Chapter 7: The Petition
Jasmine stared at the document in David’s hands.
For several seconds, the words did not make sense.
Financially incompetent.
Conservator.
Monica Carter.
Her eyes moved from the paper to her stepmother.
“You were trying to control me?””
Monica’s face tightened.
“That isn’t what it means.””
David looked at her sharply.
“That is exactly what it means.””
Marcus took the petition from him.
His hands trembled as he read.
The document claimed Jasmine had displayed increasingly unstable behavior.
Violent outbursts.
Impulsive decisions.
Extreme hostility toward family members.
Difficulty managing responsibilities.
Marcus stopped reading.
“This is garbage.””
Monica folded her arms.
“It’s based on things that actually happened.””
“What things?””
“She attacked Olivia today.””
Jasmine stared at her.
“You packed my belongings, locked me out of my bedroom, and Olivia shoved me first.””
Monica turned toward Marcus.
“You weren't here.””
“No,” Marcus said.
“But apparently Jasmine learned she needed evidence when I wasn't here.””
He held up the USB.
Monica’s jaw tightened.
David took the petition back.
“There’s something else.””
Marcus looked at him.
“What?””
“This isn't merely a draft.””
A heavy silence settled over the driveway.
“What do you mean?””
“It has a case number.””
Jasmine felt sick.
David pulled out his phone.
“I need to check the court docket.””
Monica suddenly moved toward him.
“Give me that.””
Marcus stepped between them.
“No.””
Peter backed toward the car.
David noticed.
“Don't leave yet.””
Peter stopped.
“I’m not your client.””
“No,” David said.
“And depending on what you’ve participated in, you may want your own attorney very soon.””
Peter looked away.
David searched the case number.
When the result appeared, his expression hardened.
“It was filed Monday.””
Marcus stared at Monica.
Monday.
While he was preparing for his business trip.
Jasmine had been upstairs studying for a chemistry test.
Olivia had been complaining that the Wi-Fi was slow.
And Monica had apparently already filed paperwork asking a court to take control of Jasmine’s financial future.
“When is the hearing?”” Marcus asked.
David scrolled.
“There isn't one yet. The filing appears incomplete.””
“Why?””
“It requires supporting medical documentation and service.””
Jasmine almost laughed.
“Medical documentation? I’m not sick.””
Monica snapped, “Nobody said you were sick.””
David looked at her.
“Then what medical documentation were you planning to submit?””
Monica’s mouth closed.
Marcus caught it.
“You had something.””
“No.””
“Monica.””
“I said no.””
Peter muttered, “Tell him.””
Monica spun toward him.
“You've done enough.””
Peter laughed bitterly.
“I've done enough? You called me tonight because you wanted me to help clean this up.””
“You were part of it!””
“And I'm done.””
Marcus looked between them.
“What medical documentation?””
Peter exhaled.
“There was supposed to be an evaluation.””
Jasmine’s stomach tightened.
“What evaluation?””
Peter looked uncomfortable.
“I don't know all the details.””
“Then tell us what you do know.””
“Monica said the residential program would perform one after admission.””
Jasmine suddenly understood.
The Kentucky program.
Tomorrow.
The false claims about aggression and runaway threats.
It had never been simply about getting her out of Nashville.
The program was supposed to create a paper trail.
David understood at the same moment.
“If Jasmine were admitted based on claims of serious behavioral problems, someone could later point to the admission as evidence supporting the petition.””
Monica shook her head.
“You're making it sound sinister.””
Jasmine stared at her.
“You lied to a residential program about me.””
“You needed help.””
“For what?””
Monica had no answer.
“For getting good grades?””
Jasmine’s voice rose.
“For applying to college?””
“Jasmine—”
“For asking why my things kept getting destroyed?””
Olivia stood on the porch, crying silently.
Jasmine pointed toward her.
“Or was my real problem that I wouldn't let Olivia take everything I had?””
“Stop blaming my daughter!””
Olivia flinched.
Then something changed in her expression.
She stepped off the porch.
“No.””
Monica turned.
“What?””
Olivia wiped her cheeks.
“Stop doing that.””
“Doing what?””
“Using me.””
Monica stared at her daughter.
“I have spent my entire life protecting you.””
“From what?””
“From being treated like you matter less.””
Olivia looked toward Marcus.
“He never treated me like that.””
Monica’s expression cracked.
“You don't understand.””
“No, Mom. I understand now.””
Olivia pointed toward the house.
“You kept telling me Jasmine got everything. You kept saying Dad loved her more. Every time she won something, you told me I should have had it.””
Jasmine watched her stepsister.
Olivia’s voice shook.
“When Jasmine won the art competition, you told me she only won because teachers felt sorry for her because her mom died.””
Monica went pale.
“When she got that academic medal, you told me Dad would never be that proud of me.””
“Olivia, stop.””
“When she applied for Hamilton, you said if she won, Dad would spend the rest of his life bragging about her.””
Jasmine felt something inside her shift.
Olivia had made her own choices.
Cruel choices.
But the jealousy had been fed.
Carefully.
Repeatedly.
Monica had turned two girls into rivals because rivalry made them easier to control.
Olivia looked at Jasmine.
“I deleted the email.””
Her voice broke.
“That was me.””
Jasmine said nothing.
