Chapter 8: The Second Agreement
"Tell me what the second agreement is.""
My father's voice was quiet.
Tiffany looked at the message on her phone, then slipped it into her purse.
"There's nothing else.""
David immediately stood.
"Please don't delete or alter that message.""
Tiffany gave him a bitter look.
"I don't need legal advice from you.""
Dad stepped forward.
"Show me the message.""
"No.""
"Tiffany.""
"I said no!""
Her sudden outburst made me jump.
Dad didn't move.
"Then I'll ask Samir.""
He called his brother again.
This time, the call went straight to voicemail.
Dad tried twice more.
Nothing.
"He's avoiding me," he muttered.
David opened the email attachments again.
"Let's examine the original property agreement.""
He placed the documents beside the tablet and compared the dates.
The first draft had been created almost two months earlier.
The second had been created only four days before Dad's return.
"Mr. Hassan, these documents aren't identical.""
Dad leaned over.
"What changed?""
David pointed to a paragraph.
"The original agreement proposed a family trust. This revised version includes an additional authorization concerning your business interests.""
Dad frowned.
"My business?""
David nodded.
"It appears someone was attempting to obtain authority over certain financial decisions during your absence.""
Dad straightened.
"Who would have authority?""
David pointed to a name.
Samir Hassan.
The room went silent.
My father slowly sat down.
"That's impossible.""
David remained professional.
"At this stage, we don't know whether this document was ever executed. But we need to establish whether anyone has attempted to use it.""
Dad looked at Tiffany.
"Did you know about this?""
She pressed her lips together.
"Samir handled the financial side.""
"Did you know?""
"I knew he wanted to help.""
"Help himself to my business?""
Tiffany shook her head.
"That's not what he said.""
David continued reading.
"There's a provision concerning the residence, the investment account, and voting authority in the family company.""
Dad rubbed his forehead.
"I built that company from nothing.""
Tiffany's voice softened.
"That's why Samir wanted to protect it.""
"Protect it from whom?""
She looked at me.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
Dad noticed.
"Stop looking at my daughter.""
Tiffany folded her arms.
"You keep saying she's the victim. But you have no idea how complicated this has become.""
"Then explain.""
She looked toward the window.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Finally, she spoke.
"Samir told me that your company was facing financial difficulties.""
Dad frowned.
"What?""
"He said there were debts.""
"Every company has liabilities. That doesn't mean it's failing.""
"He said you were hiding things from me.""
Dad turned toward David.
"That's not true.""
David nodded.
"I'll review the financial position independently.""
Tiffany continued.
"Samir said if you died unexpectedly, the business could collapse. He wanted to make sure the baby had security.""
Dad's expression hardened.
"Why would my death be part of this discussion?""
Tiffany looked down.
"Because he said you were under too much stress.""
Dad stood.
"You're talking about me as if I'm already dead.""
"No!""
"Then why prepare documents giving my brother control of everything?""
Tiffany's voice cracked.
"Because he said you would never sign them willingly!""
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Nobody moved.
David slowly closed the folder.
"Thank you. That's important.""
Tiffany covered her mouth.
Dad stared at her.
"You knew I wouldn't agree?""
She began crying.
"I didn't think you'd understand.""
"Understand what?""
"That I needed security!""
Dad pointed toward the door.
"Your security was never supposed to come from destroying my daughter's future.""
Denise stepped forward.
"There's something else, Khalil.""
Dad looked exhausted.
"What?""
Denise unlocked her phone.
"Mom sent me a voice message this morning. I didn't listen to it until now.""
Tiffany's head snapped toward her.
"Don't play that.""
Denise looked at her.
"Why?""
"Because it has nothing to do with you.""
Denise pressed play.
Patricia's voice filled the living room.
"Denise, sweetheart, I need you to understand something. Tiffany has done everything she can to secure her future. Samir promised us the arrangements would be completed before the wedding.
Once the trust is activated, Khalil won't be able to change everything on a whim. We just need Ariana out of the way long enough for the documents to go through.""
The message ended.
Denise lowered her phone.
Dad looked at David.
"Trust activated?""
David nodded slowly.
"That phrase is concerning.""
He searched the document again.
Then he found a paragraph on the final page.
"There's a condition here. It refers to the marriage ceremony as a triggering event for certain proposed arrangements.""
Dad frowned.
"Meaning?""
"Possibly that the trust or related authorizations would become effective upon marriage, assuming the required signatures and legal formalities were completed.""
Dad looked at Tiffany.
"You knew about this?""
She shook her head.
"Not all of it.""
"Not all of what?""
"Samir told me the marriage would make everything official.""
David interrupted.
"Marriage alone does not automatically transfer property or establish a trust. The actual legal instruments and their execution matter. We need to determine what has genuinely been filed and what remains a proposal.""
Dad nodded.
"Find out.""
David stepped into the dining room to make another call.
I sat beside Denise.
She put her arm around me.
"Are you okay, sweetheart?""
I shook my head.
"Why did everyone know except Dad and me?""
She held me tighter.
"Because they thought they could get away with it.""
Across the room, Tiffany had begun pacing.
She picked up a glass of water, took one sip, and placed it down without drinking the rest.
Then she looked at Dad.
"Can we talk alone?""
"No.""
"Please.""
"Everything you have to say can be said in front of the people you've involved.""
Tiffany lowered her voice.
"I never wanted things to end like this.""
Dad stared at her.
"You had months to make different choices.""
She wiped her eyes.
"I love you.""
He didn't answer.
"I do, Khalil. I wanted a family with you.""
"You wanted a family that didn't include my daughter.""
"That's not true.""
"Then why did you make her feel unwanted every time I left town?""
Tiffany looked at me.
For a moment, something resembling guilt crossed her face.
Then it disappeared.
"Because I was jealous.""
The admission stunned everyone.
She continued.
"You had a whole life with her mother. You had photographs everywhere. Her clothes, her memories, her things. Every room reminded me that I would never be the woman you loved first.""
Dad's expression softened for half a second.
Then he shook his head.
"That wasn't Ariana's fault.""
"I know.""
"Do you?""
Tiffany sat down.
"I thought if she went away, things would finally feel like mine.""
I looked at her.
"My mother is dead. I can't compete with you for Dad's attention.""
Tiffany stared at me.
I continued.
"I just wanted to have a home.""
Dad closed his eyes.
David returned from the dining room.
"I've confirmed something important.""
Everyone turned.
"The financial institution has located a recent inquiry concerning the company accounts. It wasn't authorized by Mr. Hassan.""
Dad looked alarmed.
"Who made it?""
David placed a printed page on the table.
"The request came from an individual using Samir's credentials.""
Dad stared at the page.
Then his phone rang.
It was Samir.
Dad answered immediately.
"Where are you?""
His brother's voice sounded strained.
"I'm coming over.""
"Don't bother. Explain yourself now.""
Samir took a breath.
"Brother, you need to listen carefully. Tiffany didn't tell you the entire story.""
Dad's jaw tightened.
"What story?""
"The second agreement wasn't her idea.""
Everyone looked at Tiffany.
Samir continued.
"I created it.""
Dad's face went pale.
"Why?""
A long silence followed.
Then Samir said:
"Because someone else had already started moving money out of your company, and I was trying to make sure I controlled what happened next.""
Dad gripped the phone.
"Who started moving the money?""
May you like
Samir's answer came slowly.
"Patricia.""
