Chapter 8: My Mother's Last Warning
I read the letter twice before I could bring myself to continue.
My mother's words were written in blue ink on cream stationery.
The edges had yellowed.
There were small water stains near the bottom, as though she'd written it while crying.
Mr. Collins sat quietly across from me.
I finally looked up.
"Did you know what this said?""
"No. Your mother sealed it herself.""
I looked back at the letter.
My darling Nia,
There are things I should have told you when you were old enough to understand. I chose silence because I believed keeping you away from the past would keep you safe.
I was wrong.
My throat tightened.
I continued reading.
Your grandfather established the Carter Family Trust in 1998. It included the downtown property, several investment accounts, and the house where you grew up.
Thomas Reed was appointed financial administrator.
I paused.
The name from the photograph.
The name Vanessa had mentioned.
For three years, Thomas managed the accounts without incident. Then I discovered that several transfers had been made without authorization. When I confronted him, he claimed the money had been used to maintain the properties.
I asked for receipts.
He gave me forged documents.
My fingers tightened around the paper.
The letter continued.
I reported the missing funds to the trust's legal representatives. Thomas was removed from his position. But the money was never recovered.
I looked at Mr. Collins.
"How much money?""
He opened another file.
"Approximately $640,000 in 1998.""
I stared at him.
"That's enormous.""
"It was.""
I looked back at the letter.
Thomas blamed me for his dismissal. He claimed I had destroyed his reputation to take control of the trust. He threatened to come after our family.
I thought he was bluffing.
Then your grandmother discovered something I hadn't.
I stopped.
"What?""
Mr. Collins leaned forward.
"Keep reading.""
Your grandmother found evidence that Thomas had been working with another person inside the family. Someone who had access to our signatures, bank records, and property documents.
My eyes moved to the next line.
I never believed it was possible until I saw the handwriting.
I felt a chill run down my back.
The person was my own sister.
I looked up.
"My mother had a sister?""
Mr. Collins nodded slowly.
"Your mother's younger sister. Margaret.""
I had heard that name only once.
My mother had said she moved abroad when I was very young.
I'd never met her.
"Was she involved in the fraud?""
"According to this letter, possibly.""
I kept reading.
Margaret disappeared shortly after the investigation began. Your grandmother believed she had taken the original settlement agreement and several financial records.
Thomas disappeared too.
But the most painful part was what happened afterward.
I turned the page.
There was a paragraph written in darker ink.
Thomas had a daughter. Vanessa.
I stared at the name.
Vanessa Reed.
The woman who had lived in my house.
The woman who had stolen my grandmother's diamond.
The woman who had helped Daniel file a fraudulent claim against my property.
My mother had known about her family twenty years ago.
I read the next sentence aloud.
"Vanessa was only a child when her father disappeared. She was not responsible for what he did.""
Mr. Collins nodded.
"Your mother seems to have wanted to protect her from the consequences.""
I continued.
I later learned that Vanessa's mother died. Thomas was never found. I tried to locate Vanessa through social services, but the records were incomplete.
I wanted to help her. I wanted to explain that whatever her father had done, she was not to blame.
I stopped reading.
My chest tightened.
"Did my mother know Vanessa was working for me?""
Mr. Collins shook his head.
"Not if the dates in this letter are correct.""
I looked at the final page.
There was one last paragraph.
If Vanessa ever comes into your life, remember that she may be carrying a story that began before either of us could understand it.
But do not confuse forgiveness with surrender.
And never give anyone access to the original trust documents.
I lowered the letter.
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
My mother had known that Vanessa might return.
She'd known there was unfinished business between our families.
But she'd never told me.
"Why would Vanessa work for me?"" I whispered.
Mr. Collins closed the file.
"Perhaps she wanted access to the documents.""
"Or the property.""
"Possibly.""
I walked to the window.
The afternoon sun illuminated the garden, where the white roses still stood in neat rows.
I remembered Vanessa trimming them.
She had told me that flowers needed patience.
Now I wondered how many months she'd spent waiting for the right moment to destroy my life.
Mr. Collins cleared his throat.
"There's something else.""
I turned.
He opened a separate folder.
"This is a copy of the original trust registration.""
He pointed to a paragraph near the bottom.
"Your grandmother placed a condition on the property.""
"What condition?""
"Any disputed claim had to be resolved before the property could be sold, transferred, or used as collateral.""
I frowned.
"Then why did Vanessa's company file a claim?""
"Because someone submitted a document claiming the dispute had already been settled.""
"By whom?""
He pointed to the signature.
Evelyn Carter.
My mother.
I stared.
"That's impossible.""
"The document is dated three months before your mother's death.""
I leaned closer.
It appeared to be an agreement transferring fifty percent of the commercial property to Thomas Reed.
My mother had supposedly signed it.
But there was a problem.
The date was wrong.
My mother had been hospitalized that entire month.
I remembered visiting her every evening.
She'd barely been able to hold a spoon.
"She couldn't have signed this.""
Mr. Collins nodded.
"I suspected the same thing.""
"Then why was it accepted?""
"Because the document was submitted by a legal representative with an original witness statement.""
"Who?""
He hesitated.
Then turned the page.
A name appeared beside the witness signature.
Margaret Carter.
My mother's sister.
I sat down.
The missing aunt.
The woman who had allegedly disappeared twenty years earlier.
She had returned just before my mother's death and witnessed a document that could have transferred millions of dollars.
"Where is she now?""
Mr. Collins shook his head.
"We've tried to locate her.""
I looked at the document again.
There was an address beneath her signature.
A small office building in Boston.
"Can we contact her?""
"We can try.""
I took out my phone.
Before I could search for anything, it vibrated.
An incoming call.
Unknown number.
I answered.
"Hello?""
A woman's voice came through.
"Nia Carter?""
"Yes.""
"My name is Margaret.""
My fingers went numb.
I looked at Mr. Collins.
He immediately sat forward.
"Margaret who?"" I asked.
"Carter.""
I couldn't breathe.
"My mother's sister?""
There was a pause.
Then the woman said, "I suppose Evelyn finally told you about the Reeds.""
"Who are you?""
"I've been trying to reach you for months.""
"Why?""
"Because Vanessa has been looking for the original trust agreement.""
I glanced at Mr. Collins.
He silently motioned for me to put the call on speaker.
I did.
"Why does she want it?"" I asked.
"Because it contains the name of the real owner.""
I looked down at the trust document.
"My name is listed as the beneficiary.""
"Yes. But you're not the only person entitled to the property.""
Mr. Collins leaned closer.
"Margaret, this is Jonathan Collins. What exactly are you saying?""
The woman exhaled.
"Your mother changed the trust before she died.""
"Changed it how?"" I asked.
"She added a second beneficiary.""
"Who?""
Margaret's voice dropped.
"Vanessa Reed.""
I stared at the phone.
"That's impossible.""
"No, Nia. What's impossible is what your mother did to make that happen.""
"Explain.""
But before Margaret could answer, another voice interrupted.
A man's voice.
Deep.
Angry.
"Margaret, put the phone down.""
The line went dead.
I stared at my screen.
Mr. Collins immediately reached for his own phone.
"That wasn't a dropped call," he said.
"What do you mean?""
"Someone was with her.""
My phone vibrated again.
A text message appeared.
It came from the same unknown number.
Don't trust Margaret. She was the one who signed the original agreement.
May you like
Then another message arrived.
And she's not the only person who survived the Carter family scandal.