“I broke your medal.””
Another breath.
“I tore your drawing.””
Jasmine’s eyes filled.
“And the necklace?””
Olivia nodded.
“I pulled it off your dresser because Mom said you acted like you were special because you had things from your real mother.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
Olivia started crying harder.
“I hated you because Mom kept telling me I should.””
Monica slapped her palm against the car.
“Enough!””
Everyone froze.
Monica pointed at Jasmine.
“She had everything waiting for her! A trust. This house.
College money. A father who would burn the world down for her.””
Marcus stared at Monica.
“And that offended you?””
“I had to think about my daughter.””
“No,” Olivia whispered.
“You had to think about yourself.””
Monica turned on her.
“You ungrateful little—”
“Don't.””
Marcus’s voice cut through the driveway.
Monica stopped.
He stepped toward Olivia.
“You don't speak to her like that.””
Olivia looked at him, startled.
After everything she had done to Jasmine, Marcus was still protecting her.
That seemed to break something inside her.
She covered her face and sobbed.
Jasmine watched.
Part of her wanted to feel satisfied.
She didn't.
She just felt tired.
David cleared his throat.
“We need to deal with the immediate legal issue.””
Marcus nodded.
“The petition.””
“And the loan.””
David looked at Peter.
“You said closing is Friday?””
“Yes.””
“What lender?””
Peter hesitated.
Marcus snapped, “You said you were done protecting her.””
“I am.””
“Then talk.””
Peter named a private lending company.
David wrote it down.
“What collateral did you represent?””
Peter looked toward Marcus.
“The house and certain business assets.””
“Using forged authorization?””
Peter didn't answer.
Marcus stepped forward.
“Did you forge my name too?””
Peter looked at the ground.
“I reused signatures from documents you had legitimately signed.””
Marcus’s face went cold.
“How many?””
“I don't know.””
“How many?””
“Maybe six.””
Jasmine saw Marcus physically recoil.
Peter continued quickly.
“Some were preliminary documents. Not everything was submitted.””
“You stole my signature.””
“I told myself I was buying time.””
“For what?””
“To replace the money.””
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“With what money?””
Peter said nothing.
David asked, “Where did the missing funds actually go?””
Peter looked toward Monica.
She shook her head.
He ignored her.
“Cumberland bought property.””
Marcus frowned.
“What property?””
“Land outside Franklin.””
Marcus stared.
“For two hundred thousand dollars?””
Peter hesitated.
“More.””
“How much?””
“Seven hundred twenty thousand.””
Marcus’s face changed.
“You said Cumberland owed more than the house was worth.””
“It does.””
“How?””
Peter exhaled.
“The land deal went bad.””
“What land deal?””
“There was supposed to be a commercial development.””
David asked, “Who was the seller?””
Peter looked uncomfortable.
“A company called Southern Crest Development.””
Marcus had never heard of it.
David typed the name into his laptop.
A moment later he frowned.
“The company dissolved three months ago.””
Peter nodded.
Marcus stared at him.
“You gave seven hundred twenty thousand dollars to a company that no longer exists?””
“It existed when we paid.””
“Who owned it?””
Peter didn't answer.
Monica stepped toward the car.
David looked up from the screen.
“Interesting.””
Everyone turned.
“What?””
“The registered manager of Southern Crest was Daniel Mercer.””
Marcus’s face changed.
Jasmine noticed immediately.
“You know him?””
Marcus looked at Monica.
She looked away.
“Who is Daniel Mercer?”” Jasmine asked.
Marcus’s voice was quiet.
“Monica’s ex-husband.””
Olivia’s father.
Olivia stopped crying.
“What?””
Monica said quickly, “That doesn't mean anything.””
David stared at her.
“Your company transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to a company managed by your ex-husband.””
“It was an investment.””
Olivia stepped forward.
“My dad?””
Monica looked at her.
“Yes.””
“You told me he disappeared.””
“He did.””
“You told me he never wanted anything to do with us.””
“That was complicated.””
“Where is he?””
Monica said nothing.
Olivia’s voice rose.
“WHERE IS HE?””
Peter answered.
“Florida.””
Monica closed her eyes.
Olivia stared at Peter.
“You know my father?””
“I met him twice.””
“When?””
“Last year.””
Olivia stumbled backward.
Jasmine caught her arm instinctively.
For a moment, both girls seemed surprised by the contact.
Olivia didn't pull away.
“My mom told me he abandoned me when I was six.””
Peter looked uncomfortable.
“I don't know what happened when you were six.””
“But he’s been talking to her?””
“Yes.””
“How long?””
“At least a year.””
Olivia looked at Monica.
“You knew where he was.””
Monica whispered, “I was trying to protect you.””
Olivia laughed through her tears.
“That’s your answer for everything.””
Marcus looked at David.
“We need everything connected to Southern Crest.””
“I'll get what I can tonight.””
Peter suddenly checked his phone.
His expression changed.
“What?””
He turned the screen toward David.
An alert from Cumberland’s business account.
A transfer request.
$310,000.
Initiated minutes ago.
David looked at Monica.
“You initiated this?””
“No.””
Peter’s face went pale.
“There are only three people with access.””
Marcus asked, “You, Monica, and who?””
Peter stared at the screen.
May you like
Then whispered:
“Daniel.””
