Chapter 11: The Will That Never Existed
Daniel placed the security photograph on the table.
I couldn't stop staring at the man's hand.
The gold signet ring.
My father's ring.
I remembered it clearly.
He had worn it at every family Christmas, every birthday, every school event.
After his funeral, my mother told me it had been buried with him.
Apparently, that was another lie.
"Who is the man?"" I asked.
Daniel pulled out his phone and enlarged the photograph.
"His name is Victor Hale.""
I searched my memory.
Nothing.
"Was he one of Dad's friends?""
"More than that. Victor was your father's business partner for almost twenty years.""
"What happened to him?""
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
"He disappeared from the company after Robert's death.""
"Why?""
"Because he claimed your father's final will was fraudulent.""
I stared at him.
"You're saying he helped invalidate Dad's will?""
Daniel nodded.
"Yes.""
My mother and Vanessa hadn't simply taken money from a trust.
They had built their entire financial arrangement around the idea that my father's final wishes didn't legally exist.
I looked toward Lily.
She was showing Noah how to draw a house.
I wanted to take her home.
I wanted to lock the door and never speak to any of these people again.
But the truth was still out there.
And my daughter deserved to know what her grandfather had actually left her.
"Where is Victor now?""
Daniel shook his head.
"That's what we need to find out.""
Graham approached us.
"I know where he is.""
We both turned.
"What?"" I asked.
Graham took out his phone.
"My father has been transferring money to a private account every month. I found the records when I searched his office.""
He showed Daniel a bank statement.
The recipient's name was Victor Hale.
Daniel stared.
"How much?""
"Twenty-five thousand dollars a month.""
"For how long?""
"Six years.""
My stomach tightened.
Six years.
The exact period Noah had been hidden.
I looked at Graham.
"Why would your father pay him?""
Graham scrolled through another document.
"There's a property listed under the same company. A private residence outside Providence.""
Daniel recognized the address.
"That's the old Bennett guesthouse.""
I frowned.
"The guesthouse?""
My father had owned a smaller property near the harbor. It had been used for family gatherings and occasional business meetings.
I hadn't visited in years.
Daniel nodded.
"Victor was living there.""
Graham looked at his phone.
"The last payment was made this morning.""
I stood.
"Then we're going there.""
Daniel immediately shook his head.
"No. The police need to handle this.""
"I want answers.""
"And you will get them. But we're not putting you and Lily in danger.""
I glanced toward the children.
"Then I'll wait here.""
Daniel nodded.
He contacted the officers and gave them the address.
While they arranged the next step, I sat beside Emily.
She was looking at a photograph on her phone.
"What's that?""
She turned the screen toward me.
It showed my father standing in front of the old guesthouse.
Beside him was Victor Hale.
Both men were smiling.
I studied Victor's face.
He looked younger, but unmistakable.
"Why did Dad trust him?""
Emily took a slow breath.
"Because Victor helped build the company from the beginning.""
"Then why would he betray him?""
Emily looked toward the ballroom.
"Money changes people. But sometimes it's not money.""
"What do you mean?""
She hesitated.
"Your father discovered that Victor had been secretly transferring company funds to an account belonging to Vanessa.""
I frowned.
"Vanessa?""
Emily nodded.
"She was young, ambitious, and desperate to prove she could run a business. Victor convinced her that your father was holding her back.""
I shook my head.
"Why would Dad's business partner want that?""
Emily looked at me.
"Because Victor was in love with your mother.""
I stared.
"What?""
"Patricia and Victor had been involved for years.""
The room seemed to tilt.
My mother had been married to my father.
And his closest business partner had apparently been having an affair with her.
"Did Dad know?""
Emily nodded.
"He discovered the relationship shortly before his death.""
I remembered the arguments.
The long silences.
The way Dad sometimes stared out the kitchen window while my mother talked.
I had assumed it was stress.
Emily continued.
"Your father confronted Victor. Shortly afterward, the first documents concerning the trust began disappearing.""
I looked at the photograph.
"Then Victor was involved in everything.""
"Yes.""
I looked toward Noah.
