Chapter 8: The Truth Behind My Mother's Last Night
Three days later, Margaret called an emergency meeting.
The meeting was held in a conference room at her law office.
I arrived with Evelyn and Richard.
My father was already there.
He sat at the far end of the table, wearing a navy suit.
Patricia sat beside him.
Vanessa wasn't present.
My father looked exhausted.
His hair was uncombed, and his eyes were red.
When he saw me, he stood.
“Lily.””
I nodded.
“Dad.””
Patricia looked away.
Margaret placed several folders on the table.
“Thank you all for coming. The purpose of today's meeting is to establish the facts surrounding the Carter family trust, the property transfer, and the disputed financial transactions.””
My father leaned forward.
“This is unnecessary.””
Margaret adjusted her glasses.
“Mr. Carter, you requested this meeting after receiving our formal notice.””
“I requested it because my daughter is being manipulated.””
Evelyn spoke calmly.
“By whom?””
My father ignored her.
Margaret opened the first folder.
“Let's begin with the trust.””
She showed him the statements.
“Four hundred and eighty thousand dollars were placed into the trust. Approximately four hundred and eight thousand dollars were withdrawn or transferred.””
Dad looked down.
“The expenses were legitimate.””
“Then you should have no difficulty producing receipts.””
He shifted in his chair.
“Some records are old.””
“Several transactions occurred less than a year ago.””
Patricia interrupted.
“Daniel was supporting the household. Lily benefited from that money too.””
I looked at her.
“Did I benefit from the diamond bracelet?””
She frowned.
“What?””
“The bracelet purchased using trust funds.””
Patricia glanced at Dad.
Margaret continued.
“We have identified payments to PC Lifestyle Consulting, a company registered to Mrs. Carter.””
Patricia's face tightened.
“That was a business arrangement.””
“What services were provided?””
She opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Richard placed another document on the table.
“According to the company registry, the business had no employees, no office, and no reported commercial activity.””
My father rubbed his forehead.
“Can we stop treating Patricia like a criminal?””
Margaret looked at him.
“Then perhaps you can explain why the payments were made.””
He didn't answer.
I watched him.
I wanted him to look at me.
I wanted him to say he was sorry.
But he kept staring at the papers.
Margaret moved to the next folder.
“Now, regarding the property.””
She placed the deed on the table.
“This document confirms that Elena Carter transferred ownership of the house into a protected trust for Lily.””
My father shook his head.
“She was sick.””
Richard responded immediately.
“The transfer was completed while she had full legal capacity. Her physician confirmed that she understood the document.””
“She was taking medication!””
“And her doctor specifically documented that the medication did not impair her decision-making.””
Dad stood.
“This is ridiculous!””
Margaret remained seated.
“Please sit down, Mr. Carter.””
He looked at me.
“You have no idea what your mother put me through.””
I felt my throat tighten.
“Then tell me.””
He shook his head.
“You were a child.””
“I'm not a child anymore.””
“You don't understand marriage.””
“No. But I understand that you let someone destroy my dress and then blamed me for crying.””
He looked away.
I continued.
“I understand that you hid my scholarship letter. I understand that you allowed Patricia to take my mother's bedroom, her belongings, and money that was supposed to help me.””
His face changed.
“Lily, I never wanted you to know about any of this.””
“That doesn't make it better.””
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Margaret opened another folder.
“There is one final matter.””
She looked at me.
“We received the complete copy of Elena's final letter to Patricia.””
My heart began racing.
“Where is it?””
Margaret placed a document on the table.
“The original is still being recovered, but your mother retained a copy with her attorney.””
I unfolded it.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
Patricia,
I know about the relationship.
I know about the money.
And I know you have been telling Daniel that I am becoming unstable.
I also know you have been trying to persuade him to sell the house before the trust documents are finalized.
I looked at Patricia.
Her face had gone pale.
I continued.
You believe that because Daniel loves you, you have won.
But you misunderstand the situation.
Daniel has been making promises to you that he cannot keep. He has told you that the house will be yours. He has told you that the company shares will eventually be sold. He has told you that the money will become available.
None of that is true.
I have protected Lily's inheritance.
And I have protected the evidence.
My fingers trembled.
Then I reached the final page.
There is one thing I have not told Daniel.
The night I discovered the affair, I was not alone.
I spoke to someone who has known Patricia for much longer than either of us.
Someone who can explain what happened before she entered our lives.
If Lily ever needs the truth, tell her to look for the person who signed the original witness statement.
