Chapter 14: My Mother's Final Recording
The next morning, Dad and I arrived at Eleanor Brooks's office shortly after nine.
It was a quiet building in the financial district, with glass doors and a receptionist who recognized Dad's name immediately.
Eleanor was waiting in a conference room.
She was in her early sixties, with silver hair and a navy-blue suit.
When she saw me, she stood.
"Jasmine.""
I shook her hand.
She held it gently.
"You look so much like your mother.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"Everyone says that.""
Eleanor smiled sadly.
"She would have been proud of you.""
Dad placed the documents on the table.
"We need to discuss the London account, the second trust, and the safe deposit box.""
Eleanor nodded.
"I expected this meeting would involve all three.""
She opened a leather folder.
Inside were several original documents, each carefully labeled.
She began with the company records.
"Your mother established Bennett Family Holdings to manage certain family assets and protect the property from unauthorized transfers. The company was never intended to be a source of personal wealth for other family members.""
She turned toward me.
"You were the primary beneficiary.""
I nodded.
"Then why does Olivia's name appear on the new filing?""
"Because someone submitted a fraudulent ownership amendment. The filing is being challenged.""
Dad leaned forward.
"Can we stop the transfer?""
"Yes. We have already notified the relevant registry and requested that the disputed amendment be flagged pending investigation. We are also preserving the original documents and the evidence of forgery.""
She opened another folder.
"Now, the second trust.""
The document contained a list of assets, including the London account.
Eleanor explained that my mother had established the account through an independent fiduciary arrangement. The money came from investments and proceeds from assets my mother had owned before marrying Dad.
It was not money that Monica could claim simply because she had become part of the family.
"The account was structured to become accessible to Jasmine when she reached eighteen," Eleanor explained.
"There are also protections against unauthorized withdrawals.""
Dad nodded.
"And the two million dollars?""
Eleanor checked the latest statement.
"The account currently contains approximately two million and eighty thousand dollars, subject to investment fluctuations and administrative charges.""
I stared at the figure.
It was difficult to imagine that kind of money.
I was still the same girl who had been working after school to save for university.
Eleanor placed a small envelope on the table.
"This is from your mother.""
My fingers trembled.
Inside was a flash drive and a handwritten note.
For Jasmine, when the time is right.
Eleanor connected the drive to her computer.
A video appeared.
My mother was sitting in a hospital room.
She looked thinner than I remembered.
Her hair was wrapped in a soft scarf, and a pale blue blanket covered her legs.
But her eyes were bright.
I immediately covered my mouth.
"Mom...""
The video began.
"Hello, my beautiful girl.""
Her voice filled the room.
I started crying.
"If you're watching this, it means you're old enough to understand the things I couldn't explain when you were younger.""
She smiled.
"I hope you're happy. I hope you're studying hard. And I hope you've found people who make you feel safe.""
She paused.
Then her expression became serious.
"Jasmine, I want you to know that the money and the company are not the most important things I left you.""
I wiped my cheeks.
"Your father loves you. But he trusts people too easily. I have spent months trying to understand why certain company documents were being changed without my permission.""
Dad lowered his head.
My mother continued.
"I discovered that Richard had been involved in unauthorized transactions. But I also discovered that someone inside our household was providing him with information.""
I looked at Dad.
He stared at the screen.
My mother took a breath.
"I confronted that person. They denied everything. I wanted to believe them.""
The video paused for a moment as she adjusted the blanket.
Then she said something that made my heart race.
"The person was Monica.""
Dad closed his eyes.
I felt tears sliding down my cheeks.
My mother continued.
"Monica had been asking questions about the company and the trust. She had also contacted Richard without my knowledge.""
She looked directly into the camera.
"Jasmine, I don't want you to grow up hating people. But I want you to understand that kindness does not mean allowing someone to hurt you.""
I held the necklace in my hand.
My mother smiled again.
"There is something else I need you to know. I did not establish the second trust only to protect your money.""
She leaned closer.
"I established it to protect your right to choose your own life.""
