Chapter 8: The Man Who Came to Collect
The doorbell rang twice.
Nobody moved.
Richard Cole stood outside with his briefcase tucked beneath one arm. He looked perfectly comfortable, as though he had arrived for an ordinary business meeting.
Robert approached the door.
Marcus grabbed his arm.
“Dad, don't let him inside.””
Robert looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because we don't know what he's planning.””
Robert gently removed his son's hand.
“Then perhaps it's time we found out.””
He opened the door but kept the security chain attached.
Richard smiled.
“Mr. Williams. Good evening.””
“What do you want?””
“To resolve a misunderstanding.””
Robert glanced toward the SUV.
Vanessa was sitting inside.
“Your client is outside.””
Richard adjusted his tie.
“Vanessa is not my client in this particular matter. I'm representing Westbridge Holdings.””
“Then tell Westbridge to stop trying to steal my property.””
Richard's smile disappeared.
“I think you misunderstand the situation. We have documentation showing that you authorized the transaction.””
“Then you have fraudulent documentation.””
Richard sighed.
“Mr. Williams, these accusations are serious.””
“So is forgery.””
Marcus appeared behind his father.
“Who gave you the right to use my father's signature?””
Richard looked at him.
“Mr. Williams, perhaps we should discuss this privately.””
“No. You can discuss it here.””
Richard opened his briefcase and removed a folder.
“Your father signed a power of attorney granting authority over the property. We have a witness declaration and notarized documentation.””
Robert stared at the papers.
“Let me see them.””
Richard hesitated.
“These are confidential legal documents.””
“Then why bring them to my house?””
Richard finally held out the folder.
Robert examined the first page.
His signature was there.
The date was three months earlier.
But the document contained a mistake.
His middle initial was listed as J.
His actual middle initial was A.
Robert pointed at it.
“My middle initial is A.””
Richard frowned.
“That's a clerical error.””
“And this address?””
Robert pointed again.
The document listed his inherited property under an address that had been changed several years earlier.
“Another clerical error?”” Robert asked.
Richard closed the folder.
“These details can be corrected.””
“Not if the entire document is fraudulent.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Leave my father's property alone.””
Richard turned toward him.
“Mr. Williams, your wife has informed us that your family is experiencing serious financial difficulties. This transaction could benefit everyone.””
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“My wife stole three hundred and twenty thousand dollars from a loan she arranged using my father's property. You think I'm going to trust you?””
Richard's expression hardened.
“I'm not responsible for your domestic disputes.””
“No. You're responsible for the fraudulent documents you're carrying.””
Richard stepped closer.
“Be careful what you accuse people of.””
Robert moved between them.
“That's enough. Leave.””
Richard put the folder back into his briefcase.
“Very well. But the transfer process is already underway.””
Robert's jaw tightened.
“It will be stopped.””
Richard smiled faintly.
“Then you should move quickly.””
He walked back toward the SUV.
Before getting inside, he turned.
“One more thing, Mr. Williams. Your son should be more concerned about his own legal problems than your property.””
Marcus went pale.
The SUV drove away.
Robert closed the door.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Marcus sank onto the sofa.
“He knows.””
Robert sat beside him.
“About the construction site?””
Marcus nodded.
“I think Vanessa gave him the documents.””
Robert looked at his son.
“Then you need to tell the truth before someone uses it against you.””
Marcus shook his head.
“If that investigation starts again, I could lose everything.””
“You could also lose everything by continuing to hide it.””
Marcus stared at the floor.
Then he pulled out his phone.
“I have the original inspection reports.””
Robert turned toward him.
“Where?””
“In my office. I kept copies because I didn't trust the contractor.””
“Why didn't you tell the investigators?””
“I was afraid.””
Robert placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Being afraid doesn't make the truth disappear.””
Marcus nodded slowly.
“I'll give them everything.””
At that moment, Evelyn entered the living room carrying an old document box.
“I think you should see this.””
Robert looked at her.
