Chapter 9: The Woman Behind the Plan
Nobody spoke after Samir's answer.
Dad held the phone against his ear, his eyes fixed on Tiffany.
"You're telling me Patricia was moving money out of my company?""
Samir sighed.
"Yes.""
"How?""
"Through a consulting company. Several invoices were submitted over the past two months.""
David immediately opened his laptop.
"What company?""
Samir gave him the name.
David typed quickly.
Then he stopped.
"Mr. Hassan, this company is registered to Patricia Wells.""
Dad looked stunned.
"How much?""
Samir answered.
"Approximately eighty thousand dollars.""
Denise covered her mouth.
Tiffany shook her head.
"That's impossible.""
Samir continued.
"I discovered the payments while reviewing the accounts. Patricia claimed they were legitimate expenses connected to the wedding and the new family residence.""
Dad's voice rose.
"My wedding didn't cost eighty thousand dollars!""
"I know.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I thought I could stop it quietly.""
Dad laughed once, without humor.
"By creating documents that gave you control over my business?""
"I thought if I had authority, I could freeze the payments and recover the money.""
David looked up.
"Did you have actual authorization to investigate or freeze those accounts?""
"No.""
"Did you submit any documents claiming that you did?""
Samir hesitated.
"Yes.""
Dad closed his eyes.
"Unbelievable.""
Samir's voice became desperate.
"Khalil, I was trying to protect you.""
"From Patricia?""
"From everyone.""
Dad looked at Tiffany.
"Did you know her mother was taking money?""
Tiffany shook her head.
"I swear I didn't.""
Samir interrupted.
"She knew about the consulting company.""
Tiffany turned toward the phone.
"That's a lie!""
"I showed you the invoices!""
"You said they were wedding expenses!""
"I told you the payments were suspicious!""
Tiffany started crying.
"I didn't know what you were doing!""
Dad raised his voice.
"Both of you stop.""
He looked at David.
"Can you verify these payments?""
David nodded.
"I'll need the company statements and the underlying invoices. But if the transactions were unauthorized, we'll need to notify the appropriate institutions.""
Dad looked at his phone again.
"Samir, where are you?""
"At my office.""
"Stay there. Don't delete anything. Don't contact Patricia.""
"Brother—"
"Don't.""
Dad ended the call.
Tiffany sat down heavily.
I watched her hands twist together.
For the first time, she looked genuinely uncertain about the people she had trusted.
Denise approached her.
"You knew Mom was involved.""
Tiffany looked up.
"Not in everything.""
"Stop saying that. You knew enough.""
Tiffany rubbed her face.
"She said she was helping me.""
"Helping you steal?""
"She said the money was reimbursement for things she'd paid.""
Denise stared.
"Mom hasn't paid for anything in this house.""
Tiffany didn't respond.
Denise continued.
"She made me promise not to tell Khalil about the school because she said it was only temporary. She told me Ariana would have a better life somewhere else.""
I looked at her.
"Did you believe her?""
Denise's eyes filled.
"I wanted to believe my sister wasn't capable of something this cruel.""
I lowered my gaze.
"I wanted to believe she liked me.""
Denise knelt beside me.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart.""
Across the room, Dad's phone vibrated.
A message from Samir appeared.
*I found the original authorization. Patricia has been using my digital signature too. I can prove it.*
Dad showed David.
David immediately responded with instructions to preserve the original files and stop any further access.
Then another message arrived.
*There's one more thing. Check the wedding venue contract.*
Dad frowned.
"What does the venue have to do with this?""
He called Samir.
"Explain.""
Samir answered.
"Patricia requested changes to the wedding payment arrangements. She wanted the remaining balance paid through her consulting company.""
Dad looked at David.
"Did you approve that?""
David shook his head.
Samir continued.
"There's also a cancellation clause. If the wedding is canceled after a certain date, the venue keeps the deposit. Patricia arranged for the contract to be transferred to her company.""
Dad stared at the wall.
"How much is the deposit?""
"Forty thousand dollars.""
Denise whispered, "Mom...""
Samir continued.
"She was planning to keep the money if the wedding went ahead or was canceled. Either way, she would benefit.""
Dad ended the call.
For several seconds, he didn't speak.
Then he looked at Tiffany.
"Did you know about the venue contract?""
Tiffany nodded reluctantly.
"Mom said she would handle the wedding expenses.""
"With my money?""
"She said it was easier.""
"Did you know she was routing payments through her company?""
Tiffany looked down.
"I didn't ask.""
Dad stared at her.
"You didn't ask?""
She began crying.
"I wanted the wedding to happen. I wanted everything to be perfect.""