"Does he know Victor?""
Emily nodded.
"Unfortunately.""
Before I could ask another question, my phone rang.
An unknown number.
I answered.
"Hello?""
A man's voice responded.
"Claire Bennett?""
"Who is this?""
"Victor Hale.""
My heart started pounding.
"Where is my mother?""
He laughed softly.
"She's safe.""
"Where?""
"With me.""
I stood.
"Bring her back.""
"That's not going to happen.""
"What do you want?""
"A conversation.""
"I have nothing to say to you.""
"Your father left something that belongs to me.""
I looked at Daniel.
He was already listening.
"What?""
"The original will.""
Daniel's expression changed.
Victor continued.
"Your uncle has been showing you documents, but he hasn't told you the most important detail.""
"What detail?""
"Robert changed his will twice. The final version wasn't the one Daniel has.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"Then where is it?""
Victor laughed.
"With me.""
Daniel shook his head.
"That's impossible.""
I repeated the question.
"Where is the will?""
Victor lowered his voice.
"Come to the guesthouse tomorrow morning. Alone.""
"No.""
"Then your mother will remain with me.""
I felt anger rising.
"You're holding her against her will?""
"I'm protecting her.""
"From what?""
"From the people who want to put her in prison.""
I almost laughed.
"She deserves to answer for what she did.""
Victor's voice turned cold.
"Be careful, Claire. Your father wasn't the innocent man you've been told he was.""
The line went dead.
I stared at the phone.
Daniel took it from my hand.
"Don't call him back.""
"What did he mean about Dad?""
Daniel looked at me.
"I don't know.""
"Did Dad change his will?""
He hesitated.
"Yes.""
I felt my stomach drop.
"What?""
Daniel sat down.
"Robert changed his final instructions three days before he died. He asked me to prepare a replacement document.""
"Did you?""
"Yes.""
"Then where is it?""
Daniel looked at the briefcase.
"That is what I don't understand.""
He opened the folder containing the documents.
He searched through every page.
Then he stopped.
His expression changed.
"What?"" I asked.
He turned the folder toward me.
A signature page was missing.
Not torn.
Not misplaced.
Removed carefully.
Daniel looked up.
"Someone took the original signature page.""
Graham stepped closer.
"Could Victor have it?""
Daniel nodded slowly.
"Possibly.""
Then Emily spoke from the sofa.
"There's something else.""
We turned toward her.
She had been silent for several minutes.
Now she was holding the small silver pendant.
"Robert told me about the final will. He said it contained a condition that would only become active if Claire had a child.""
I stared.
"What condition?""
Emily looked at Lily.
"Your father wanted to make sure that nobody could inherit the trust by marrying into the family.""
Graham frowned.
"What does that mean?""
Emily swallowed.
"It means Robert suspected someone would eventually try to marry Claire or Vanessa to gain access to the assets.""
Daniel's face went pale.
"Emily, are you saying—"
She nodded.
"The final will contains a clause that invalidates any financial transfer made through marriage or guardianship manipulation.""
I looked at Graham.
Then at Daniel.
"Why is that important?""
Emily answered quietly.
"Because if Victor has the original, he can prove that Richard and Vanessa knew the marriage would never give them control.""
Graham sat down.
His face was white.
"My father knew?""
Emily nodded.
"And he signed the agreement anyway.""
Suddenly, Graham's phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His father.
He answered.
"Where are you?""
Richard's voice came through.
"At the police station.""
Graham frowned.
"What?""
"I'm being questioned.""
"Good.""
Richard ignored the comment.
"Listen carefully. Victor is going to make you an offer.""
Graham stared.
"What offer?""
"He's going to claim that I destroyed Robert Bennett's will. Don't believe him.""
Graham closed his eyes.
"Did you?""
A long silence followed.
Then Richard said:
"Son, there's something I should have told you before tonight.""
Graham's expression changed.
"What?""
Richard's voice dropped.
"Victor isn't the only person who knows where the original will is.""
Another pause.
"Your mother has it.""
May you like
Graham looked at me.
And before he could speak, the phone disconnected.
