Chapter 5: What My Grandmother Left Behind
I was already reaching for my car keys when Lorraine caught my wrist.
"Stop.""
"He's taking my grandmother's documents!""
"And if you run into that house alone, you'll give him exactly what he wants.""
I pulled my hand away.
"That's my property.""
"Then we'll protect it properly.""
My phone rang.
Kaylee.
I answered immediately.
"Kaylee, where are you?""
"In the bathroom.""
"Is Marcus still in my room?""
"Yes. He's yelling at Mom.""
"Can you hear what they're saying?""
A muffled voice came through the phone.
Then Kaylee whispered, "He's saying Grandma's papers shouldn't have been given to you.""
My stomach tightened.
"Did he take the envelope?""
"I don't know. He put it inside his jacket.""
I closed my eyes.
"Listen to me. Don't try to stop him. Stay with Mia.""
"But Zarya—"
"Please. I don't want you getting hurt.""
She sniffled.
"Okay.""
"Can you put Mia on the phone?""
A few seconds later, I heard my youngest sister.
"Zarya?""
"Hey, baby.""
"Are you coming home?""
"I'll see you soon.""
"Marcus says you're making Mommy cry.""
I pressed my lips together.
"That's not your fault, Mia. None of this is your fault.""
"Are you mad at us?""
The question broke something inside me.
"No. Never. I love you both.""
"Can you come to my room when you visit?""
"Of course.""
After I hung up, Lorraine called Daniel Foster again.
He told us to come to his office immediately.
Tessa drove.
Lorraine sat beside me, holding a folder containing copies of my grandmother's old documents.
Daniel's office was located above a small accounting firm downtown.
He was a thin man in his sixties with silver glasses and a carefully trimmed beard.
When we entered, he stood and shook my hand.
"Zarya. I've been hoping to meet with you under better circumstances.""
He motioned toward three chairs.
"Let's start with the trust.""
He opened a file cabinet and removed a thick folder.
Inside were copies of deeds, notarized statements, and several pages covered in my grandmother's handwriting.
Daniel placed a document in front of me.
"This is the original trust agreement. Your grandmother created it six years ago.""
I scanned the first page.
My name appeared several times.
"She left me the house?""
"Yes. The property was transferred into a trust, with you named as the sole beneficiary. Your grandmother retained the right to live there during her lifetime.""
I looked at Lorraine.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?""
Daniel sighed.
"She wanted to explain everything herself. Unfortunately, her illness progressed faster than expected.""
He turned another page.
"There's a restriction. Neither your mother nor Marcus can sell, mortgage, lease, or transfer the property without your written authorization.""
I stared at the document.
"Why would they want to?""
Daniel removed his glasses.
"Because the property has appreciated considerably.""
"How much?""
He gave me a figure.
I stopped breathing.
The house was worth nearly $480,000.
It sat on a large piece of land in a neighborhood that had become increasingly desirable over the past few years.
My grandmother had purchased it decades earlier.
She'd never talked about its value.
To her, it was simply home.
Daniel continued.
"Your grandmother also established a separate education fund. It was intended to help with your university expenses.""
I blinked.
"What education fund?""
He pulled out another document.
"She deposited money into an account administered by the trust. The balance at the time of her death was approximately thirty-two thousand dollars.""
I stared at him.
"Thirty-two thousand?""
"Yes.""
"Does it still exist?""
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
"That is something I've been trying to verify.""
Lorraine leaned forward.
"What do you mean?""
"The trust statements show that the account remained intact after Eleanor's death. But last year, there was a request to change the mailing address and update the authorized contact information.""
My mouth went dry.
"Who requested it?""
Daniel turned a page.
"Denise Bennett.""
I felt as if someone had punched me.
"Did you approve it?""
"No. I rejected the request because Denise was not an authorized trustee.""
"Then why is Marcus trying to get my documents?""
Daniel folded his hands.
"Because your grandmother anticipated that someone might attempt to interfere with your inheritance.""
He reached into the folder and removed a sealed letter.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
Grandma's.
"She left this with me," he said.
"Her instructions were to give it to you personally when you turned eighteen.""
My hands trembled as I opened it.
My dearest Zarya,
If you're reading this, it means you've grown into the young woman I always knew you would become.
I know you've spent too much of your childhood taking care of people who should have been taking care of you.
Your mother loves you, but love does not excuse using someone's future as a bargaining chip.
I stopped reading.
My eyes filled.
Lorraine placed a hand on my back.
I continued.
The house on Willow Creek Road is yours. The education fund is yours. I have made these arrangements because I want you to have choices.
