Chapter 3: The Name Hidden in the Documents
David barely slept.
The words from the lawyer repeated in his mind.
Someone from your own family.
By sunrise, he was already back in his office, waiting for answers.
Jasmine entered carrying two cups of coffee.
“You didn’t sleep, did you?””
David accepted the cup.
“Neither did you.””
She gave a small smile.
“I guess we’re both terrible at pretending everything is okay.””
For a moment, they sat quietly.
The silence reminded David of when Jasmine was a little girl. She used to sit in that same office, drawing pictures while he worked.
He never imagined he would one day have to protect her from people who claimed to love her.
Then the door opened.
Jessica walked in.
Her eyes were tired.
“David, we need to talk.””
He looked at her.
“Who helped you?””
Jessica stopped.
“I don’t know what you mean.””
“You know exactly what I mean.””
She looked toward Jasmine.
“Can we talk alone?””
Jasmine stood.
“No. I want to hear this.””
Jessica looked uncomfortable.
David placed the documents on the desk.
“The lawyer found another agreement.””
Jessica’s face went pale.
“David…”
“Tell me the truth.””
She sat down slowly.
“I never wanted things to go this far.””
Jasmine felt her chest tighten.
“So you admit it?””
Jessica looked at her.
“I wanted to make sure Ethan had security.””
“You wanted to take mine away,” Jasmine replied.
Jessica looked down.
“I thought you had your father’s love. I thought Ethan needed something permanent.””
David shook his head.
“You don’t protect one child by hurting another.””
Jessica wiped her eyes.
“I made a mistake.””
“No,” David said.
“A mistake is forgetting an appointment. A mistake is buying the wrong thing. This was a plan.””
Jessica had no answer.
Then David’s phone rang.
It was Mr. Anderson.
He answered immediately.
“Yes?””
The lawyer spoke quickly.
“Mr. Carter, I found the person connected to the second agreement.””
David looked at Jessica.
“Who?””
The lawyer replied.
“Ethan.””
Everyone went silent.
Jasmine looked shocked.
“My stepbrother?””
David lowered the phone.
“No. That doesn’t make sense.””
Mr. Anderson continued.
“Ethan signed as a witness on one of the documents.””
Jessica immediately stood.
“No. Ethan didn’t understand what he was signing.””
David looked at her.
“Then why was his name there?””
Jessica had tears in her eyes.
“Because I asked him to trust me.””
Jasmine stepped back.
She had spent years defending Ethan whenever relatives called him Jessica’s “other child.””
She had shared holidays with him.
She had helped him after college.
And now his name was on the document that tried to erase her.
David walked to the window.
He looked out at the family property that had caused so much pain.
Then he turned around.
“Call Ethan.””
Jessica shook her head.
“David, please.””
“No.””
“He’s your son.””
“And Jasmine is my daughter.””
The words cut through the room.
A few minutes later, Ethan arrived.
He entered confidently, but his expression changed when he saw everyone waiting.
“What’s going on?””
David placed the document in front of him.
“Explain this.””
Ethan looked at the paper.
Then he looked at Jessica.
His silence answered more than words could.
Jasmine whispered:
“You knew?””
Ethan looked away.
“I didn’t think it would actually happen.””
David’s face changed.
“What did you think would happen?””
Ethan swallowed.
“I thought Mom was just trying to scare Jasmine.””
The room became completely silent.
Jasmine stared at him.
“You knew she was removing me?””
Ethan had no response.
David slowly picked up his phone.
“Mr. Anderson, prepare the next documents.””
Jessica looked terrified.
“What documents?””
David looked at her.
“The ones that undo everything you tried to steal.””
Then he paused.
“But first, there is one more thing Jasmine deserves to know.””
He looked at the final page the lawyer had sent.
A page that had been hidden from everyone.
A page with a date from years earlier.
May you like
And a name Jasmine never expected to see.
Her mother’s name.
