Chapter 8: The Father Who Came Back for My Money
I hadn't heard my father's voice in six years.
Not since the night he stood in my mother's kitchen, put his car keys on the counter, and announced that he was leaving.
I remembered my mother standing beside the sink.
Her hands were wet.
She kept wiping them on night he stood in my mother's kitchen, put his car keys on the counter, and announced that he was leaving.
I remembered my mother standing beside the sink.
Her hands were wet.
She kept wiping them on a dish towel even after they were dry.
I remembered asking him whether he was coming back.
He had looked at me and said, "You'll understand when you're older.""
I never did.
My mother raised me and my younger sister, Emily a dish towel even after they were dry.
I remembered asking him whether he was coming back.
He had looked at me and said, "You'll understand when you're older.""
I never did.
My mother raised me and my younger sister, Emily, almost entirely on her own.
When I started my construction business, she was the first person to tell me I could succeed.
She had also been the one who lent me $5,000 when I needed to purchase my first commercial-grade, almost entirely on her own.
When I started my construction business, she was the first person to tell me I could succeed.
She had also been the one who lent me $5,000 when I needed to purchase my first commercial-grade tools.
I repaid every dollar.
My father never contributed a cent.
And now his name was appearing in documents connected to the attempted sale of my property.
I looked at Tasha.
"How long have you known?""
"About tools.
I repaid every dollar.
My father never contributed a cent.
And now his name was appearing in documents connected to the attempted sale of my property.
I looked at Tasha.
"How long have you known?""
"About two months.""
"Two months?""
She nodded.
"Ethan told me Richard was one of the investors.""
I stared at her.
"Did you know he was my father?""
"Yes two months.""
"Two months?""
She nodded.
"Ethan told me Richard was one of the investors.""
I stared at her.
"Did you know he was my father?""
"Yes.""
The answer came too quickly.
I felt my stomach tighten.
"How?""
"Ethan showed me a photograph.""
"Of what?""
"Your family. He said Richard.""
The answer came too quickly.
I felt my stomach tighten.
"How?""
"Ethan showed me a photograph.""
"Of what?""
"Your family. He said Richard had been looking for an opportunity to reconnect with you.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Reconnect?""
Tasha lowered her eyes.
"He told me your father wanted to make things right.""
I looked at Nicole.
She had already started reviewing the documents from the flash drive, without connecting it to any unsecured had been looking for an opportunity to reconnect with you.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Reconnect?""
Tasha lowered her eyes.
"He told me your father wanted to make things right.""
I looked at Nicole.
She had already started reviewing the documents from the flash drive, without connecting it to any unsecured device.
"Marcus," she said, "I think we should pause this conversation until we have the full records.""
I nodded.
Tasha looked desperate.
"Please, just hear me out.""
I device.
"Marcus," she said, "I think we should pause this conversation until we have the full records.""
I nodded.
Tasha looked desperate.
"Please, just hear me out.""
I turned toward her.
"You knew my father was involved, and you never told me?""
"He promised everything would be different afterward.""
"What would be different?""
She hesitated.
turned toward her.
"You knew my father was involved, and you never told me?""
"He promised everything would be different afterward.""
"What would be different?""
She hesitated.
"We were supposed to receive money.""
"How much?""
"One million dollars.""
For a moment, I thought I had misheard her.
"One million?""
She nodded.
"E"We were supposed to receive money.""
"How much?""
"One million dollars.""
For a moment, I thought I had misheard her.
"One million?""
She nodded.
"Ethan said the property portfolio was worth much more than you realized. He said Richard had negotiated an arrangement with the investors.""
Nicole looked up.
"Did youthan said the property portfolio was worth much more than you realized. He said Richard had negotiated an arrangement with the investors.""
Nicole looked up.
"Did you see a signed agreement?""
"No.""
"Did you receive the money?""
"No.""
"Then what did you receive?""
Tasha looked at the ground.
"Forty see a signed agreement?""
"No.""
"Did you receive the money?""
"No.""
"Then what did you receive?""
Tasha looked at the ground.
"Forty thousand dollars.""
The same amount she had mentioned earlier.
I looked at her.
"And you thought that was worth destroying four years of our relationship?""
She cried harder.
"I thought we were going to start over.""
I shook my head.
"You could have asked me to build thousand dollars.""
The same amount she had mentioned earlier.
I looked at her.
"And you thought that was worth destroying four years of our relationship?""
She cried harder.
"I thought we were going to start over.""
