Chapter 9: The Woman Behind the Wedding
Marcus spent the next morning trying to locate Dr. Samuel Brooks.
His office had closed six months earlier.
His professional license remained active, but his listed address was an apartment building two hours away.
When Marcus called the number on file, a woman answered.
“Dr. Brooks is unavailable.””
“This is attorney Marcus Reed. I need to speak with him regarding a document signed shortly before Eleanor Mitchell's death.””
The woman went silent.
Then she said, “I don't know anything about that.””
Marcus remained polite.
“Could you please give him my contact information?””
“I'll try.””
The call ended.
Marcus looked at Dad.
“She knew exactly which document I was talking about.””
Dad paced around the conference room.
“Can we find him?””
“We can try.””
Grandma sat beside me.
Ethan was standing near the window, looking at the street.
He hadn't said much since arriving.
I finally approached him.
“Can I ask you something?””
“Anything.””
“Did Mom ever talk about me?””
He smiled sadly.
“All the time.””
“What did she say?””
“That you loved drawing, that you were stubborn, that you hated broccoli, and that you always wanted to stay up five minutes longer than you were allowed.””
I laughed.
“That sounds like me.””
“She had pictures of you everywhere. She kept one in her wallet.””
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small photograph.
It showed me as a toddler sitting on my mother's lap.
I had never seen it before.
“She sent this to me,” Ethan said.
“She wanted me to know my sister was growing up.””
I looked at the picture.
“Why didn't you come find me?””
His expression changed.
“I tried once.””
“When?””
“About five years ago. I contacted your father through an attorney. I asked whether I could meet you.””
I turned toward Dad.
He looked surprised.
“I never received that request.””
Ethan nodded.
“I sent it to the address your mother had given me. Vanessa replied.””
My stomach tightened.
“Vanessa?””
“She said your father didn't want contact and that your family was going through a difficult period.””
Dad shook his head.
“I never said that.””
Ethan looked at him.
“I believe you.””
I felt anger rising again.
Vanessa hadn't just tried to steal my inheritance.
She had helped keep my brother away from me.
“Why?”” I whispered.
Ethan looked at the photograph.
“Because Mom wanted us together. And I think Vanessa knew that if we ever met, we might discover what she was doing.””
Marcus interrupted.
“I've received something.””
He held up his phone.
“Dr. Brooks has agreed to meet us.””
Dad immediately stood.
“When?””
“Today. Four o'clock.””
We met Dr. Brooks at a small private office in the city.
He was a thin man in his late fifties with silver-rimmed glasses and tired eyes.
When he saw Dad, he looked uncomfortable.
“Daniel Mitchell?””
“Yes.””
Dr. Brooks closed the office door.
“I've been expecting someone to contact me about Eleanor.””
Marcus placed the suspicious will amendment on the desk.
“Did you sign this?””
Dr. Brooks examined it.
Then he shook his head.
“No.””
Dad leaned forward.
“What?””
“I never signed this document. I examined Eleanor, but I did not certify that she lacked the capacity to make financial decisions.””
Marcus pointed to the signature.
“That's your name.””
“It's a forgery.””
Dad sat back.
“Why didn't you report it?””
Dr. Brooks removed his glasses.
“Because I didn't know the document existed until someone sent me a copy six months ago.””
“Who sent it?””
“An attorney representing a company called Westbridge Holdings.””
Marcus exchanged a glance with Dad.
“Did you respond?””
“I told them the document was fraudulent.””
Dr. Brooks opened a drawer and removed a thick envelope.
“I also kept the original notes from Eleanor's examination.””
Marcus took the papers.
“May I?””
“Of course.””
He read them carefully.
The report confirmed that my mother had been fully aware of her financial affairs.
She had understood the trust.
She had understood her will.
And she had specifically stated that she wanted her daughter, Ariana, to remain the sole beneficiary of the trust.
Dad closed his eyes.
“She knew they were trying to change it.””
Dr. Brooks nodded.
“She was frightened. She asked me whether someone could legally take control of her estate without her consent.””
“What did you tell her?”” I asked.
“That no one could simply do that. But I advised her to document everything and speak with her attorney.””
He hesitated.
“There's something else.””
Marcus looked up.
Dr. Brooks removed a small USB drive.
“Eleanor asked me to keep a copy of an audio recording.””
Dad stared.
“What recording?””
“She said it contained a conversation she had accidentally overheard.””
Marcus took the drive.
“Do you know who was speaking?””
Dr. Brooks nodded.
“Vanessa Cole and another woman.””
He plugged the drive into his computer.
A few seconds later, two female voices filled the office.
Vanessa spoke first.
“The wedding is the perfect opportunity. Daniel will be too distracted to question anything.””
Another woman answered.
“What about the girl?””
“That's being handled.””
“And the trust?””
“Once the guardianship request goes through, we'll have access to the administrative process.””
The second woman laughed.
“What if Daniel refuses?””
