Chapter 6: The Woman Who Had Been Planning This for Years
Nathan stood frozen in the management office.
The letter trembled in his hand.
“Detective, tell me exactly what you found.””
Detective Morgan spoke carefully.
“Your late wife's estate was handled by a firm called Whitmore and Associates.””
“Yes.””
“Who recommended them?””
Nathan closed his eyes.
“Victoria.””
There was silence on the other end.
Then the detective asked:
“Did you know that the firm's senior partner was Victoria's uncle?””
Nathan felt his stomach drop.
“No.””
“His name is Richard Whitmore.””
Nathan sat down.
He remembered the first time Victoria had mentioned the firm.
It had been two weeks after Emily's funeral.
He had been exhausted, barely sleeping, and struggling to manage his business while raising a toddler.
Victoria had arrived at his house with groceries.
She had helped organize Lily's clothes.
She had sat with him in the kitchen while he cried.
And when he told her he needed legal help, she had suggested her uncle's firm.
He had thought she was being helpful.
He hadn't known Richard Whitmore had handled the legal paperwork for Emily's estate.
He hadn't known Victoria had access to the documents.
“Detective,” Nathan said, “what exactly are you suggesting?””
“I'm not suggesting anything yet. But we discovered that several documents relating to your wife's trust were amended after her death.””
Nathan's face tightened.
“Amended?””
“Yes.””
“Who authorized the changes?””
“That is what we're investigating.””
Nathan looked at Emily's letter.
“Was my signature on them?””
“Some documents contain a signature matching yours.””
“Matching?””
The detective paused.
“We've requested forensic examination.””
Nathan gripped the phone.
“I never authorized any changes to Lily's trust.””
“Then we'll need your cooperation.””
“I'll give you everything.””
“There's one more thing.””
Nathan swallowed.
“What?””
“We found a payment from an account associated with Victoria to a former employee of the law firm. The payment was made shortly before your wife's estate was finalized.””
Nathan stared at the wall.
“How much?””
“Forty thousand dollars.””
The office seemed to shrink around him.
“Who received it?””
“An administrative assistant named Rebecca Mills.””
Nathan recognized the name.
Rebecca had been the person who delivered the estate documents to his house.
He remembered her.
A quiet woman in her forties with short brown hair and a habit of avoiding eye contact.
“Where is she now?””
“We're trying to locate her.””
Nathan looked at Marcus.
“Find Rebecca Mills.””
Marcus immediately took out his phone.
Nathan returned to the call.
“Detective, I have Emily's original letter. Victoria apparently tried to remove it from the bridal suite.””
“Do not hand that letter to anyone except law enforcement. Keep it secured.””
“Understood.””
“And Mr. Sterling?””
“Yes?””
“Do not confront Victoria about the estate documents. We don't know how much she knows we've discovered.””
Nathan looked toward the window.
Outside, the wedding guests were slowly leaving.
The beautiful decorations were still in place.
The flowers were wilting.
The cake remained untouched.
His wedding day had become the beginning of a nightmare.
“I understand,” he said.
He ended the call.
Marcus looked at him.
“Sir, should I arrange a lawyer?””
“Yes. But not Richard Whitmore.””
Marcus nodded.
Nathan stared at Emily's letter.
Three years earlier, he had buried his wife.
He had believed the worst thing that could happen to his family had already happened.
He had been wrong.
Someone had been using his grief to get close to his daughter.
And he had nearly married her.
At the hospital, Jada sat beside Lily's bed.
The little girl was eating applesauce from a small plastic cup.
Jada had changed out of her server uniform, but the bruise on her cheek had become more visible.
Lily noticed it.
“Does your face hurt?””
Jada smiled gently.
“A little.””
“Because Daddy hit you?””
Jada paused.
“Yes.””
Lily lowered her spoon.
“I'm sorry.””
Jada shook her head.
“That's not your fault, sweetheart.””
“Daddy was wrong.””
Jada looked toward the hospital door.
“Yes, he was.””
Lily studied her.
“Are you angry with him?””
Jada considered the question.
“I think your daddy was scared. But being scared doesn't make it okay to hurt someone.””
Lily nodded.
“Will you still be my friend?””
Jada felt her throat tighten.
“If you want me to be.””
“I do.””
The little girl held out her hand.
Jada gently took it.
For several minutes, they sat quietly.
Then Lily spoke.
“Can I tell you something?””
“Of course.””
“When Victoria pushed me, I was holding Mommy's little necklace.””
Jada looked up.
“What necklace?””
Lily pointed toward the small bedside cabinet.
A white paper bag sat there.
The paramedics had placed Lily's belongings inside.
“My teddy bear and the necklace.””
Jada retrieved the bag.
Inside was a tiny silver locket.
Its chain was broken.
Jada held it carefully.
“Is this your mommy's?””
Lily nodded.
“Daddy gave it to me.””
Jada opened the locket.
There was a photograph inside.
Emily was smiling.
On the other side, a tiny inscription had been engraved.
My little star. Always protected.
Jada looked at Lily.
“Why was Victoria angry about this?””
Lily shrugged.
“She said I wasn't allowed to wear it.””
“Did she tell you why?””
“She said it was ugly.””
Jada closed the locket.
“That wasn't very nice.””
Lily leaned closer.
“There's something inside.””
Jada frowned.
“Inside the locket?””
Lily nodded.
“Mommy told me it was a secret.””
Jada examined the small silver casing.
It looked ordinary.
But the hinge was slightly thicker than it needed to be.
She gently pressed along the edge.
A tiny compartment opened.
Inside was a folded piece of paper, no larger than a fingernail.
Jada carefully removed it.
The paper was old and fragile.
Only a few words were visible.
