Chapter 9: The Mother Who Took Everything
I couldn't move.
My mother stood beside my father's desk, her hands trembling.
Rebecca held the letter.
The ownership register lay on the table.
And suddenly, the woman who had spent my entire life telling me to be grateful was admitting that she had taken money my father intended to protect.
"How much?"" I asked.
Evelyn shook her head.
"Nia, please.""
"How much did you transfer?""
"It wasn't what you think.""
"Then tell me what it was.""
She sat down.
For several seconds, she stared at the floor.
Then she spoke.
"Your father and I had disagreements about the business. He wanted to control every account. He wanted to decide what everyone received.""
"That doesn't answer my question.""
She looked at Rebecca.
"Can we speak privately?""
"No," Rebecca replied.
My mother closed her eyes.
"Fine.""
She took a breath.
"After your father became ill, I discovered that he had established separate accounts for all three children.""
"Yes.""
"Yours was much larger.""
"Because Dad funded it first.""
"He had promised to help the family.""
I shook my head.
"Mom, he helped the family for years.""
"Marcus needed money for his business. Claire needed money for her education. I needed money to keep the household running.""
"And you took mine?""
"I borrowed it.""
"How much?""
She pressed her lips together.
Rebecca placed the letter on the desk.
"Evelyn, we need a complete accounting.""
My mother looked exhausted.
"Four hundred and twenty thousand dollars.""
I felt the room spin.
"From my trust?""
"Not directly.""
"Then where?""
"From the company account.""
I looked at Rebecca.
She nodded slowly.
"The transfers we identified.""
My mother began speaking faster.
"Daniel told me it was temporary. He said the company had expenses and that we could restore the money later.""
"Did Dad know?""
She didn't answer.
"Mom, did Dad know?""
"He found out.""
"And?""
"He was furious.""
I stared at her.
"What did he do?""
"He threatened to remove me from the business.""
"Was that why he wrote the letter?""
She looked down.
"Yes.""
I felt something break inside me.
My father had been dying.
And while he was fighting to stay alive, he was also fighting to protect the money he had saved for his children.
"Where did the money go?""
My mother wiped her cheeks.
"Some went toward household expenses.""
"Some?""
"Marcus had debts.""
I closed my eyes.
"How much?""
"About eighty thousand.""
"What about Claire?""
"She needed money for a business opportunity.""
"How much?""
My mother hesitated.
"One hundred and twenty thousand.""
I turned toward Rebecca.
"Does she know?""
Rebecca didn't answer.
I already knew.
Claire had been spending money she didn't earn.
The designer clothes.
The expensive vacations.
The luxury apartment she had recently moved into.
I had assumed she was simply living beyond her means.
Now I understood.
"Where's the rest?"" I asked.
My mother looked toward the window.
"Daniel managed the investments.""
"That isn't an answer.""
"I don't know exactly where it went.""
Rebecca closed the folder.
"Then we'll obtain the records.""
My mother stood abruptly.
"You're going to destroy this family.""
I stared at her.
"No, Mom. I'm trying to understand what happened to it.""
"You want to send your own mother to court?""
"I want the truth.""
She pointed toward the door.
"Get out.""
I looked at Rebecca.
She was already gathering the documents.
"We're leaving," she said.
"But these records will be preserved.""
My mother stepped in front of the desk.
"You can't take those.""
Rebecca remained calm.
"We aren't removing anything without proper documentation. We'll arrange a formal collection process.""
I turned toward my mother.
"Did you ever intend to tell me?""
She didn't answer.
"Did you ever intend to return the money?""
Still nothing.
I nodded.
That silence told me more than any explanation could.
We left the house.
In the car, I stared through the window.
Rebecca waited until we were several streets away.
"Are you okay?""
"No.""
"That's understandable.""
I swallowed.
"What happens now?""
"We need to trace the transfers, establish the ownership of the remaining assets, and determine whether the corporate filings were fraudulent.""
I nodded.
Then my phone rang.
Claire.
I answered.
"What?""
Her voice was furious.
"How dare you go into Mom's house?""
I stared at the road.
"Hello to you, too.""
"She called me crying. She says you accused her of stealing.""