The room was silent.
"Your education, your home, and your future belong to you. No one should be able to use them to control you.""
Then she looked slightly away from the camera.
"Marcus, if you're watching this too, please forgive me for keeping certain things from you. I was afraid. I knew how much you loved your family, and I knew it would be difficult for you to accept what I had discovered.""
Dad wiped his eyes.
My mother continued.
"There's one final document Eleanor has been instructed to give Jasmine. It identifies the person who was supposed to receive control of the company if the original beneficiary arrangements failed.""
Eleanor reached into her folder.
She removed a sealed envelope.
My name was written across it.
I opened it.
Inside was a document naming the successor trustee.
The name was not Monica.
It was not Richard.
It was not Daniel.
It was my father.
Marcus Bennett.
Dad stared at the paper.
"Me?""
Eleanor nodded.
"Your wife wanted you to protect Jasmine if the original arrangement was challenged. But she included a condition.""
Dad read it.
His eyes filled.
The condition required him to acknowledge that he had failed to properly supervise the company records and agree to an independent review of all transactions made during the period following Laura's death.
He had to accept responsibility for the mistakes that had allowed the fraud to happen.
Dad slowly signed the acknowledgment.
Eleanor witnessed it.
Then she handed him another document.
"This is the authorization allowing me to act as temporary independent trustee while the investigation proceeds.""
Dad signed that too.
I looked back at the video.
My mother was speaking again.
"Jasmine, one day you may have to make a decision about what to do with the house.""
She smiled.
"Whatever you choose, make sure it's because you want to. Not because someone has made you feel guilty.""
The video ended.
I couldn't stop crying.
Eleanor placed a tissue box beside me.
Dad put his arm around my shoulders.
For a long time, neither of us spoke.
Then Eleanor opened the final folder.
"There is something else your mother asked me to investigate.""
Dad looked up.
"What?""
Eleanor placed a financial report on the table.
It showed the original missing company funds.
The total was three hundred and twelve thousand dollars.
Several transactions had been traced to a series of accounts.
The final destination was a private investment company.
And the company had one controlling shareholder.
Daniel Bennett.
Dad stared at the page.
"Daniel.""
Eleanor nodded.
"But there's another name.""
She turned the page.
The company had been registered using a second identity.
A name connected to Daniel Price.
I felt sick.
Eleanor continued.
"Your mother's records suggest that Daniel and Richard were not acting alone.""
Dad frowned.
"Who else?""
Eleanor hesitated.
"Someone provided access to your family's financial records, identification documents, and private correspondence.""
She placed another sheet on the table.
It contained a list of authorized contacts.
At the bottom was Monica's name.
Dad shook his head.
"That's enough evidence.""
Eleanor nodded.
"We're preparing the complete file for the investigators. The property transfer, the forged signatures, the fraudulent account claims, and the missing funds will all be reviewed.""
I looked at the last page of the report.
There was a handwritten note from my mother.
If they try to take Jasmine's home, make sure she knows she has a choice.
I looked at Dad.
"I don't want them to win.""
He squeezed my hand.
"They won't.""
Eleanor closed the folder.
"There's one more meeting we need to arrange.""
"With whom?"" Dad asked.
"Richard and Daniel.""
Dad stood.
"Why?""
"Because they have already been notified that the original trust documents have been recovered.""
I looked at Eleanor.
"How do you know?""
She turned her laptop toward us.
An email had arrived.
It was from Daniel Price.
The subject line read:
*FINAL PROPOSAL — JASMINE BENNETT.*
The message contained a single sentence.
We are prepared to return the missing money if Jasmine agrees to sign away her rights permanently.
Dad looked at me.
I read the message again.
Then I shook my head.
"No.""
Eleanor smiled faintly.
"Good answer.""
But there was one final attachment.
A photograph of Monica, Richard, and Daniel sitting together at a restaurant.
The date was two days earlier.
And on the table between them was a document bearing my name.
May you like
They weren't preparing to return my inheritance.
They were preparing one last attempt to make me sign it away.
