Chapter 5: My Grandmother's Last Secret
I sat down slowly.
My grandmother, Margaret, had been the strongest woman I had ever known.
She had built her wealth from a small real estate business in Atlanta, buying neglected properties, renovating them, and turning them into valuable homes.
She had taught me to balance a checkbook before I was allowed to drive.
She had taught me never to sign anything I hadn't read.
And when she became ill, she made me promise that I would protect the family property.
She had never mentioned a revised will.
“Daniel,” I said quietly, “is that document real?””
He studied the screenshot.
“I can't determine that from an image.””
“But could she have changed it?””
“Of course. Anyone can amend a will while they're legally competent. But we need to verify the original document, the witnesses, and the filing history.””
My mother stood.
“Margaret never changed her will.””
Daniel looked at her.
“How do you know?””
“Because I was with her during the last six months of her life. She discussed every detail of the estate with me.””
He nodded.
“Then we'll need your statement.””
I looked at Brianna.
“Why did Marcus have this document?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know.””
“Why was it sent to Vanessa?””
“I don't know that either.””
Daniel took her phone and examined the screenshot again.
“There's a file reference here.””
He enlarged the bottom corner.
A series of letters and numbers appeared.
“Do you have the original file?””
Brianna nodded.
“It's in an email attachment.””
She opened her inbox and searched.
After a few seconds, she found it.
The email had been sent from Marcus's company account.
The subject line read:
*FINAL ESTATE DOCUMENTS — DO NOT SHARE.*
Daniel downloaded the attachment.
I watched his face as he opened it.
At first, he appeared confused.
Then he became very still.
“What?”” I asked.
He didn't answer immediately.
He scrolled through the document.
The first page contained the supposed amendment.
The second page listed the beneficiaries.
My grandmother's original will had left the mansion and the majority of her estate to me.
The amended version transferred the property into a private trust managed by a company called Reed Family Holdings.
The company was registered under Vanessa Reed's name.
I looked at Daniel.
“Who is Vanessa Reed?””
He stared at the document.
“That's what I intend to find out.””
My mother shook her head.
“Marcus must have created this.””
Daniel continued reading.
Then he reached the final page.
His expression changed.
“Lauren, look at the witnesses.””
I leaned closer.
Two names appeared beneath the supposed signature.
The first belonged to a former family attorney.
The second was unfamiliar.
But the first name was enough to make my mother gasp.
“That's impossible.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
She pointed at the screen.
“Robert Ellis.””
Daniel nodded slowly.
“Your grandmother's attorney before me.””
I frowned.
“Wasn't he the one who retired?””
“He did,” Daniel replied.
“Three years ago.””
My mother shook her head.
“Robert died last year.””
Daniel closed the document.
“Then this amendment requires immediate forensic examination.””
I felt a headache forming behind my eyes.
The betrayal was becoming bigger with every piece of paper.
Marcus had lied about the house.
He had lied about the money.
He had apparently manufactured legal documents using my grandmother's name.
And I still didn't know why.
Daniel called the police officer and explained what we had discovered.
The officer returned to the living room and asked Brianna whether she would provide a formal statement.
She agreed.
Then she looked at me.
“Lauren, I know you hate me.””
I didn't answer.
“I deserve that. I shouldn't have been there. I knew he had a girlfriend, even if he told me you were separating.””
I looked at her.
“Why did you believe him?””
She lowered her eyes.
“Because he told me he was going to marry me.””
I almost laughed.
He had promised marriage to both of us.
“How long have you been together?””
“Eight months.””
Eight months.
I thought about all the weekends Marcus had told me he was attending business conferences.
All the nights he had come home late.
All the times he had complained about how difficult it was to build a company while maintaining a relationship.
Apparently, he had been maintaining two.
Brianna continued.
“I found out about the money three weeks ago. I asked him questions, and he told me everything was legal. He said the house would be transferred soon, and then we'd move to California.””
I stared at her.
“California?””
She nodded.
“He said he had already bought a property there.””
Daniel looked up sharply.
“Did he say where?””
“Beverly Hills, I think.””
My mother let out a breath.
“Of course.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
She hesitated.
“Your grandmother owned another property in California.””
I turned toward Daniel.
He nodded.
“An apartment in Los Angeles. It was sold through the estate after her death.””
“Who bought it?””
Daniel opened his laptop.
He typed for several seconds.
Then he looked up.
“The purchaser was a company registered in Delaware.””
“Which company?””
He turned the screen toward me.
*Westbridge Property Group.*
The name sounded familiar.
Brianna looked at the screen.
Then her face drained of color.
“That's Vanessa's company.””
Daniel leaned back.
“Now we have a connection.””
My phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
I almost ignored it.
Then a message appeared.
*Lauren, this is Vanessa Reed. We need to talk before Marcus tells you what happened to your grandmother's money.*
I read it twice.
Then another message arrived.
*He wasn't the one who started this.*
My mother came closer.
“What does it say?””
I showed her.
Daniel immediately asked me not to respond.
But before I could lock the screen, the phone rang.
The same unknown number.
I answered and placed it on speaker.
A woman's voice came through.
“Lauren?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Vanessa Reed. I know what Marcus did, and I know you're probably angry.””
“Who are you?””
A pause.
Then she said something that made my heart stop.
“I was your grandmother's financial adviser.””
Daniel stood abruptly.
“That's impossible. Margaret's financial adviser was Robert Ellis.””
Vanessa laughed softly.
“Robert was her attorney. I handled the estate investments.””
My mother shook her head.
“Margaret never mentioned you.””
“She wouldn't have. She was protecting Lauren.””
I gripped the phone.
“Protecting me from what?””
Vanessa lowered her voice.
“From the people who were trying to take her inheritance before she died.””
I looked at Daniel.
He had gone completely still.
“Who?”” I demanded.
Vanessa didn't answer immediately.
Then she said:
“Your mother knows.””
I turned toward Elaine.
Her face had lost all its color.
“Mom?””
Vanessa continued.
“Ask her why your grandmother changed the original trust. Ask her what happened to the first two million dollars. And ask her why she told you Marcus was the first man she ever warned Margaret about.””
I stared at my mother.
She took a step backward.
“Hang up, Lauren.””
I couldn't move.
“Mom, what is she talking about?””
Elaine's eyes filled with tears.
Vanessa spoke one final time.
“There's something your grandmother left in that house. Something Marcus has been searching for since the day he moved in.””
Then the call ended.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Daniel slowly closed his laptop.
My mother covered her mouth.
And from somewhere upstairs came the unmistakable sound of a door opening.
We all turned toward the staircase.
I knew I had locked the second-floor hallway.
I knew I had activated the security system.
And I knew nobody should have been inside.
Then a man's voice called down from the landing.
“Lauren?””
It wasn't Marcus.
It wasn't Daniel.
It was a voice I hadn't heard in three years.
My grandmother's former attorney.
May you like
Robert Ellis.
The man we had just been told was dead.
