Chapter 5: The Secret Rebecca Took to Her Grave
Nobody moved.
Gregory stood beside the coffee table, his expensive wine bottle still unopened.
Vanessa had come downstairs and was standing near the hallway.
When Gregory mentioned Rebecca, she closed her eyes.
I noticed.
“Tell me what happened,” I demanded.
Gregory shook his head.
“Not here.””
“This is my house.””
“Darius, you need to understand something. Rebecca wasn't the person you thought she was.””
I stepped closer.
“Choose your next words carefully.””
Gregory raised both hands.
“I'm not saying she was a bad mother. She loved Lily. But she discovered something before she died, and she became convinced people were trying to steal from her.””
Marcus interrupted.
“Do you have evidence of that?””
Gregory looked irritated.
“I'm trying to explain.””
“Then explain facts, not accusations.””
Gregory pulled out his phone.
“I have a recording.””
My heart started pounding.
“Of Rebecca?””
He nodded.
“From the week before she died.””
He opened a folder and showed me a video file.
The date was October 12.
Rebecca had died on October 19.
I remembered that week.
She had been tired, anxious, and unusually protective of her personal documents. She had told me she wanted to update some paperwork, but I had assumed she was simply preparing for the future.
Gregory pressed PLAY.
Rebecca appeared on the screen.
She was sitting in our old kitchen, wearing a cream sweater. Her hair was tied loosely behind her head.
She looked directly into the camera.
“Darius, if you're watching this, something has happened that I didn't want to happen.””
I stopped breathing.
Her voice.
I hadn't heard it in months.
“I know you've been trying to make everything easier for everyone. That's one of the things I love most about you. But sometimes, sweetheart, you trust people because you want peace.””
Rebecca glanced toward the kitchen door.
“Please don't do that this time.””
The recording ended.
I looked at Gregory.
“Why didn't you show me this?””
He avoided my eyes.
“Because you were already struggling.””
“That's not your decision!””
Gregory raised his voice.
“You were falling apart, Darius! You weren't sleeping. You couldn't work properly. Someone had to handle things.””
“Someone?””
He nodded toward Vanessa.
“She was helping.””
Vanessa suddenly spoke.
“Gregory, stop.””
I turned toward her.
“What does that mean?””
She shook her head.
“Nothing.””
Gregory looked at her.
“Tell him.””
“Don't.””
“Tell him what happened with the original paperwork.””
Marcus stood.
“Both of you, stop. If there's relevant evidence, it needs to be preserved and reviewed properly.””
Gregory ignored him.
He looked at me.
“Rebecca discovered that somebody had been making inquiries about Lily's trust before she died. She suspected money was being moved.””
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
“Gregory!””
“I said I don't know!””
His voice cracked.
For the first time, I saw fear behind his anger.
He sat down and buried his face in his hands.
Vanessa moved toward him.
I immediately stepped between them.
“Don't.””
She stopped.
Gregory finally looked up.
“Vanessa contacted me after Rebecca died. She said she wanted to make sure you weren't financially overwhelmed. I introduced her to someone who handled estate planning.””
“Nicole?””
He nodded.
“Nicole was working with a private financial consultant. She said she could simplify the trust arrangements.””
Marcus took out his phone.
“What's the consultant's name?””
Gregory hesitated.
“Adrian Cross.””
Marcus's expression changed.
“Adrian Cross?””
“You know him?””
Marcus nodded slowly.
“He was investigated several years ago for fraudulent estate transfers. I don't know whether he was convicted, but we need to establish exactly what role he played.””
I turned toward Vanessa.
“Did you know about this?””
She began crying.
“I didn't know everything.””
“What did you know?””
“I thought we were changing the paperwork.””
“For whose benefit?””
She looked down.
“Gregory said it would help us.””
I stared at my brother.
“Us?””
Gregory stood abruptly.
“Don't put this all on me! You were the one who left the trust documents sitting around. You were the one who refused to deal with anything after Rebecca died.””
The words hit me.
Not because they were true.
Because they were designed to make me feel guilty enough to stop asking questions.
Marcus stepped forward.
“Gregory, I suggest you stop.””
But my brother wasn't finished.
“You know what Rebecca was like. She controlled everything. She wanted Lily's entire future tied to her family. She didn't even want you to remarry!””
I froze.
“What did you just say?””
Gregory swallowed.
Vanessa stared at the floor.
“Rebecca didn't want you to remarry,” Gregory repeated.
“She wanted you to raise Lily alone.””
I looked at him.
“That sounds like something you invented.””
He laughed bitterly.
“Believe whatever you want.””
Then he reached into his jacket and removed a folded document.
“Here. This is the second file you were looking for.””
Marcus immediately told him not to hand it over without documenting its origin.
Gregory ignored him and placed it on the table.
It was a copy of an email chain.
The first message came from Nicole.
The second came from Adrian Cross.
The final message had been sent from an address belonging to Vanessa.
I read it twice.
*Once Darius marries me, we can approach the trust again. He'll sign anything if he believes it's for Lily's benefit.*
My eyes moved to the timestamp.
It was dated six weeks before Vanessa and I became engaged.
I looked at my wife.
“Was our marriage part of a financial plan?””
She began sobbing.
“No, Darius. I really loved you.””
“Then explain this.””
She shook her head.
“I was scared. Nicole told me the trust could pay for Lily's education and provide additional security for the household. She said everyone would benefit.””
Marcus picked up the document.
“That's not what this email says.””
Vanessa covered her face.
Gregory paced across the room.
“You're acting as if nobody else matters! What about the money Rebecca left? What about the fact that Darius had a life before all of us?””
I looked at him.
“You mean before you decided to become part of it?””
He stopped.
Then he said quietly:
“You still don't know why Rebecca wrote that letter.””
I waited.
Gregory took a breath.
“Three days before she died, she called me. She said she had found proof that someone in the family was planning to take Lily away from you.””
My blood ran cold.
“What?””
“She said there was a document claiming you were an unfit father.””
I looked toward Marcus.
He immediately understood the seriousness.
“Do you have that document?””
Gregory nodded.
“Nicole has it.””
“Why would she have it?””
Gregory looked toward Vanessa.
“Because she was the one who arranged it.””
Vanessa suddenly screamed.
“That's not true!””
Gregory pointed at her.
“You told me you had destroyed it!””
Marcus stepped between them.
“Enough.””
I turned to Vanessa.
“Did you help create a document accusing me of being an unfit father?””
She began shaking her head.
“I never wanted Lily taken away.””
“Then what did you want?””
She looked at me through her tears.
“I wanted you to stop choosing her over me.””
The room went silent.
I walked toward the staircase.
My daughter was waiting upstairs, unaware that the adults around her had turned her life into a battlefield.
Before I left, Marcus spoke.
“Darius, there's one more thing.””
He showed me a message he had just received from the attorney handling the trust.
The original beneficiary records had been reviewed.
Someone had already attempted to withdraw a substantial amount of money.
The request had been approved.
But the funds hadn't gone to Vanessa.
They had gone to an account belonging to a company registered under Rebecca's maiden name.
A company I had never heard of.
May you like
And the registered owner was...
Gregory Hale.
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