“What is it?””
“Vanessa gave me these papers three months ago. She told me to keep them somewhere safe.””
She placed the box on the table.
Inside were bank statements, property photographs, copies of identification documents, and several printed emails.
Robert picked up a photograph.
It showed him standing outside his inherited property.
The picture had been taken from a distance.
Another photograph showed Evelyn entering the bank.
There were even photographs of Marcus leaving his construction office.
Robert felt a chill.
“She was watching all of us.””
Evelyn nodded.
“I didn't realize what they were for.””
Marcus picked up a printed email.
“Dad, look at this.””
It was a message from Richard Cole to Vanessa.
The first property is difficult because Robert remains the legal owner and has not granted authorization. We need an alternative method to establish incapacity or create sufficient pressure for a voluntary transfer.
Marcus read the sentence again.
“Establish incapacity?””
Robert felt his stomach tighten.
He looked at the next page.
It was a draft application for a guardianship arrangement.
His name appeared at the top.
The document claimed that Robert had been displaying signs of confusion, memory loss, and impaired judgment.
It proposed appointing a family representative to manage his financial affairs.
The proposed representative was Vanessa.
Robert stared at the page.
“They were going to make me look mentally incompetent.””
Evelyn began sobbing.
Marcus's hands curled into fists.
“That explains the screaming. She wanted everyone to believe Dad was dangerous and unstable.””
Robert nodded.
“If people believed I had behaved that way, it would be easier to convince them I couldn't manage my own property.””
He turned another page.
There was a handwritten note attached.
Need medical confirmation. Find a doctor willing to cooperate.
Marcus looked at the name written underneath.
Dr. Peter Lawson.
“Who is this?”” he asked.
Evelyn shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Robert examined the name.
Then something clicked.
“Peter Lawson used to be Vanessa's personal physician.””
Marcus immediately searched the name.
The doctor's clinic appeared on the screen.
But there was something else.
A news article from two years earlier reported that the medical board had investigated Dr. Lawson for falsifying patient records.
Marcus looked at his father.
“Dad, this is bigger than property fraud.””
Robert nodded.
“Yes.””
He placed the papers back into the box.
“We need to preserve everything.””
Marcus took photographs of every document.
Then he called Officer Harris, the officer who had taken Robert's statement.
He explained that they had discovered additional evidence involving forged property documents, financial transfers, and a possible attempt to obtain control over Robert's personal affairs.
Officer Harris told them not to confront anyone further and arranged for them to bring the documents to the station the following morning.
After the call, Robert finally felt that the truth might have a chance.
Then Evelyn picked up one last envelope.
“There's something else.””
She opened it.
Inside was a hospital appointment card.
The appointment was scheduled for the following morning.
The patient was Robert Williams.
The doctor was Peter Lawson.
Robert frowned.
“I never made this appointment.””
Evelyn turned the card over.
A handwritten message appeared on the back.
*Bring Robert alone. We need his cooperation before the property transfer.*
Marcus looked at his father.
“Dad, someone is planning to meet you tomorrow.””
Robert stared at the appointment card.
Then his phone rang.
The caller ID displayed a private number.
He answered cautiously.
“Hello?””
A woman's voice whispered.
“Mr. Williams, my name is Sarah. I used to work for Vanessa.””
Robert sat straighter.
“Who?””
“Please don't hang up. I have something you need to know.””
“What is it?””
“Your daughter-in-law didn't start this three months ago.””
Robert's fingers tightened around the phone.
“What do you mean?””
The woman took a shaky breath.
“She has been planning to take your properties for almost two years. And the man helping her isn't Richard Cole.””
“Then who is it?””
The woman whispered a name.
“Your son.””
Robert stopped breathing.
Across the room, Marcus looked up.
“Dad? Who's calling?””
The woman continued.
“I'm sorry, Mr. Williams. But Marcus knew about the first agreement.””
May you like
Robert slowly turned toward his son.
And suddenly, the room felt much colder.
