Chapter 6: The Night Lily Was Born
I held Lily so tightly that she finally whispered, "Mommy, I can't breathe.""
I loosened my arms immediately.
"Sorry, sweetheart.""
Daniel pulled out a chair for me.
"Please sit down, Claire.""
I didn't want to sit.
I wanted answers.
"Tell me what happened.""
He looked toward the ballroom doors.
"Not here.""
Graham stepped forward.
"No. Whatever this is, we're not hiding anything anymore.""
Daniel studied him for several seconds.
Then he nodded.
"Very well.""
He opened his briefcase and removed a thin folder marked February 2018.
"Your father began preparing Lily's legal protections shortly before he died. He knew Patricia had been asking questions about the trust. He also knew Vanessa had been meeting with people who wanted access to the family's property.""
My mother interrupted.
"That's enough.""
Daniel didn't look at her.
"Robert contacted me three weeks before his death.""
He opened the folder.
Inside was a handwritten letter.
I recognized my father's handwriting again.
Daniel read aloud.
"Daniel, if anything happens to me, make sure Claire and the baby are protected. Patricia has become obsessed with controlling the family assets. Vanessa believes she deserves everything simply because she wants it. I cannot allow them to decide my granddaughter's future.""
My mother covered her mouth.
Vanessa whispered something to herself.
I looked at Daniel.
"Why didn't Dad tell me?""
"He wanted to. But he was afraid that telling you too early would put you in the middle of a fight you weren't prepared for.""
"Then what happened?""
Daniel took a breath.
"Your father died before Lily was born. After his funeral, Patricia asked me to transfer control of the trust to her.""
"And you refused?""
"Yes.""
He turned a page.
"That was when things became complicated.""
My mother stared at him.
"You're leaving out the most important part.""
Daniel finally looked at her.
"Then perhaps you should tell it.""
She didn't move.
"Tell Claire what you did at the hospital.""
My mother's face tightened.
I felt Lily's little hand slip into mine.
"Mom?""
Patricia looked at me.
For a moment, I thought she might finally apologize.
Instead, she said, "I was trying to protect you.""
I shook my head.
"From what?""
"Your father had made financial decisions that could have destroyed this family.""
Daniel laughed quietly.
"Robert was a careful man. The trust was fully funded.""
"That's your opinion!""
"No. That's the bank's record.""
Graham picked up the folder.
"Mr. Mason, what happened on February seventeenth?""
The attorney looked uncomfortable.
"Claire was in the hospital recovering from complications after childbirth. Patricia brought several documents for her to sign.""
I nodded.
"I remember.""
"One document was presented as a routine insurance authorization. Another was a medical consent form. The third was a transfer of financial authority.""
I stared at him.
"Medical consent?""
Mr. Mason nodded.
"That is what the document was labeled.""
"But you said it transferred financial authority.""
"Yes.""
My stomach turned.
"How?""
Daniel answered.
"Someone altered the paperwork before it was presented to you.""
My mother finally spoke.
"You were barely awake. You couldn't understand what was happening.""
I turned toward her.
"Then why didn't you wait?""
"Because the transfer needed to be completed.""
"Why?""
She looked at Vanessa.
My sister was staring at the floor.
Daniel placed a separate sheet of paper on the table.
"Because Vanessa had already entered into a financial agreement with Richard Ellison. She needed the trust assets as collateral.""
Graham's eyes narrowed.
"How long had they been planning this?""
"At least two months.""
I looked at Vanessa.
"You were planning this while I was pregnant?""
She lifted her chin.
"I had no choice.""
"No choice?""
"You have no idea what Dad left us to deal with!""
I stared at her.
"He left you a home, a business interest, and enough money to start your own life.""
"He left you the trust!""
"He left Lily the trust!""
Vanessa slapped her hand against the table.
"Because he thought you were the responsible one!""
The words hung in the air.
My mother closed her eyes.
And for the first time, I realized Vanessa wasn't simply jealous of me.
She had spent years believing my father had chosen me over her.
She had allowed that resentment to become an excuse for everything she had done.
Graham stepped closer.
"Vanessa, how much money did you actually take?""
She didn't answer.
Daniel opened another folder.
