Chapter 4: The Woman Who Tried to Claim My Daughter's Inheritance
For several seconds after Mr. Harris said Vanessa's name, nobody moved.
I stood beside the bedroom dresser, holding Emily's letter in one hand and the little brass key in the other.
Vanessa sat on the edge of the chair, staring at the carpet.
I put my phone on speaker.
"Mr. Harris, are you certain it was Vanessa?""
"I'm looking at the correspondence now, Daniel. Eleven months ago, a woman identifying herself as Vanessa Carter contacted my office. She claimed you had authorized her to manage Nia's inheritance.""
I turned toward my wife.
"Did you do that?""
Vanessa shook her head immediately.
"He's mistaken.""
Mr. Harris continued.
"She requested information about the trust's balance, the assets held under Emily's estate, and the requirements for transferring control of the account.""
My stomach tightened.
"What did you tell her?""
"That she had no legal authority. The trust was established specifically for Nia, and its terms were very clear.""
Vanessa stood up.
"This is ridiculous. I was trying to help.""
I looked at her.
"Help yourself to what?""
She threw her hands into the air.
"Daniel, do you have any idea how difficult it is being married to a man who treats his first wife like she's still the most important woman in his life?""
I stared at her.
"This conversation is about my daughter.""
"Everything is about Nia!""
Her voice cracked through the bedroom.
"Her mother this, her mother that. You have pictures of Emily everywhere. You kept her jewelry.
You kept her clothes. You even kept that ridiculous music box!""
Nia stood beside the doorway, clutching the wooden box.
Vanessa looked at her.
"And she gets whatever she wants because everyone feels sorry for her.""
I felt my jaw tighten.
"She's twelve years old. Her mother died.""
"And my children have feelings too!""
"Nobody said they didn't.""
Vanessa pointed toward the hallway.
"Tyler and Madison have watched you spend years making special arrangements for Nia. She gets the bedroom with the better view. She gets to keep all her mother's things. She gets your attention whenever she cries.""
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"You're jealous of a little girl because her mother died?""
Vanessa looked away.
Mr. Harris interrupted through the phone.
"Daniel, I strongly recommend that you bring the original letter and the key to my office tomorrow. There are documents I need to review with you.""
"I'll be there.""
"And one more thing. Do not sign anything Vanessa gives you concerning Emily's estate.""
Vanessa's head snapped up.
"Excuse me?""
But Mr. Harris had already ended the call.
I put the phone away.
"How much did you sell?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"Try again.""
"Two pieces.""
"Which two?""
"The earrings and the necklace.""
I closed my eyes.
Emily's grandmother's pearl earrings.
The delicate gold necklace Emily had worn on our wedding day.
I opened my eyes.
"Where did you sell them?""
"An antique jewelry dealer.""
"Name?""
"I don't remember.""
"Vanessa!""
She jumped.
"Fine! It was a shop downtown. I needed the money.""
"For what?""
She hesitated.
Then she said something that made my stomach turn.
"To cover the money I borrowed.""
I stared at her.
"What money?""
Vanessa rubbed her forehead.
"Last year, I had some financial problems. I thought I could make everything right before anyone noticed.""
"How much?""
She didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
"How much did you take from the trust?""
"I didn't take anything from the trust.""
"Then why did you contact the attorney?""
"Because I thought I could manage it!""
"That's not an answer.""
Nia suddenly spoke.
"She took the locket too.""
Vanessa turned sharply.
"Nia, stay out of this!""
My daughter flinched.
I immediately moved between them.
"Don't speak to her like that.""
Nia wiped her cheeks.
"Last month, I heard Vanessa talking on the phone. She said she needed to get the rest of the jewelry before someone checked the drawer.""
Vanessa went silent.
I looked at my daughter.
"Did you hear anything else?""
Nia nodded.
"She said the man at the shop was asking questions about the engraving.""
My blood ran cold.
The engraving.
Every piece Emily had left for Nia carried a small inscription.
I turned toward Vanessa.
"Did you sell the locket?""
She looked at the floor.
"Yes.""
I felt something inside me break.
That locket contained a tiny photograph of Emily and Nia together. It had been taken on Nia's third birthday.
Emily had never taken it off.
"How much did you get?""
"Three thousand.""
I stared at her.
"Three thousand dollars?""
"It was worth more than that!""
"Then why did you sell it for three thousand?""
Vanessa started crying.
"I had no choice!""
I looked at the expensive shopping bags still sitting in the corner of the bedroom.
"You had a choice today. You spent nearly seven hundred dollars on your children, but you couldn't spend twenty-five dollars on mine.""
She wiped her face.
"That's different.""
"No, Vanessa. It's exactly the same.""
I took Nia's hand.
"We're going downstairs.""
As we reached the door, Vanessa called after me.
"Daniel, if you leave this room, don't expect me to pretend everything is fine!""
I stopped.
"Everything hasn't been fine for a long time. I just didn't know it.""
Downstairs, I helped Nia take off her damaged sneakers.
The soles were almost detached.
I opened the new shoebox and placed the canvas sneakers on the floor.
"Let's get these on.""
Nia slipped her feet inside.
They fit perfectly.
She looked at me with a small, uncertain smile.
"Are you mad at me, Daddy?""
I knelt in front of her.
"Never.""
"Because I told you about the jewelry?""
I held her hands.
"You did exactly the right thing.""
She leaned forward and hugged me.
For the first time that day, I felt her body relax.
Then my phone vibrated.
It was an unfamiliar number.
A message appeared.
*Mr. Carter, this is Andrew from Heritage Estate Buyers. Your wife sold us several pieces of jewelry bearing the initials E.N.
We recently discovered something concerning about the transaction. Please call us before the items are transferred.*
I read it twice.
Then another message arrived.
There is also a photograph attached to the original sale record that you should see.
I opened the attachment.
It showed Vanessa standing at the jewelry counter.
May you like
Beside her was a man I didn't recognize.
And he was holding Emily's gold locket.
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