Vanessa replied:
“He won't. Tiffany knows how to get him to do what she wants.””
Dad's hands curled into fists.
Then the second woman's voice became clearer.
“Just make sure the insurance amendment is in place before the rehearsal dinner. I don't want another delay.””
I stopped breathing.
I knew that voice.
I had heard it at the wedding fittings.
At family dinners.
On the phone.
It was Tiffany.
Dad stared at the computer.
The recording continued.
Vanessa asked, “And what about the other matter?””
Tiffany answered:
“Don't worry. I've already taken care of that.””
“What if Eleanor's son gets involved?””
Tiffany laughed.
“Ethan? He has no idea what's coming. And if he tries to interfere, we'll make sure nobody believes him.””
The recording ended.
For several seconds, the room was silent.
Dad stood.
“She's been planning this since before she moved into our house.””
Marcus nodded.
“Possibly.””
Dr. Brooks looked at Dad.
“Eleanor was determined to protect Ariana. She told me that if anything happened to her, you needed to know that she had not changed her wishes.””
Dad's eyes filled.
“I should have listened to her.””
Dr. Brooks gently closed the folder.
“You can't change the past, Daniel. But you can make sure her wishes are respected now.””
Marcus copied the recording and secured the original.
“We have enough to pursue a formal investigation into the suspected fraud. We also need to establish what Tiffany meant by the other matter.””
Ethan looked at him.
“I think I know.””
He reached into his bag and removed a document he'd received from Vanessa.
It was a copy of a property deed.
The address belonged to a small commercial building in another state.
Dad frowned.
“What's this?””
“Vanessa sent it to me as proof that the money would be available.””
Marcus examined the ownership information.
“The property belongs to Westbridge Holdings.””
Ethan nodded.
“But look at the date.””
Marcus checked it.
The property had been purchased three weeks before my mother's death.
Dad leaned forward.
“With what money?””
Marcus examined the transaction history attached to the document.
Then he looked up.
“There's a payment here from an account belonging to Eleanor Mitchell.””
Dad went pale.
“That money came from her personal investment account.””
Marcus nodded.
“It appears that seventy-five thousand dollars was transferred shortly before her death.””
I looked at the document.
“Was it stolen?””
“We'll need to trace the transaction,” Marcus answered.
Dad looked devastated.
“My wife was dying, and someone was stealing from her.””
Ethan placed another sheet on the desk.
“This is the part I haven't shown you.””
It was an email from Vanessa.
The message contained one sentence.
The first payment was only a deposit. The remaining amount will be released once Daniel signs the final authorization.
Marcus looked at Dad.
“What final authorization?””
Dad shook his head.
“I don't know.””
Then he remembered something.
“The rehearsal dinner.””
Everyone turned toward him.
“Tiffany asked me to sign some paperwork during the rehearsal dinner. She said it was related to the wedding venue and insurance.””
Marcus stood.
“Did you sign anything?””
“No. I told her I'd review it first.””
He took out his phone.
“I still have the message she sent me.””
Dad opened the conversation.
A photograph appeared.
It showed a document on a marble table.
At the top were the words:
*IRREVOCABLE ASSIGNMENT OF BENEFICIAL INTERESTS.*
Marcus enlarged the image.
His face changed.
“Daniel, this isn't wedding paperwork.””
“What is it?””
“It appears to be an assignment of rights connected to the trust and insurance proceeds.””
Dad stared at the screen.
“If I'd signed this…”
“You could have transferred significant legal interests to another party.””
I looked at the photograph.
The signature line was blank.
But the recipient was clearly identified.
*Westbridge Holdings LLC.*
Dad slowly lowered the phone.
“She wanted me to sign away my daughter's inheritance.””
Marcus nodded.
“And now that we know what the document is, we need to establish who prepared it and whether anyone has already signed a related agreement.””
My phone vibrated.
Another message.
This time, it came from Tiffany.
*I know you've been talking to Ethan. You think you've discovered everything, but you haven't.*
Then another.
*Your father has been lying to you too.*
I looked at Dad.
He read the message over my shoulder.
“Don't listen to her.””
But a third message arrived.
It contained a photograph.
A wedding invitation.
My parents' names were printed beneath the date.
And on the back, Tiffany had written:
*Ask Daniel what happened the night your mother died.*
I felt the blood drain from my face.
I turned toward Dad.
“What does she mean?””
He didn't answer.
I looked at him again.
“Dad?””
His eyes remained fixed on the invitation.
Then he slowly sat down.
“There is something I never told you about that night.””
My heart began pounding.
“What?””
Dad covered his face with both hands.
“Your mother called me before she died.””
I stared at him.
“What did she say?””
He looked up.
His eyes were wet.
“She told me someone had been in her hospital room.””
“Who?””
Dad's voice broke.
“She said Tiffany had visited her.””
The room went silent.
May you like
Then he whispered:
“And she begged me not to let Tiffany anywhere near you.””