"That is something the investigators are still calculating. But the original loan was three million, four hundred thousand dollars. Additional withdrawals were made over the following years.""
"How much?""
"Approximately another two million.""
Graham slowly sat down.
Five million dollars.
My father had worked his entire life to build something for his family.
And they had treated it like a personal bank account.
I looked at my mother.
"Did you know all of it?""
She started crying.
"I didn't know how far Vanessa would go.""
"But you knew she was taking the money.""
Patricia looked down.
"I thought she would pay it back.""
"When?""
She said nothing.
"When, Mom?""
Her voice became almost inaudible.
"After the wedding.""
Graham looked up sharply.
"What did the wedding have to do with repayment?""
Daniel answered.
"The marriage would have allowed Vanessa to access additional financing through the Ellison family. The plan was to use the new funds to cover the previous loans.""
Graham stared at Vanessa.
"So you weren't marrying me because you loved me.""
Vanessa immediately shook her head.
"That's not true.""
"How much of this marriage was about my family's money?""
"I loved you before any of this!""
"Then why did you lie?""
She reached for him.
He moved away again.
I was about to speak when Lily tugged on my sleeve.
"Mommy?""
I looked down.
"What is it?""
She was staring at the folder.
"Is that why Grandma came to our apartment?""
My heart stopped.
"What?""
Lily looked at Daniel.
Then at me.
"Before the wedding. Grandma came when you were at school.""
I crouched in front of her.
"When?""
"Last Tuesday.""
I remembered that day.
I had left Lily with our neighbor while attending a teachers' meeting.
My mother had told me she was visiting an old friend.
"Why did Grandma come to our apartment?""
Lily's eyes filled with tears.
"She asked me where you kept Daddy's old papers.""
I froze.
"What papers?""
"The ones in the blue box.""
I looked at Daniel.
He immediately understood.
"Claire, where is that box?""
"At home. In my bedroom closet.""
Lily nodded.
"Grandma wanted me to open it.""
My mother stepped forward.
"Lily, sweetheart, I was only looking for something that belonged to the family.""
I moved between them.
"Don't talk to her.""
Lily continued.
"She said I shouldn't tell you because it was a surprise.""
My mother reached for her.
I pulled Lily away.
Daniel's face had turned pale.
"Did you open the box?""
Lily shook her head.
"No. But Grandma took a picture of it.""
My mother closed her eyes.
Vanessa suddenly looked toward her.
"Mom, you said you had destroyed that box.""
The words came out before she could stop herself.
Everyone turned.
I stared at Vanessa.
"What did you just say?""
She looked horrified.
My mother grabbed her arm.
"Stop talking.""
But the damage was done.
Daniel stepped closer.
"What box did you destroy, Patricia?""
My mother began shaking.
I stood up slowly.
"Mom, what was in that box?""
She looked at me.
Then, with tears running down her face, she whispered:
"Your father's original letter.""
Daniel went completely still.
"That's impossible.""
My mother looked at him.
"He left another one. The one that explained everything.""
"What did you do with it?"" I demanded.
She didn't answer.
Then Daniel opened the final pocket of his briefcase and removed a small photograph.
It showed my father standing beside a young woman I had never seen before.
On the back, in his familiar handwriting, were seven words:
*If they destroy the letter, find Emily.*
Daniel stared at the photograph.
Then he looked at my mother.
"Patricia, where is Emily?""
My mother began trembling violently.
Vanessa stepped backward.
And Graham, who had barely spoken for several minutes, suddenly whispered:
"Who is Emily?""
Daniel looked at me.
"Claire, Emily is the reason your father created the second protection.""
He paused.
"She's also the person who can prove that your mother and sister didn't act alone.""
Before anyone could ask another question, a phone began ringing inside Mr. Mason's briefcase.
He pulled it out.
The screen displayed an unknown number.
He answered.
"Harold Mason.""
A woman's frightened voice came through the speaker.
"Mr. Mason, it's Emily. I found the original recording.""
Daniel grabbed the phone.
"Emily, where are you?""
There was a pause.
Then she whispered:
"I'm outside Rosewood Estate.""
A loud crash sounded through the call.
Someone screamed.
Emily's voice returned, barely audible.
"They know I'm here.""
May you like
The call went dead.
And Daniel ran toward the ballroom doors.