At the bottom was a name.
*Margaret Ellis.*
I looked up.
“Margaret?””
She nodded slowly.
“Your mother came to see me after discovering the affair.””
“What did she tell you?””
Margaret took a deep breath.
“She told me Patricia had approached her months earlier.””
I frowned.
“Approached her?””
“She claimed she wanted to become friends. She said she admired your mother's work and wanted advice about starting a small business.””
Patricia shifted in her chair.
Margaret continued.
“Your mother initially believed her. But Patricia was asking unusually specific questions about the family's finances, property ownership, and business interests.””
I looked at Patricia.
She was staring at the table.
“Why?””
Margaret turned another page.
“Because Patricia was already in financial trouble.””
My father looked up.
“What?””
Margaret nodded.
“Before meeting Daniel, Patricia had accumulated significant debt. She had also been involved in a business partnership that collapsed.””
Patricia shook her head.
“That has nothing to do with this.””
Margaret ignored her.
“Your mother discovered that Patricia had approached her with the intention of getting close to the family.””
My stomach twisted.
“Are you saying she planned it?””
“Your mother believed she did.””
I looked at my father.
He seemed to have stopped breathing.
“Daniel,” Margaret said gently, “there is something else you should know.””
She placed another document in front of him.
It was a copy of an old email.
Patricia had sent it to a friend before she married him.
The subject line read:
Finally, a way out.
My father read it.
His hands began shaking.
The email contained one sentence.
If I can get Daniel to trust me, I won't have to worry about money again.
He looked at Patricia.
“Is this real?””
She stared at him.
“Daniel, listen to me.””
“Is it real?””
She stood.
“You don't understand the context.””
“What context?””
“You were miserable! You were always complaining about Elena!””
He stepped back.
“You told me you loved me.””
“I did!””
“You told me you wanted a family.””
“I do!””
He pointed at the email.
“Then what is this?””
Patricia's expression hardened.
“You think you're innocent? You were the one who came to me. You were the one who promised me a better life.””
The room fell silent.
My father looked as though someone had struck him.
Patricia grabbed her handbag.
“I am not staying here to be judged.””
Margaret calmly said, “Mrs. Carter, you are free to leave, but we still require the original documents and the trust funds to be accounted for.””
Patricia turned toward me.
“You think you've won, don't you?””
I looked at her.
“No.””
She frowned.
“I think I've finally learned the truth.””
She stormed out.
My father sank into his chair.
For the first time, he looked small.
“Lily,” he whispered.
I waited.
He covered his face.
“I didn't know.””
I stared at him.
“You didn't know she was using you?””
He shook his head.
“I thought…”
His voice broke.
“I thought we could start over.””
I looked at the man who had once carried me on his shoulders at the beach.
The man who used to make pancakes on Sunday mornings.
The man who had sat beside my mother in the hospital.
I wanted to hate him.
But I also wanted him to become the father I remembered.
“Dad, why didn't you tell me about the trust?””
He lowered his hands.
“Because I was ashamed.””
“Of what?””
He looked at the paperwork.
“I used money I shouldn't have used. I thought I could replace it before you found out.””
I swallowed.
“How much did you spend?””
He didn't answer.
“Dad.””
“More than I can repay immediately.””
My chest tightened.
“Did Mom know?””
He nodded.
“She found out shortly before she died.””
I felt tears gathering.
“And you let me think she had left us nothing.””
He started crying.
“I know.””
I looked away.
For the first time, I understood something painful.
My father hadn't simply failed to protect me.
He had chosen to protect himself instead.
Margaret closed the folder.
“We will proceed with the financial investigation. Any further discussion about repayment should happen through legal counsel.””
My father nodded.
As I stood to leave, he reached for my hand.
“Please don't shut me out forever.””
I looked at him.
“I don't know what happens next.””
He nodded.
“I understand.””
But as Evelyn and I walked toward the exit, my phone vibrated.
A message from Vanessa.
You should ask your father what happened the night your mother died.
I stopped.
Another message arrived.
Because Mom wasn't the only person who was there.
Then a photograph appeared.
It showed Patricia standing outside the hospital.
And beside her was my father.
The timestamp was two hours before my mother died.
I stared at it.
Something about the photograph felt wrong.
Then I noticed the date.
It wasn't the date my father had always told me.
My mother had died on a Thursday.
But the photograph was dated Wednesday night.
May you like
And beneath it, Vanessa had written:
Mom says your father wasn't supposed to be there.
