly at me.
"He's not my biological father either.""
For a moment, I couldn't process the words.
"But Dr. Brooks said—"
"She said Richard believed I was his daughter. She never said he was.""
Stephanie pulled another paper from her handbag.
A DNA test.
The results were dated three weeks earlier.
Richard Carter.
Stephanie Carter.
Probability of paternity: 0%.
I stared at the page.
"Where did you get this?""
"Richard ordered it. He wanted to make sure before he approached the trust.""
I felt the room tilt.
"So he isn't your father?""
She shook her head.
"And Mom knew.""
I looked at the test again.
"Who is?""
Stephanie started crying harder.
"I don't know.""
Then she said something that made my blood run cold.
"But there's something else. Richard told me that if I ever found out who my real father was, I should never tell you.""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
She leaned closer.
"Because the man is still alive.""
Before I could respond, Mr. Bennett's office door opened.
He stood in the doorway holding a document.
"Claire, Alexander, there's been a development.""
He looked at Stephanie.
"Your father has filed an emergency petition to freeze the twelve-million-dollar trust.""
I stared at him.
"On what grounds?""
Mr. Bennett hesitated.
"He's claiming that the original adoption was fraudulent and that both daughters were illegally removed from their biological families.""
Alexander stepped forward.
"Can he do that?""
"Not successfully without evidence.""
"Does he have evidence?""
The attorney looked down at the document.
"Apparently, he has a DNA report identifying the biological father of both girls.""
My hands went cold.
"Who?""
Mr. Bennett looked at me.
Then he gave the answer I wasn't prepared to hear.
"According to this report, both Claire and Stephanie share the same biological father.""
He turned the page.
May you like
The name was printed in bold.
*Alexander Whitmore.*
