Chapter 7: Claire's Second Will
Julian read the message again.
*If anything happens to me, Julian must know who really wanted Poppy.*
The words were written in Claire's handwriting.
He knew every curve of those letters. He had once watched her write grocery lists, birthday cards, and little notes she tucked into his briefcase.
This wasn't a forgery.
Someone had found something Claire had deliberately hidden.
He immediately called the unknown number.
A woman answered after three rings.
“Mr. Whitmore?””
“Who is this?””
“My name is Rebecca Lane. I'm an attorney. I represented Claire before she died.””
Julian gripped the phone.
“Why have I never heard of you?””
“Because your mother made sure you wouldn't.””
He looked toward the mansion.
“Where is the original will?””
“I have it. But I need to meet you somewhere safe.””
“Send me your address.””
“There's something else you need to understand. Claire didn't simply change her will. She discovered that someone was attempting to gain access to Poppy's inheritance before the child was even born.””
Julian felt his stomach tighten.
“Who?””
“I believe you'll recognize the name.””
“Tell me.””
Rebecca paused.
“Your mother.””
The call ended.
Julian stood beside his car, staring at the screen.
Then he called Daniel.
“Get two security officers. We're going to meet Rebecca Lane.””
“Should I notify your lawyer?””
“Yes. And send him the photograph of Claire's document.””
“Understood.””
Before leaving, Julian looked at the mansion one final time.
Celeste was standing behind the front window.
She was watching him.
He drove away without saying goodbye.
Rebecca's office was located above an old bookstore in a quiet part of the city.
She was in her late fifties, with silver hair and a thin scar near her left eyebrow.
When Julian entered, she stood immediately.
“Mr. Whitmore.””
“Please. Call me Julian.””
She motioned toward a chair.
“I wish we were meeting under different circumstances.””
Julian sat.
“Show me the will.””
Rebecca opened a locked drawer and removed a thick brown envelope.
“Claire gave this to me three days before she died. She asked me to keep it somewhere your mother couldn't access.””
Julian opened the envelope.
Inside was a handwritten letter, followed by several legal documents.
He began reading.
My dearest Julian,
If you're reading this, something has happened to me. I hope I'm wrong. I hope I'm simply frightened and imagining things.
But I have discovered that someone has been trying to change the arrangements for our daughter.
Julian's hands began to shake.
He continued.
Your mother believes that because she is a Whitmore, she has the right to decide Poppy's future. She has repeatedly asked me to transfer control of the trust into her hands.
I refused.
The money belongs to Poppy. It is for her education, her security, and the life she deserves. Nobody should be able to use it to control her.
Julian stopped.
“Why didn't Claire tell me?””
Rebecca folded her hands.
“She tried.””
“What do you mean?””
“She called me several times. She was afraid your mother was interfering in your marriage and attempting to isolate you from her.””
Julian remembered the final months of Claire's pregnancy.
The arguments.
His mother's constant visits.
The strange insistence that Claire should stop working with her own attorney.
He had dismissed it as ordinary family tension.
“What happened next?””
Rebecca pointed to another page.
“Claire documented several meetings with your mother.””
Julian read the attached notes.
One entry stood out.
*Evelyn suggested that Claire's death would make guardianship arrangements easier. She said Julian would eventually remarry and the new wife could take responsibility for the child.*
Julian's face hardened.
“That's a disgusting thing to write.””
“I agree.””
“Did Claire believe my mother would hurt her?””
Rebecca hesitated.
“She believed Evelyn was capable of almost anything if money and control were involved.””
Julian lowered the document.
“What happened at the hospital?””
“I don't know everything. But Claire contacted me from her hospital bed.””
“Do you have the call?””
Rebecca nodded.
She opened a laptop and played an audio file.
Claire's voice filled the room.
Weak.
Exhausted.
But unmistakably hers.
“Rebecca, please. I need you to change the document. Don't let Evelyn become Poppy's guardian.””
A second voice answered.
“Claire, you need to rest. I'll contact Julian.””
“No. Please don't call him through the family office. They monitor his messages.””
Julian closed his eyes.
Claire continued.