I shook my head.
"You could have asked me to build something with you. Instead, you helped strangers plan how to take what I had already built.""
She had no answer.
Nicole stepped forward.
"Tasha, I need you to understand something with you. Instead, you helped strangers plan how to take what I had already built.""
She had no answer.
Nicole stepped forward.
"Tasha, I need you to understand something. If you have relevant documents, messages, or recordings, you must preserve them. Don't delete anything else.""
Tasha nodded.
Then she looked at me.
"There's one something. If you have relevant documents, messages, or recordings, you must preserve them. Don't delete anything else.""
Tasha nodded.
Then she looked at me.
"There's one more thing.""
I closed my eyes.
"Of course there is.""
"Ethan said Richard was going to meet you.""
"When?""
"Tomorrow morning.""
"Where?""
"At a hotel near downtown.""
I looked at Nicole.
She shook her head slightly.
"We'll verify that independently.""
more thing.""
I closed my eyes.
"Of course there is.""
"Ethan said Richard was going to meet you.""
"When?""
"Tomorrow morning.""
"Where?""
"At a hotel near downtown.""
I looked at Nicole.
She shook her head slightly.
"We'll verify that independently.""
Tasha pulled out her phone.
"I have the address.""
She showed us a calendar invitation.
The meeting was scheduled for 10:00 a.m.
The title read:
**Family ReTasha pulled out her phone.
"I have the address.""
She showed us a calendar invitation.
The meeting was scheduled for 10:00 a.m.
The title read:
*Family Reconciliation and Investment Discussion.*
I almost laughed again.
My father had never attended my graduation.
He hadn't come to my mother's funeral.
He hadn't called when I opened my first office.
But apparently, he was availableconciliation and Investment Discussion.**
I almost laughed again.
My father had never attended my graduation.
He hadn't come to my mother's funeral.
He hadn't called when I opened my first office.
But apparently, he was available for a family reconciliation when millions of dollars were involved.
Nicole took a photograph of the invitation.
"Marcus, you don't have to attend.""
I looked at the screen.
"I know.""
"Then think carefully before deciding.""
I spent the rest of the evening reviewing the information Vanessa had provided.
The USB for a family reconciliation when millions of dollars were involved.
Nicole took a photograph of the invitation.
"Marcus, you don't have to attend.""
I looked at the screen.
"I know.""
"Then think carefully before deciding.""
I spent the rest of the evening reviewing the information Vanessa had provided.
The USB drive contained emails, photographs, and several recorded conversations.
Nicole coordinated with the appropriate investigators to preserve the material and establish how it had been obtained.
One recording was particularly disturbing.
Ethan's voice was clear.
"Richard says Marcus won't sell voluntarily. The girlfriend can drive contained emails, photographs, and several recorded conversations.
Nicole coordinated with the appropriate investigators to preserve the material and establish how it had been obtained.
One recording was particularly disturbing.
Ethan's voice was clear.
"Richard says Marcus won't sell voluntarily. The girlfriend can create enough pressure to change his position.""
A second voice responded.
Tasha.
"What if he finds out?""
Ethan laughed.
"By then, the money will be moving. He'll have two choices: accept the offer create enough pressure to change his position.""
A second voice responded.
Tasha.
"What if he finds out?""
Ethan laughed.
"By then, the money will be moving. He'll have two choices: accept the offer or spend years fighting people with deeper pockets.""
I stopped the recording.
My hands were shaking.
Nicole looked at me.
"Do you want to continue?""
I nodded.
The or spend years fighting people with deeper pockets.""
I stopped the recording.
My hands were shaking.
Nicole looked at me.
"Do you want to continue?""
I nodded.
The recording resumed.
Ethan spoke again.
"Your job is to make him feel like the relationship is falling apart because of his financial decisions. Once he believes selling is the only way to save things, he'll sign.""
Tasha asked a question.
"And my recording resumed.
Ethan spoke again.
"Your job is to make him feel like the relationship is falling apart because of his financial decisions. Once he believes selling is the only way to save things, he'll sign.""
Tasha asked a question.
"And my money?""
"You'll get your share.""
I closed the laptop.
I couldn't listen anymore.
The following morning, I arrived at Nicole's office at nine.
We had agreed that I would not attend the meeting with Richard alone.
We also arranged for the relevant authorities to be money?""
"You'll get your share.""
I closed the laptop.
I couldn't listen anymore.
The following morning, I arrived at Nicole's office at nine.