A date.
A reference number.
And a name.
*RICHARD WHITMORE.*
Jada stared at it.
“Lily, sweetheart, did you know this was inside?””
Lily nodded.
“Mommy told me to give it to Daddy when I was big enough.””
“When did she tell you that?””
“Before she went to heaven.””
Jada's fingers tightened around the paper.
The little girl continued.
“Victoria saw me wearing the necklace this afternoon. She tried to take it.””
Jada looked at the broken chain.
“Is that why it broke?””
Lily nodded.
“She pulled it.””
Jada carefully placed the locket back inside the bag.
“Don't worry. We'll give this to your daddy.””
Lily suddenly reached for her hand.
“Don't let Victoria get it.””
“I won't.””
An hour later, Nathan arrived at the hospital.
He looked exhausted.
His tuxedo jacket was gone, his shirt sleeves were rolled up, and his hair was disheveled.
He stopped when he saw Jada sitting beside Lily.
“Is she okay?””
Jada nodded.
“The doctors say she needs rest. Her wrist is bruised, but nothing is broken.””
Nathan exhaled.
“Thank God.””
He approached the bed.
“Hello, princess.””
Lily smiled faintly.
“Hi, Daddy.””
He kissed her forehead.
Then he looked at Jada.
“Can I speak with you outside for a moment?””
Jada nodded.
They stepped into the corridor.
Nathan stood near the window.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he faced her.
“I need to apologize.””
“You already did.””
“Not properly.””
Jada folded her arms.
Nathan looked at the bruise on her cheek.
“I struck you in front of everyone. I accused you of hurting a child you had just saved. And I allowed Victoria to convince me that you were the enemy.””
Jada looked at him.
“Why?””
Nathan's shoulders dropped.
“Because I was afraid. Lily is all I have left of Emily. Seeing her in danger made me lose control.””
Jada's expression softened slightly.
But her voice remained firm.
“You were afraid for your daughter. I understand that. But you didn't even give me a chance to speak.””
“I know.””
“You didn't look at the blood on my arm. You didn't look at the way Lily was holding on to me. You saw my uniform and decided I was someone you could blame.””
Nathan lowered his eyes.
“You're right.””
Jada shook her head.
“I don't need money. I don't need a promotion. And I certainly don't need you to make excuses for what happened.””
“I understand.””
“What I need is for you to make sure Lily never has to stand near someone like Victoria again.””
Nathan looked through the glass door toward his daughter.
“I promise.””
Jada nodded.
Then she remembered the locket.
“There's something you need to see.””
She retrieved the paper from the bedside cabinet.
Nathan looked at it.
“What's this?””
“It was hidden inside Lily's necklace.””
He unfolded it.
His expression changed immediately.
“Where did you find this?””
“Inside the locket.””
Nathan stared at the name.
Richard Whitmore.
Then he looked at Jada.
“Did Lily tell you anything else?””
“She said her mother told her to give it to you when she was old enough.””
Nathan's hands began trembling.
He turned the paper over.
On the back was another line.
A short handwritten message.
The original trust is not what they told you.
Nathan felt his heart pounding.
He looked at the tiny reference number.
Then he recognized it.
It matched a document number printed on the estate paperwork he had signed three years earlier.
He immediately called Detective Morgan.
“Detective, you need to come to the hospital.””
“What happened?””
“We found something in Emily's locket.””
“What?””
Nathan stared at the paper.
“Evidence connected to Richard Whitmore.””
The detective's voice sharpened.
“Don't move it. I'm sending someone.””
Nathan ended the call.
Then he looked at Jada.
“There's something I need to tell you.””
“What?””
“Emily's estate included a trust worth several million dollars.””
Jada's eyes widened.
Nathan continued.
“I believed it was controlled by the bank until Lily turned twenty-five. I was listed as the guardian, but I was never supposed to access the money.””
“And Victoria knew about it?””
“I don't know.””
He looked at the paper again.
“But if someone changed the original documents, then the person who did it may have been stealing from my daughter for years.””
Jada glanced toward Lily's room.
“Could that be why Victoria wanted her gone?””
Nathan didn't answer.
His phone began vibrating.
A message from Marcus appeared.
Sir, we located Rebecca Mills. She has agreed to speak with police.
Nathan immediately called him.
“Where is she?””
“At the hotel, sir. But there's a problem.””
“What problem?””
Marcus hesitated.
“Rebecca says she won't speak unless you agree to meet her personally.””
“Why?””
Another pause.
Then Marcus spoke.
“She says she knows what happened to Emily.””
Nathan stopped breathing.
“What?””
“She says Emily didn't die the way you were told.””
Nathan gripped the phone.
“Put her on.””
Marcus lowered his voice.
“Sir, there's something else.””
“What?””
“Rebecca says Victoria knows she's talking.””
Nathan looked toward Lily's hospital room.
“Then get police protection for her.””
Marcus swallowed.
“That's not the worst part.””
Nathan's voice became cold.
“Tell me.””
Marcus finally answered.
“Rebecca says the person who arranged everything wasn't Victoria.””
Nathan stared at the phone.
“Then who was it?””
Marcus took a breath.
“Your own brother, sir.””
Nathan felt the world tilt beneath his feet.
His younger brother, Andrew, had been standing beside him at Emily's funeral.
He had held Nathan's shoulder while the coffin was lowered.
He had promised to help raise Lily.
And now someone was claiming he had helped destroy their family.
Nathan slowly lowered the phone.
Inside the hospital room, Lily was sleeping peacefully.
Jada stood beside her.
May you like
And Nathan realized the woman he had almost married might not have been the most dangerous person in his family.
The real betrayal might have been waiting for him all along.