“I think they've already made plans. Evelyn keeps talking about a woman named Celeste. She says the woman will be perfect for Julian.””
Julian's head snapped up.
Rebecca paused the recording.
“Celeste?””
He nodded slowly.
“My wife.””
Rebecca looked deeply troubled.
“Then Claire knew about her before you met.””
Julian stared at the laptop.
“Play the rest.””
The recording resumed.
Claire's breathing was uneven.
“Rebecca, if Julian asks, tell him I tried to call him. Tell him I never stopped asking for him.””
There was a pause.
Then Claire whispered:
“And please tell my little girl that I loved her.””
The recording ended.
Julian covered his face.
For three years, he had carried guilt over not being there when Claire died.
Now he knew she had spent her final hours trying to reach him.
And someone had deliberately kept them apart.
Rebecca placed a tissue box beside him.
“There is one more document.””
She handed him a sealed envelope.
“Claire instructed me to give you this only after you had seen the second will.””
Julian opened it.
Inside was a list of names.
Dr. Samuel Reeves.
Evelyn Whitmore.
Richard Hale.
And Celeste Whitmore.
Beside each name were dates and amounts of money.
Julian stared.
“What are these payments?””
“That's what I've been trying to establish. Claire believed someone had been paying people to influence the guardianship process.””
“Do you have proof?””
“Bank transfer references. Some are incomplete.””
Julian took photographs of the pages.
Then Rebecca pointed to the final entry.
It was dated two days before Claire died.
Beside Celeste's name was a handwritten note.
*Initial payment received. Remaining balance due after marriage.*
Julian felt sick.
“How much?””
Rebecca looked at him.
“Five hundred thousand dollars.””
He stood abruptly.
“Are you telling me Celeste was paid to marry me?””
“I believe that was part of the arrangement.””
Julian paced toward the window.
His marriage.
His home.
His daughter's childhood.
Had all of it been planned by his mother?
His phone rang.
Daniel.
“Sir, we have a problem at the house.””
“What happened?””
“Mrs. Evelyn arrived. She demanded to see Poppy.””
“Did Marta let her in?””
“No. But Mrs. Evelyn has brought someone with her.””
“Who?””
“Dr. Samuel Reeves.””
Julian froze.
“Don't let either of them near my daughter.””
“Already handled, sir.””
Then Daniel added something that made Julian's blood run cold.
“Sir, Dr. Reeves claims he has documents proving Claire signed the guardianship amendment herself.””
Julian looked at Rebecca.
She immediately shook her head.
“That is impossible.””
Julian grabbed his jacket.
“Keep them outside. I'm coming.””
As he reached the door, Rebecca called after him.
“Julian!””
He turned.
“Your mother isn't the only person who knows where Claire's original medical records are.””
“Who else?””
Rebecca's expression changed.
“Someone who worked in the hospital's neonatal unit.””
Julian stared.
“What's their name?””
Rebecca answered.
“Your mother's personal assistant. She was there the night Poppy was born.””
When Julian arrived home, Evelyn was standing in the entrance hall.
Dr. Reeves stood beside her holding a leather folder.
Marta was positioned near the stairs.
Poppy was nowhere to be seen.
“Where is my daughter?”” Julian demanded.
“Upstairs,” Marta answered.
“She's safe.””
Evelyn turned.
“Julian, we need to resolve this privately.””
He looked at Dr. Reeves.
“Show me the document.””
The doctor opened his folder.
Julian examined the signature.
Then he noticed something.
The date.
The signature had been recorded at 8:45 p.m.
But Claire's hospital records showed she had been unconscious by 8:10 p.m.
Julian looked up.
“Doctor, did you witness Claire sign this?””
Reeves swallowed.
Evelyn interrupted.
“Of course he did.””
Julian held up the page.
“Then why does the hospital record show she was unconscious thirty-five minutes before this was supposedly signed?””
Reeves said nothing.
Julian stepped closer.
“I'm going to ask you once more.””
The doctor's hands began trembling.
“Did you see Claire sign this document?””
Reeves looked at Evelyn.
And for the first time, he didn't answer her.
May you like
He answered Julian.
“No.””