We had agreed that I would not attend the meeting with Richard alone.
We also arranged for the relevant authorities to be aware of the situation.
At 9:47, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
"Hello?""
A familiar voice spoke.
"Marcus.""
My father.
I hadn't heard him say my name in six aware of the situation.
At 9:47, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
"Hello?""
A familiar voice spoke.
"Marcus.""
My father.
I hadn't heard him say my name in six years.
"Richard.""
There was a pause.
"Your mother would be disappointed in how you've handled this family.""
I almost dropped the phone.
"What did years.
"Richard.""
There was a pause.
"Your mother would be disappointed in how you've handled this family.""
I almost dropped the phone.
"What did you say?""
He sighed.
"I know you're upset. But we need to talk like adults.""
"You haven't spoken to me in six years.""
"I had my reasons.""
"And now you want to discuss my property?""
"It's more complicated than that.""
I looked at Nicole.
She you say?""
He sighed.
"I know you're upset. But we need to talk like adults.""
"You haven't spoken to me in six years.""
"I had my reasons.""
"And now you want to discuss my property?""
"It's more complicated than that.""
I looked at Nicole.
She silently motioned for me to keep the conversation calm.
"What do you want?""
"An opportunity to explain.""
"Then explain.""
He paused.
"Meet me at the hotel. Ten o'clock. Alone.""
I glanced at Nicole.
"No.""
His voice became colder.
"Marcus silently motioned for me to keep the conversation calm.
"What do you want?""
"An opportunity to explain.""
"Then explain.""
He paused.
"Meet me at the hotel. Ten o'clock. Alone.""
I glanced at Nicole.
"No.""
His voice became colder.
"Marcus, this is about your future.""
"My future was doing just fine before you appeared.""
He laughed softly.
"You really think you built all that yourself?""
My jaw, this is about your future.""
"My future was doing just fine before you appeared.""
He laughed softly.
"You really think you built all that yourself?""
My jaw tightened.
"What does that mean?""
"There's a reason your company received those early contracts. There's a reason certain investors showed interest in your properties.""
I stood still.
For years, I had believed my business had grown because of tightened.
"What does that mean?""
"There's a reason your company received those early contracts. There's a reason certain investors showed interest in your properties.""
I stood still.
For years, I had believed my business had grown because of hard work and good timing.
Now my father was suggesting something else.
"Are you saying you helped my company?""
"I'm saying you owe me more than you realize.""
The call ended.
I stared at the screen.
Nicole stood up.
"Don't let him manipulate you.""
I nodded.
Then another hard work and good timing.
Now my father was suggesting something else.
"Are you saying you helped my company?""
"I'm saying you owe me more than you realize.""
The call ended.
I stared at the screen.
Nicole stood up.
"Don't let him manipulate you.""
I nodded.
Then another message arrived.
It contained a photograph.
A photograph of my father standing outside the hotel.
Underneath it was a message.
*Come alone, son. I have something your mother left behind.*
My chest tightened.
My mother had died three years earlier.
There was one message arrived.
It contained a photograph.
A photograph of my father standing outside the hotel.
Underneath it was a message.
*Come alone, son. I have something your mother left behind.*
My chest tightened.
My mother had died three years earlier.
There was one thing I knew she had never given away.
A small metal box containing letters, photographs, and documents from the early days of my life.
I had searched for it after her death but never thing I knew she had never given away.
A small metal box containing letters, photographs, and documents from the early days of my life.
I had searched for it after her death but never found it.
I called the number back.
No answer.
Then a second message arrived.
**If you want to know why she kept me away from you found it.
I called the number back.
No answer.
Then a second message arrived.
*If you want to know why she kept me away from you, come inside.*
I looked at Nicole.
She read the message.
Then she said something that changed everything.
"Marcus, your father may know about something we haven't found yet.""
I stared at the hotel photograph.
For the first time, I wasn't thinking about the house.
I, come inside.**
I looked at Nicole.
She read the message.
Then she said something that changed everything.
"Marcus, your father may know about something we haven't found yet.""
I stared at the hotel photograph.
For the first time, I wasn't thinking about the house.
I was thinking about my mother.
And I was beginning to suspect that my father hadn't returned simply because he wanted my money.
He had returned because he believed I possessed something was thinking about my mother.
And I was beginning to suspect that my father hadn't returned simply because he wanted my money.
May you like
He had returned because he believed I possessed something he needed.
Something my mother had spent years protecting.