"She admitted transferring $420,000.""
Silence.
Then Claire said, "That money was used for the family.""
"How much did you receive?""
"Why?""
"How much?""
She became defensive.
"Mom helped me with a business opportunity. That's none of your business.""
"Was it my money?""
"It wasn't yours yet.""
I almost stopped breathing.
"What does that mean?""
"Mom said Dad wanted all of us to benefit.""
"He established separate trusts.""
"Because he was being manipulated!""
"By whom?""
"By you!""
I stared at the phone.
Claire continued.
"You always had him wrapped around your finger. He treated you like you were special, and the rest of us had to struggle.""
I felt tears gathering.
"Claire, Dad was proud of all of us.""
"Then why did he leave you so much?""
"Because he wanted me to have it.""
"Exactly. You got everything.""
I closed my eyes.
Then I asked the question that had been bothering me since the restaurant.
"Did you know about the forged partnership agreement?""
She went quiet.
"Claire?""
"Mom said it was necessary.""
"Did you know it wasn't real?""
"I thought you had agreed.""
"And the trust application?""
Another silence.
Then she said, "I only submitted what Mom gave me.""
I felt sick.
"Did you sign my name?""
"No.""
"Did you submit the document?""
"Yes, but—"
"Did you know it contained my signature?""
Claire's voice became smaller.
"Mom said you had already approved it.""
I ended the call.
Rebecca glanced at me.
"Was that Claire?""
I nodded.
"She admitted submitting the application.""
Rebecca immediately made a note.
At 6:20 p.m., Marcus called.
I answered.
"Nia, please don't involve the police.""
I closed my eyes.
"What?""
"Mom told me everything.""
"Then you know what happened.""
"I know she made mistakes.""
"Marcus, she transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars.""
"I know.""
"Did you receive eighty thousand?""
He hesitated.
"Yes.""
I gripped the steering wheel.
"Why?""
"My business was failing.""
"Why didn't you ask me?""
"Because I knew you'd say no.""
That answer hurt more than I expected.
"Then you should have accepted that.""
He sighed.
"I didn't know she was taking it from your trust.""
"Did you know she was using the company account?""
"Yes.""
I stared at the dashboard.
"You knew?""
"I thought it was family money.""
"Marcus, Dad owned that company.""
"We were his children.""
"So was I.""
He fell silent.
Then he said, "I can return some of it.""
"Some?""
"I don't have all of it.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Of course you don't.""
He began speaking quickly.
"Nia, listen. There's something you need to know about Claire.""
"What?""
"She didn't just receive the money.""
I waited.
"She gave Daniel Price access to some of the financial records.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why?""
"Because she wanted him to help her get control of the company.""
"How long has this been happening?""
"Months.""
"Marcus, how long?""
He finally answered.
"Since the beginning of the year.""
I looked at Rebecca.
She had stopped writing.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because Mom said it was already arranged.""
I felt my hands shaking.
Then Marcus added:
"There's something else. Daniel has been preparing a sale.""
"What sale?""
"The old commercial properties.""
I stared at the road.
"Which properties?""
"All of them.""
I turned toward Rebecca.
She immediately opened her laptop.
"Marcus," I said slowly, "are you telling me Daniel is trying to sell Dad's properties?""
"Yes.""
"Who authorized it?""
"Mom.""
I looked at Rebecca.
Her expression had become grim.
She searched the property records.
Then she turned her screen toward me.
Three commercial properties appeared.
All were listed as pending transfers.
And one had already been sold.
I felt my chest tighten.
"Who bought it?""
Rebecca clicked the record.
A company name appeared.
Carter Family Development LLC.
I had never heard of it.
Rebecca opened the registration details.
Then she looked at me.
"Nia, this company was established four months ago.""
"Who owns it?""
She scrolled down.
The registered members were Evelyn Carter, Claire Carter, and Daniel Price.
My mother hadn't simply taken money from the family.
She had created a company to take control of the properties my father left behind.
But the final page contained something even worse.
A document showing that I had supposedly approved the sale.
And this time, the signature wasn't merely similar to mine.
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It was accompanied by a copy of my driver's license.
Someone had used my identity to authorize the transfer.
