Chapter 7: The Grandmother Who Wanted Me Gone
Dad didn't put the phone down immediately after Rebecca finished speaking.
He stood in the middle of the kitchen, staring at the wall, while Daniel quietly wrote down every detail of the conversation.
I watched Dad's face.
He had looked angry when Melissa slapped me. He had looked devastated when he discovered the recording. But now his expression was different.
He looked frightened.
Not for himself.
For me.
“Rebecca,” Dad finally said, “where can we meet you?””
“At a café near my apartment. There's something else you need to see, and I don't want to discuss it over the phone.””
Daniel leaned toward the speaker.
“Have you told anyone that you're contacting us?””
“No. But Elaine called me yesterday asking whether I still had copies of the old files. She sounded nervous.””
“Did she say why?””
Rebecca hesitated.
“She asked whether I'd kept anything that might make her look bad.””
Dad's jaw tightened.
“She's trying to destroy the evidence.””
“I think so,” Rebecca replied.
“And I think she's preparing to blame everything on Melissa.””
Dad looked toward the stairs, where I'd been standing silently.
“We'll meet you in thirty minutes.””
After ending the call, he walked over and knelt beside me.
“Emma, sweetheart, I need to go somewhere with Daniel. Mrs. Carter will stay with you.””
I caught his sleeve.
“Is Grandma going to take me away?””
His expression crumpled.
“No one is taking you away without me doing everything I can to protect you.””
“But she wanted you to look like a bad father.””
Dad pulled me into his arms.
“I know.””
“Does she still love you?””
He didn't answer immediately.
Finally, he whispered, “I wish I knew.””
He kissed my forehead, then stood.
Before leaving, he checked the locks twice and showed Mrs. Carter how to contact Daniel.
I watched Dad's truck disappear around the corner.
And for the first time, I understood that grown-ups could be afraid of their own families.
The café was nearly empty when Michael and Daniel arrived.
Rebecca Mills sat at a table near the back, her hands wrapped around a paper cup she'd barely touched.
She looked younger than Dad expected, perhaps in her early thirties, with tired eyes and a gray cardigan buttoned to her throat.
When she saw them, she stood.
“Mr. Carter.””
“Please,” Dad said.
“Call me Michael.””
Rebecca nodded but didn't smile.
“I should have come forward sooner.””
Daniel pulled out a chair.
“Let's start with what you can establish firsthand.””
Rebecca opened her handbag and removed a thick envelope.
Inside were photocopies of emails, printouts of calendar entries, and a handwritten note.
“I worked for Elaine for almost four years,” she explained.
“At first, everything was ordinary. Scheduling appointments, preparing documents, organizing financial records. Then, two years ago, she asked me to prepare paperwork relating to Emma's trust.””
Dad leaned forward.
“Why didn't you refuse immediately?””
“I did. When I saw that your signature appeared on a document you hadn't signed, I told her I couldn't submit it.””
“What happened?””
Rebecca looked down.
“She reminded me that my employment contract included confidentiality provisions. Then she told me her lawyer had approved the paperwork and that I was misunderstanding the situation.””
Daniel examined the copies.
“Did you keep the original document?””
“No. Elaine collected the entire file herself. But I kept these copies because I was worried she'd make me responsible if anything went wrong.””
Dad stared at the paperwork.
“Was Melissa involved?””
Rebecca nodded.
“She attended two meetings. The first was shortly after your wedding. The second was last year.””
“What were they discussing?””
“The first meeting concerned the trust. The second concerned you.””
Rebecca took out a calendar entry.
“I wasn't supposed to attend the second meeting, but Elaine asked me to bring refreshments. I heard them talking before I left.””
Dad's voice became quiet.
“What did they say?””
Rebecca swallowed.
“Melissa asked whether you'd ever discover the original beneficiary documents. Elaine told her that you wouldn't, provided you continued believing everything was being handled properly.””
Daniel looked up sharply.
“And what did Melissa say?””
Rebecca's eyes filled with tears.
“She asked what would happen if you discovered that Emma's money couldn't be used for the household.””
Dad closed his eyes.
Rebecca continued.
“Elaine said the easiest solution would be to make you believe Emma needed stricter supervision. If you began doubting your daughter's honesty or emotional stability, then a guardianship review might become possible.””
Michael gripped the edge of the table.
“They were going to use my own concern for my daughter against me.””
“Yes.””
“And Melissa agreed?””
Rebecca shook her head slightly.
“She didn't look comfortable at first. But Elaine reminded her that she had married into a family with substantial assets. She told Melissa she'd spent years protecting the family's interests and wasn't going to let a child jeopardize everything.””
Dad's expression hardened.
“Protecting whose interests?””
Rebecca didn't answer.
She opened the handwritten note.
“I wrote this after the second meeting. I was afraid I'd forget the exact wording.””
Daniel read it carefully.
Then he looked at Dad.
“This supports the need for a thorough investigation, but we'll still need the underlying records.””
Rebecca nodded.
