Chapter 6: The Secret Behind My Mother's Will
For several seconds, nobody moved.
My father stood beside the kitchen table, holding the document with my mother's handwriting.
Brandon was trembling near the doorway.
And Victoria looked like someone had just pulled the floor out from beneath her.
"Brandon," my father said quietly.
"What happened to your mother's original will?""
Brandon looked at Victoria.
She shook her head almost imperceptibly.
"Don't," she whispered.
My father stepped toward him.
"Son, I asked you a question.""
Brandon swallowed.
"Mom said Grandma Sarah's lawyer had changed everything before she died.""
My heart began pounding.
"Grandma Sarah?"" I asked.
My mother's mother had died when I was a baby. I barely remembered her.
Brandon nodded.
"She left something for you. Mom said it was supposed to be yours, but she had to take care of it because you were too young.""
My father turned toward Victoria.
"Is that true?""
Victoria crossed her arms.
"Brandon doesn't understand what he's saying.""
"Then explain it.""
"Daniel, this is a private family matter.""
Rachel Morgan, my father's attorney, closed her briefcase.
"Mrs. Carter, the documents suggest otherwise.""
She placed a copy of an old legal document on the table.
"This is a certified extract from the original estate file. Sarah Carter established an irrevocable trust for Emily. It included property, investment accounts, and a life insurance benefit.""
I stared at the paper.
"How much?""
Rachel looked at me.
"The estimated value at the time was approximately $380,000.""
My knees nearly gave way.
Three hundred and eighty thousand dollars.
My mother had left me enough money to have a future.
And I had been eating dog food in a bathroom.
My father pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Why didn't I know about this?""
Rachel answered carefully.
"You were informed that the trust had been transferred to an independent administrator. However, the documents we reviewed suggest the administrator may never have received the full assets.""
My father looked at Victoria.
"Did you know?""
She rubbed her forehead.
"Daniel, your daughter was very young. Someone had to manage these things.""
"You told me the trust was being handled by the bank.""
"It was.""
"Then why is your name on these transfers?""
Victoria's voice rose.
"Because I was your wife! I was managing the household!""
Rachel opened another folder.
"Managing the household does not authorize someone to withdraw money from an irrevocable trust.""
Victoria slammed her palm against the table.
"You're making me sound like a criminal!""
Rachel remained calm.
"I'm describing the transactions recorded in the financial documents.""
My father stared at the papers.
"Where is the money, Victoria?""
She didn't answer.
"Where is my daughter's money?""
Victoria looked toward Brandon.
"Tell them.""
Brandon shook his head.
"Mom, you said everything was legal.""
Her eyes narrowed.
"Brandon, stop talking.""
But he continued.
"You told me the money was going to be ours when Emily went away.""
I looked at him.
"When I went away?""
He nodded.
"Mom said if you went to that residential school, Dad would eventually sign the guardianship papers. Then she could control the rest of the money.""
My father slowly stood.
"What guardianship papers?""
Rachel immediately reached for the folder Victoria had prepared earlier.
She examined the documents.
"These appear to be authorization forms for temporary educational placement and financial representation.""
My father looked at Victoria.
"You wanted me to sign away control of Emily's future?""
Victoria's expression hardened.
"I wanted to protect the family.""
"From what?""
"From her!""
She pointed at me.
"Ever since you married me, she's been a problem. Every time something happens, you choose her.""
The room went silent.
My father stared at her.
"She's my daughter.""
"And I'm your wife!""
"You were supposed to be her family.""
Victoria laughed bitterly.
"I gave up everything to live here!""
Rachel interrupted.
"Mrs. Carter, I suggest you avoid making statements that could be misunderstood.""
Victoria turned toward her.
"Stay out of my marriage.""
Rachel didn't flinch.
"This is no longer simply a marital disagreement.""
My father walked toward me.
He crouched and took my hands.
"Emily, I need to ask you something.""
I nodded.
"Did Victoria ever make you sign anything?""
"No.""
"Did she ever ask you to approve a transfer?""
"No.""
"Did she tell you your mother left you money?""
I shook my head.
"No, Dad.""
His eyes filled.
"I'm sorry.""
I looked at him.
"For what?""
"For not knowing.""
He lowered his head.
"I should have checked. I should have come home more often. I should have noticed.""
I wanted to tell him it wasn't his fault.
But I couldn't.
Not yet.
I was still twelve years old.
I had spent months believing that nobody cared enough to notice when I was hungry.
My father pulled me into his arms.
Rachel quietly gathered the documents.
"We need to secure every remaining record and contact the trust administrator. There may also be grounds for a formal investigation.""
Victoria suddenly grabbed her handbag.
"I'm leaving.""
My father stood.
"Where do you think you're going?""
"Somewhere I can breathe.""
Rachel stepped toward the front door.
"Mrs. Carter, please don't remove any documents or financial records from this property.""
Victoria laughed.
"You can't tell me what to do.""
Rachel looked at my father.
"Daniel, we should document the condition of the house and secure the relevant records.""
My father nodded.
Victoria marched upstairs.
Brandon followed her.
I stayed beside my father.
"Is she going to prison?""
He looked down at me.
"I don't know, sweetheart. That's for the authorities and the court to determine.""
I nodded.
Then I asked the question that had been hurting me for months.
"Am I going to have to eat dog food again?""
My father closed his eyes.
"No.""
He held my face gently.
"Never again.""
That afternoon, Rachel arranged for an independent trust investigator to review the accounts.
My father also contacted the bank.
But there was something nobody had expected.
When the investigator called back, Rachel put the call on speaker.
"Mr. Carter, we've located the original trust records.""
My father leaned forward.
"Where?""
"An account was opened under the name of a private company associated with Mrs. Carter.""
Victoria wasn't in the room.
But my father looked toward the stairs anyway.
"How much is in it?""
The investigator hesitated.
"Approximately $146,000 remains.""
My father exhaled.
"And the rest?""
"That's what we're trying to trace.""
Rachel asked another question.
"Who authorized the account?""
The investigator replied:
"The original application was signed by Victoria Carter and witnessed by someone named Brandon Hayes.""
My father looked toward the stairs.
Then the investigator added one more detail.
"There is also a second beneficiary listed on the account.""
Rachel frowned.
"Who?""
The answer made my father go completely still.
"Daniel Carter.""
My father's own name.
He looked at the document in disbelief.
"That's impossible. I never agreed to be a beneficiary.""
The investigator continued.
"Mr. Carter, someone appears to have forged your signature on the authorization.""
Rachel immediately ended the call.
My father stared at the table.
Then he whispered:
"Victoria didn't just steal from Emily.""
He looked at me.
May you like
"She used my name to do it.""
And upstairs, behind a closed bedroom door, Victoria had heard every word.