I couldn't understand how someone could care so much about flowers, dresses, and a beautiful ceremony while planning to throw a child out of her home.
Dad turned away.
"David, contact the venue. Freeze any changes to the contract. And I want a full accounting of every payment connected to this wedding.""
David nodded.
"Understood.""
Then the doorbell rang.
Everyone froze.
Evelyn appeared from the hallway.
"Mr. Khalil, there's someone outside.""
Dad looked at the clock.
"Who?""
She hesitated.
"Mrs. Wells.""
Tiffany stood immediately.
"Mom!""
Dad held up a hand.
"Nobody opens that door until I say so.""
But Patricia was already knocking.
Three sharp blows.
Then her voice came through the wood.
"Khalil! I know you're in there!""
Dad walked toward the entrance.
David followed him.
When Dad opened the door, Patricia stood on the porch wearing a cream-colored coat and carrying a large handbag.
She looked past him.
Her eyes landed on Tiffany.
"Darling, get your things.""
Tiffany stared at her.
"What?""
Patricia entered without waiting for an invitation.
"We're leaving.""
Dad blocked her path.
"You're not taking anyone anywhere.""
Patricia gave him a practiced smile.
"Don't be dramatic. Tiffany is upset, and she needs somewhere safe to stay.""
"She's staying right here until we finish discussing the documents.""
Patricia's smile disappeared.
"You're making a terrible mistake, Khalil.""
David stepped forward.
"Mrs. Wells, we need to discuss the financial transactions connected to your consulting company.""
Patricia looked at him.
Then she laughed.
"I have no idea what you're talking about.""
David held up the invoice.
"These payments total approximately eighty thousand dollars.""
Patricia glanced at the paper.
For a fraction of a second, her expression changed.
Then she looked at Tiffany.
"Did you tell them?""
Tiffany shook her head.
"Mom, I didn't know about the money.""
Patricia's eyes narrowed.
"Don't lie.""
Dad stepped between them.
"Enough. You're going to explain everything.""
Patricia put her handbag on the coffee table.
Then she looked directly at him.
"Fine. You want the truth? Samir wasn't the only one who knew about the trust.""
Dad stared.
"What are you talking about?""
She opened her handbag and removed a small envelope.
"I have a copy of the original agreement.""
David reached for it.
Patricia pulled it away.
"Not so fast.""
Dad's voice became cold.
"Give it to me.""
She looked at him.
"Before I do, you should understand something. Your brother was supposed to receive control of the company, Tiffany was supposed to receive the house, and my grandson was supposed to receive the largest share of the estate.""
Dad frowned.
"And Ariana?""
Patricia looked at me.
"Your daughter was never supposed to inherit anything from the new arrangement.""
My father stepped forward.
"She is my daughter. She has every right to be protected.""
Patricia shrugged.
"Not according to the agreement.""
David held out his hand.
"Let me see it.""
Patricia finally handed him the envelope.
He opened it.
Then his face changed.
He looked at Dad.
"Mr. Hassan, this document contains a signature dated three weeks before your engagement party.""
Dad stared.
"That's impossible.""
David turned the page.
"There's also a witness signature.""
Denise leaned forward.
"Whose?""
David read the name.
Then he looked toward the staircase.
Everyone followed his gaze.
Evelyn was standing there, one hand gripping the banister.
Her face had gone completely white.
Because the witness signature belonged to her.
And she whispered:
"I never signed that.""
Patricia's confident expression finally disappeared.
Dad turned toward her.
"Then whose signature is it?""
Patricia took one step backward.
Before she could answer, Evelyn slowly descended the stairs.
"I know who signed it," she said.
Dad stared at her.
"Who?""
Evelyn looked at me, then at Tiffany.
Finally, she said:
"It was Ariana's mother.""
The room went completely silent.
I felt the photograph inside my hoodie pocket.
My mother's photograph.
The woman who had died seven years earlier.
The woman whose signature supposedly appeared on a document dated only three weeks before Dad's engagement party.
Dad's voice broke.
"That's impossible. Her mother died years ago.""
Evelyn nodded.
"I know, sir.""
She reached into the pocket of her apron and pulled out a small, worn envelope.
"That's why I've kept this.""
On the front, in my mother's handwriting, were four words.
*For Ariana. When she's ready.*
Dad took the envelope with trembling fingers.
And before he could open it, Patricia suddenly shouted:
"Don't let him read that!""
Dad looked up.
"What are you afraid of?""
Patricia said nothing.
May you like
Then Evelyn delivered the final blow.
"Because your daughter's mother knew about this plan long before Tiffany entered this house.""
