Chapter 4: The Woman Who Knew Too Much
Vanessa stood at the top of the staircase, gripping the railing so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.
"Who told you to call Richard Hayes?""
Daniel slowly lowered his phone.
"My father's attorney. The man who handled his estate.""
Vanessa descended two steps.
"You had no right to involve him in our marriage.""
Daniel stared at her.
"Our marriage?""
He glanced at the bank statements scattered across the kitchen counter.
"Is that what we're calling this now? A marriage?""
Vanessa's expression hardened.
"Don't be dramatic.""
"One hundred and forty-six thousand dollars is missing from my mother's account. You're suddenly talking about an investment trust worth $1.8 million. And you expect me to believe this is just a misunderstanding?""
She folded her arms.
"Your father was a complicated man. He made arrangements that nobody understood.""
"Then explain them.""
"I don't have to explain anything to you.""
Daniel gave a humorless laugh.
"You're right. You don't. You'll explain it to the attorney and the bank.""
Vanessa stepped closer.
"Listen carefully. Whatever your father left behind belongs to this family.""
"My father left specific instructions.""
"Your mother was supposed to manage everything. She's elderly, Daniel. She doesn't understand financial matters.""
From the kitchen table, Evelyn quietly spoke.
"I understand more than you think, Vanessa.""
Both turned toward her.
Evelyn's hands were shaking, but she didn't lower her eyes.
"I understood when you told me the papers were for insurance. I understood when you said I was costing your family too much money. And I understood when you stopped bringing me dinner.""
Vanessa stared at her.
"Oh, please.""
Evelyn swallowed.
"I just didn't understand why you hated me.""
For a moment, Vanessa said nothing.
Then she laughed.
"Nobody hates you. You're simply difficult to live with.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Enough.""
Vanessa turned toward him.
"You want to know the truth? Your mother has been making this house miserable since the day she arrived. Every decision has to revolve around her.
Every holiday, every dinner, every weekend. I can't even have my own mother over without being accused of something.""
"She was eating scraps upstairs.""
"Because she refused to come downstairs!""
"She was afraid of you!""
Vanessa grabbed her handbag.
"You're choosing her over your wife.""
Daniel looked at her for a long moment.
"No. I'm choosing not to abandon my mother.""
He took his phone from the counter.
"Richard is expecting me. I'm going to his office.""
Vanessa's eyes narrowed.
"You're not going anywhere until we finish this conversation.""
Daniel picked up his car keys.
"Move.""
She didn't.
For several seconds, they stood facing each other.
Then Ethan appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Dad?""
Daniel looked up.
"What's wrong, buddy?""
Ethan descended slowly, holding a tablet against his chest.
"Can I show you something?""
Vanessa immediately turned.
"Ethan, go back to your room.""
"But Dad needs to see it.""
"I said go upstairs.""
Daniel raised one hand.
"Let him speak.""
Ethan approached his father and unlocked the tablet.
"I found these messages last week. I wasn't sure if I should tell you.""
Daniel looked at the screen.
It was a conversation between Vanessa and Patricia.
The first message was dated three months earlier.
*Patricia: How long are you going to keep pretending the old woman is welcome there?*
*Vanessa: Until the paperwork is finished.*
*Patricia: And the money?*
*Vanessa: Almost done. Once Daniel signs the house documents, everything becomes much easier.*
Daniel felt his blood run cold.
He scrolled.
*Patricia: What if Evelyn tells him?*
*Vanessa: She won't. She thinks she's a burden. I've made sure of that.*
Another message appeared.
*Patricia: And Ethan?*
*Vanessa: He's a child. He won't understand anything.*
Daniel slowly looked at his wife.
"What house documents?""
Vanessa lunged toward the tablet.
"Give me that!""
Ethan stepped behind his father.
Daniel held the device away from her.
"Don't touch him.""
Vanessa's voice rose.
"He went through my private messages!""
Ethan's eyes filled with tears.
"I didn't mean to. I was using Mom's tablet for homework, and the messages came up.""
Daniel placed a protective hand on his son's shoulder.
"You did the right thing telling me.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"You're both unbelievable.""
Daniel returned to the messages.
There were references to an insurance policy, a property transfer, and something called Project Renewal.
He opened the attached photograph.
It showed a document with Daniel's name printed at the top.
His home address was underneath.
And beside the heading PROPERTY TRANSFER AUTHORIZATION was a signature that looked remarkably like his.
But Daniel had never signed it.
"What's this?"" he asked.
Vanessa's lips parted.
"It's a draft.""
"Why is my signature on it?""
"Because you agreed to discuss selling the property.""
"I never agreed to sell my house.""
Patricia's name appeared in another message.
*Patricia: Once the property is transferred, we can settle the remaining debts.*
Daniel read it twice.
Remaining debts.
He turned toward Vanessa.
"What debts?""
She looked away.
"That's none of your business.""
"Apparently, you've made my mother's savings your business. Now tell me what you've done.""
Vanessa grabbed her handbag again.
"I'm leaving.""
"Fine.""
She paused.
"Fine?""
"Yes. But don't take any of my mother's documents, and don't touch the household computers.""
Vanessa stared at him.
Then she smiled coldly.
"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into.""
She walked out.
The front door slammed hard enough to shake the framed family photograph in the hallway.
Evelyn began to cry.
Daniel sat beside her.
"Mom, I promise I'll fix this.""
She looked at him.
"There's something else.""
He closed his eyes briefly.
"What is it?""
Evelyn reached into the pocket of her cardigan and removed a small, yellowed envelope.
"I found this in your father's old desk last week. Vanessa asked me to give it to her, but I didn't.""
Daniel took it.
His father's handwriting was unmistakable.
For Daniel. Only if someone tries to take what belongs to our family.
Inside was a short letter.
Son,
If you're reading this, someone has probably tried to interfere with the things I left behind. Don't trust anyone who tells you that protecting the family means keeping secrets from it.
The money was never the most important thing.
Look carefully at the people who want it.
Daniel read the final paragraph.
And whatever happens, protect Ethan. I discovered something about his mother that I couldn't bring myself to tell you before I became ill.
Daniel's hands went cold.
He turned the page over.
There was a telephone number and a name.
*Margaret Collins — Private Investigator.*
Below it, his father had written:
She has the original documents.
Daniel looked at Evelyn.
"Did Dad ever tell you about Margaret?""
His mother shook her head.
"No, sweetheart.""
Daniel immediately called Richard.
"I need to ask you something. Did my father hire a private investigator named Margaret Collins?""
Richard went silent.
May you like
Then he answered.
"Yes. And Daniel, if that woman still has the file, I think you'll finally understand why your father changed his will.""