“I understand.””
She hesitated before reaching into her bag again.
“This is the part I was most afraid to show you.””
She produced a small memory card in a plastic sleeve.
“What is that?”” Dad asked.
“An audio recording.””
Daniel sat straighter.
“How did you obtain it?””
“Elaine asked me to set up a recording device in her office because she wanted to document a conversation with Melissa. I was testing it when they started speaking before the scheduled meeting. I realized what they were discussing, and I saved a copy.””
“Does the recording contain the original conversation?””
“Yes.””
Daniel took a breath.
“Then we'll preserve it properly and have it authenticated.””
Dad looked at Rebecca.
“Why didn't you take this to the police earlier?””
Rebecca's eyes dropped.
“Because Elaine had helped my family when my father was sick. I thought I owed her something. And then I became afraid I'd lose my job.””
Dad sat back.
He understood fear better than he wanted to admit.
But he couldn't ignore what that fear had cost his daughter.
“Thank you for coming forward,” he said quietly.
Rebecca wiped her eyes.
“There's one more thing. Elaine has already started moving.””
Daniel's expression tightened.
“What do you mean?””
“Yesterday afternoon, someone from a law firm requested records concerning your ability to care for Emma. This morning, my former colleague told me Elaine planned to submit a formal complaint.””
Dad stood.
“Where?””
“Family court.””
Daniel collected the documents.
“When is the filing scheduled?””
“Tomorrow, I think. Elaine said she couldn't afford to wait any longer.””
Michael looked at Daniel.
“Can she really try to take my daughter?””
“Anyone can make an application. Whether a court grants it is a different matter. We need to act quickly, preserve the evidence, and make sure the allegations are answered.””
Rebecca looked at Dad with an expression that made his stomach twist.
“Michael, the worst part isn't the money.””
“What is?””
She lowered her voice.
“Elaine told Melissa that if you fought back, she would use your grief after Sarah's death to portray you as emotionally unstable. She said your daughter's attachment to you could be presented as unhealthy dependence.””
Dad stared at her.
It wasn't enough that they'd tried to steal control of my inheritance.
They had planned to use the loss of my mother to make my father appear incapable of loving me.
Daniel rose.
“We need to leave.””
As they reached the café door, Rebecca called after them.
“Michael?””
He turned.
“There's something Elaine said that I haven't told you.””
Dad waited.
Rebecca's fingers tightened around her handbag.
“She said Sarah had discovered something about the family before she died. Something that would have changed how you saw everyone if she'd lived long enough to tell you.””
Dad's face lost its color.
“What did she discover?””
Rebecca shook her head.
“I don't know. Elaine wouldn't explain it. But she said Sarah had come dangerously close to uncovering the truth.””
That evening, Daniel arrived at Dad's house with an urgent message.
Elaine had filed an application requesting a review of Emma's guardianship arrangements.
Her claim alleged that Michael had become emotionally unstable following his wife's death and was now making reckless decisions because of his daughter's influence.
It also alleged that Emma had displayed behavioral problems, including dishonesty, emotional outbursts, and a tendency to manipulate adults.
Attached to the application was a statement signed by Melissa.
Dad read it once.
Then again.
Melissa had described me as an uncontrollable child who repeatedly lied about household incidents.
She claimed she had never struck me.
She claimed I had fabricated the theft accusation.
And she claimed Dad's refusal to discipline me had created an unsafe environment.
He lowered the papers.
“She's blaming a nine-year-old for everything.””
Daniel's voice was firm.
“We'll respond with the recordings, the original documents, and the evidence from Rebecca. The court will need to consider the credibility of these allegations.””
Dad looked toward the living room, where I sat drawing beside Mrs. Carter.
“I don't care about the money anymore.””
“I believe you.””
“I want my daughter to know she never has to beg me to believe her again.””
Daniel placed the application on the table.
“Then tomorrow, we'll make sure the court understands what happened.””
Dad went to the living room and sat beside me.
I showed him my drawing.
It was a picture of a house with two people standing outside.
Above them, I'd drawn a bright yellow sun.
Dad studied it for a long time.
“That's beautiful, sweetheart.””
“It's our house.””
“I can see that.””
I pointed to the two figures.
“That's you and me.””
He swallowed.
“Where's everyone else?””
I thought about Melissa.
Then Grandma.
“They're not in this picture.””
Dad hugged me.
And for the first time, I didn't feel guilty about leaving anyone out.
But at 9:18 that night, Daniel called with news that changed everything.
“The court has scheduled an urgent preliminary hearing for tomorrow morning,” he said.
Dad closed his eyes.
“Can we be ready?””
“We'll do everything we can.””
There was a pause.
Then Daniel added, “Michael, Elaine has requested permission to bring a witness.””
“Who?””
Daniel's answer sent a chill through the room.
“Your mother says Sarah's own sister is prepared to testify that you were never the parent your daughter believes you are.””
Dad stared at me.
May you like
My mother had been an only child.
At least, that was what he'd always told me.