If anyone tells you that you owe them your inheritance because they raised you, remember this: a gift is not a debt.
And if Marcus ever asks you to sign anything concerning the house, do not do it without Daniel.
My fingers tightened around the paper.
The letter continued.
There is one more thing I need you to know. Denise has been told about the trust. She knows I intended to leave everything to you.
I looked up.
"She knew?""
Daniel nodded.
"Your grandmother informed her before she died.""
My chest tightened.
"Then Mom knew the house was mine?""
"Yes.""
"And the education fund?""
"She knew about that, too.""
I lowered the letter.
For three years, my mother had let me work late catering jobs.
She had taken most of my earnings.
She had told me there was never enough money.
She'd watched me worry about how I would afford college.
And she'd never mentioned that my grandmother had left me an education fund.
Thirty-two thousand dollars.
Money specifically intended to help me build a future.
"Why didn't she tell me?"" I whispered.
Daniel didn't answer.
Instead, he opened another folder.
"There's a second issue. Someone attempted to access the trust account using a power-of-attorney document last year.""
Lorraine frowned.
"Whose?""
Daniel turned the page.
"Denise's.""
"Was it legitimate?"" I asked.
"No. The document was not valid for trust administration. We rejected it.""
"Did you tell her?""
"Yes. In writing.""
I looked down at my grandmother's letter.
Then I remembered something.
"Marcus said I should ask my mother what Grandma actually left me.""
Daniel's expression sharpened.
"Did he contact you?""
"Yes. He called after the university meeting.""
"What did he say?""
I repeated the conversation.
When I mentioned the envelope, Daniel leaned back.
"That's concerning.""
"Why?""
"Because the envelope contains more than the trust summary.""
He opened another drawer and pulled out a scanned copy.
"Your grandmother also documented a loan made to Denise and Marcus. It was secured against an asset they owned.""
"What loan?""
"Twenty-seven thousand dollars. Your grandmother paid it to prevent them from losing their business equipment.""
Lorraine looked shocked.
"Eleanor told me she'd helped them financially, but I didn't know it was that much.""
Daniel nodded.
"According to the agreement, the money was supposed to be repaid within three years. It wasn't.""
I felt my stomach twist.
"Did they owe Grandma money when she died?""
"Yes. The debt became part of the estate.""
"And who inherited it?""
"You did.""
I stared at him.
"So they owe me?""
"Technically, the debt is now an asset of the trust. The amount, including the applicable interest under the agreement, is documented.""
For the first time that morning, I understood why Marcus wanted the envelope so badly.
It wasn't just the house.
It wasn't just the education fund.
It was evidence.
Evidence that my mother and Marcus had taken money from my grandmother and never repaid it.
Evidence that they knew about my inheritance.
And evidence that they had tried to gain access to it.
Daniel closed the folder.
"Zarya, I recommend that you do not return to your mother's home alone. I'll send formal notice that no one has authorization to access or transfer your property.""
"Can you protect the education fund?""
"I can contact the financial institution and place a restriction pending identity verification.""
I nodded.
"Please do that.""
As we stood to leave, Daniel handed me another document.
It was a copy of the original property deed.
My name appeared beneath the words:
SOLE BENEFICIARY.
I held it against my chest.
Then my phone rang.
Denise.
I answered.
"Hello?""
"Where are you?""
"With Aunt Lorraine.""
"Marcus says you've been talking to Daniel Foster.""
I glanced at Lorraine.
"Yes.""
My mother exhaled sharply.
"Zarya, I need you to come home.""
"No.""
"You don't understand what you're doing.""
"I understand that Grandma left me a house and an education fund. I understand you knew about both and never told me.""
Silence.
Then she said, "That money was supposed to help this family.""
I closed my eyes.
"Grandma left it to me.""
"She was confused near the end.""
"She signed legal documents.""
"Don't start quoting lawyers at me!""
I lowered my voice.
"Did you try to access the trust account?""
Another pause.
"Your grandmother made promises she didn't understand.""
"Did you?""
My mother didn't answer.
Then she said something that made my skin crawl.
"Marcus is right here, and he wants to explain something to you.""
I heard him in the background.
"Tell her about the loan.""
My mother came back on the line.
"Zarya, if you make this legal, you're going to destroy your family.""
I looked at the deed in my hands.
"No, Mom. I'm trying to stop you from destroying my life.""
She hung up.
A few seconds later, Daniel's office phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed as he listened.
Then he looked directly at me.
"Zarya, don't panic, but someone has just submitted a request to transfer ownership of your grandmother's property.""
My blood ran cold.
"Who?""
May you like
Daniel checked the document.
"Your mother.""
