Chapter 8: The Grandmother Who Wanted Me Erased
Margaret Callaway's estate stood on a hill overlooking the Connecticut coastline.
It was the kind of mansion that appeared in architectural magazines: white stone walls, enormous windows, manicured gardens, and a private driveway long enough to make visitors feel insignificant before they reached the front door.
We arrived shortly before ten.
Nathaniel insisted on bringing Marcus and two security officers.
Eleanor had wanted to come, but her doctors refused to release her.
Instead, she gave Nathaniel a sealed envelope.
“Don't open this unless Margaret denies everything,” she had told him.
Now, sitting beside me in the SUV, Nathaniel held that envelope in his hands.
“Are you nervous?”” he asked.
I looked through the window.
“I'm about to meet the woman who apparently wanted me erased from my own family. What do you think?””
He nodded.
“Fair.””
He hesitated.
“Rose, about what happened at the hospital…”
“What?””
“I know this is a lot to process. I don't expect you to suddenly think of me as your brother.””
I looked at him.
“You're right. I don't.””
He lowered his eyes.
“But I do want you to know that if the DNA confirms what Mom told us, I'll do everything I can to make sure you're protected.””
I turned toward the window again.
“Don't promise me money. Promise me the truth.””
He nodded.
“I can promise that.””
The front door opened before we reached it.
A silver-haired woman stood inside.
Margaret Callaway.
She wore a navy dress, pearl earrings, and an expression that could have frozen an entire room.
“Nathaniel,” she said.
Then her eyes moved to me.
“Rose Bennett.””
I stopped walking.
“You know who I am?””
Margaret smiled without warmth.
“I've known who you were since the day you were born.””
Nathaniel stepped forward.
“Then you can explain everything.””
Margaret moved aside.
“Come in.””
The sitting room was enormous.
A crystal chandelier hung above a polished marble table. Family portraits covered the walls.
I recognized Edward in several of them.
Nathaniel stood near the fireplace.
Margaret poured herself tea.
“Would either of you like some?””
“No,” Nathaniel replied.
Margaret sighed.
“Always impatient. Just like your father.””
“Don't talk about him. Tell us about Catherine Bennett.””
Margaret set down the teapot.
“Catherine was a mistake.””
I felt my hands tighten.
“She was a person,” I said.
Margaret looked at me.
“And you are proof that she made one.””
Nathaniel stepped forward.
“Enough.””
But I raised my hand.
“No. I want to hear what she has to say.””
Margaret took a slow sip.
“Your mother worked for Edward. She was intelligent, attractive, and ambitious. Edward became infatuated with her, and she became pregnant.””
“Did you know?””
“Of course.””
“Did you threaten her?””
Margaret placed her cup on the saucer.
“I offered her money to leave.””
“And when she refused?””
“I reminded her that Edward had a family.””
I felt sick.
“You separated us.””
“I protected my grandson.””
Nathaniel's voice rose.
“I'm standing right here. You don't get to rewrite my childhood.””
Margaret looked at him.
“Your father loved you. He wanted you to have everything.””
“What about Rose?””
Margaret's expression hardened.
“She was never supposed to exist in this family.””
I stepped forward.
“I didn't ask to be born.””
“No. But you became a problem.””
Nathaniel slammed his hand against the fireplace mantel.
“That's enough!””
Margaret finally looked uncomfortable.
“Fine. What do you want?””
“The trust documents,” Nathaniel replied.
“And an explanation for Victoria.””
Margaret's face changed.
“Victoria is trying to protect this family.””
“She pushed my mother off a rooftop.””
“She was trying to retrieve something Eleanor had stolen.””
I stared at her.
“Your granddaughter tried to kill an elderly woman.””
Margaret ignored me.
“Eleanor has spent years manipulating Edward's estate. She was supposed to keep the trust intact, not hand control to a woman who has no legitimate connection to the Callaway name.””
Nathaniel's voice became ice.
“Rose is my sister.””
Margaret laughed.
“According to whom? A dying woman? A photograph? You need evidence.””
“Then we'll get a DNA test.””
For the first time, Margaret looked genuinely frightened.
She stood abruptly.
“You have no idea what you're doing.””
“Then explain it.””
She walked toward a cabinet and pulled out a thick folder.
“Your father created the trust because he knew his marriage was failing. He wanted to give Catherine's children control of the company.””
Nathaniel stared at her.
“So you knew.””
“Of course I knew. I also knew he was dying when he made those arrangements.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Margaret opened the folder.
Inside were copies of old legal documents.
“Edward believed someone was stealing from the company. He blamed Adrian Cross. But he was wrong.””
Nathaniel took the papers.
“Who was responsible?””
Margaret looked directly at me.
“Your mother.””
I shook my head.
“That's a lie.””
“She had access to the financial records. She moved money through several accounts before disappearing.””
Nathaniel examined the documents.
“These are copies of transfer records.””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't you give them to the police?””
Margaret smiled.
“Because the police never knew about them.””
I looked at the dates.
Something didn't fit.
The transactions had supposedly occurred after my mother died.
I pointed to one.
“What's this?””
Margaret frowned.
“What?””
“The date. This transfer happened eight months after my mother was buried.””
Nathaniel took the paper.
He examined it carefully.
Then another.
And another.
His face darkened.
“These signatures are electronic.””
Margaret crossed her arms.
“Your mother authorized them.””
“She was dead.””
The room went silent.
Nathaniel looked at her.
“Someone used her identity.””
Margaret's expression changed.
I leaned closer to the folder.
At the bottom of the last page was a signature.
Adrian Cross.
Nathaniel slowly looked up.
“You've been working with Adrian.””
Margaret didn't answer.
He pulled out his phone.
“Marcus, call the police.””
Margaret's face went white.
“You wouldn't dare.””
Nathaniel stared at her.
“Watch me.””
Suddenly, the front door slammed.
Footsteps echoed through the hallway.
Victoria appeared in the sitting room.
She wore a black coat and held a small leather case.
“You really should have listened to your grandmother,” she said.
Nathaniel stepped forward.
“Where are the trust papers?””
Victoria smiled.
“Safe.””
“Give them back.””
“Not until the shares are transferred.””
Margaret moved toward her.
“Victoria, this wasn't the arrangement.””
Victoria turned.
“Grandmother, please. You've already done enough.””
I looked between them.
“You planned this together?””
Victoria laughed.
“Of course. Did you honestly think I married Nathaniel because I loved his expensive suits?””
Nathaniel's face was expressionless.
“You married me to access the trust.””
“I married you because you were the easiest way into the family.””
Margaret suddenly stepped backward.
“Victoria, you promised me the company would remain under family control.””
Victoria looked at her coldly.
“It will.””
“Then why did you forge my signature?””
Margaret's voice trembled.
Victoria opened the leather case.
Inside were several documents and a small black pistol.
Nathaniel immediately moved in front of me.
“Put that down.””
Victoria's smile disappeared.
“I'm tired of everyone treating me like a villain.””
She raised the weapon.
“Now, Nathaniel, we're going to settle this.””
May you like
Then she looked directly at me.
“And first, we're going to discuss what your mother hid inside that locket.””
