Chapter 5: The Woman in the Photograph
Nia couldn't take her eyes off the name.
Amara Carter.
Her mother's name.
The woman in the photograph holding her as a newborn.
"Why is my mother's name on my father's will?"" Nia asked.
Richard carefully removed the document from its envelope.
"Because Daniel didn't want his estate transferred automatically after his death. He established a separate trust for you and appointed Amara as its first guardian.""
Nia frowned.
"But you said she died before my father.""
"She did.""
"Then who became my guardian?""
Richard looked toward Evelyn.
Evelyn's hands were folded tightly in her lap.
"I did.""
Nia stared at her grandmother.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Evelyn's voice broke.
"Because your father made me promise to protect you from the people who had already taken too much from him.""
Vanessa scoffed.
"Here we go again. The great Daniel Carter, the misunderstood genius.""
Elise turned toward her.
"Mrs. Hayes, I suggest you stop interrupting.""
Vanessa ignored her.
"You've all decided I'm the villain because I had the courage to turn his work into something profitable.""
Nia slowly stood.
"Then explain why my father removed you from the trust.""
Vanessa's expression changed.
Richard examined the will.
"According to this document, Vanessa Hayes was appointed as a temporary administrative trustee. Her authority was conditional.""
"What conditions?"" Nia asked.
"She was required to preserve the original designs, maintain Daniel's authorship, and direct the collection's revenue toward the scholarship program.""
Nia looked at Vanessa.
"Did you?""
Vanessa said nothing.
Richard continued.
"The records suggest that she transferred several licensing agreements to Hayes Creative Holdings.""
Marcus Bell leaned forward.
"How much money are we talking about?""
Richard opened a separate folder.
"Approximately thirty-two million dollars in licensing revenue over twelve years.""
Nia felt sick.
Thirty-two million.
She remembered Evelyn carefully washing plastic containers so they could reuse them. She remembered her grandmother taking extra alterations jobs at night to pay the electricity bill.
She remembered wearing shoes with holes in the soles because there wasn't enough money for new ones.
And somewhere in Manhattan, millions of dollars had been generated from her father's work.
"Did my grandmother receive anything?"" Nia asked.
Richard shook his head.
"No.""
Nia turned toward Vanessa.
"You took money that was supposed to help students like me.""
Vanessa's expression hardened.
"I built a business. Your father left a collection that would have disappeared without my management.""
"Then why did you remove his name?""
"Because the fashion industry doesn't reward dead men with old sketches.""
Nia looked down at the notebook.
"He wasn't just a dead man with old sketches.""
Her voice shook.
"He was my father.""
For the first time, Vanessa appeared uncomfortable.
But before she could answer, Brianna spoke.
"Mom, is it true?""
Vanessa turned.
"What?""
"That the money belonged to Nia?""
"Brianna, don't involve yourself.""
"Did you know she was the beneficiary?""
Vanessa's eyes narrowed.
"Go sit down.""
Brianna shook her head.
"No. You told me Dad's company paid for everything. You told me the scholarship fund was something you created.""
Vanessa's face turned pale.
Nia looked at her.
"Your father?""
Brianna hesitated.
"My dad died when I was little. Mom always said he left us nothing. She said everything we had came from her.""
Richard exchanged a glance with Elise.
"Who was your father?""
Brianna answered quietly.
"Jonathan Hayes.""
Richard went still.
Then he opened another folder.
"Jonathan Hayes was a financial administrator at the original Carter Foundation.""
Vanessa stepped forward.
"Richard, don't.""
But Richard continued.
"He worked with Daniel Carter and handled the foundation's first licensing agreements.""
Nia looked at Brianna.
"Your father worked with mine?""
Brianna nodded slowly.
"Apparently.""
Vanessa grabbed the back of a chair.
"That's enough.""
Richard looked directly at her.
"Jonathan was also the person who discovered the unauthorized transfers.""
The room fell silent.
Brianna's face drained of color.
"What?""
Richard removed an old letter from the folder.
"This was written three weeks before Jonathan died.""
Vanessa reached for it.
Richard moved it out of her reach.
"Jonathan reported financial irregularities to the board. He requested an independent audit. Shortly afterward, he withdrew from the foundation.""
Brianna stared at her mother.
"You told me Dad never cared about fashion.""
Vanessa looked away.
"Your father had his own problems.""
"What problems?""
"He was difficult. He was paranoid. He believed everyone was stealing from him.""
Richard shook his head.
"Jonathan was right.""
Nia's hands trembled.
"Did my father know?""
Richard nodded.
"Daniel knew something was wrong. That's why he began preparing the trust documents.""
"Then why didn't he go to the police?""
Richard looked toward Evelyn.
Evelyn finally spoke.
"Because someone threatened to take you away from him.""
Nia turned.
"Who?""
Evelyn's eyes filled.
"Vanessa.""
Vanessa slammed her palm against the table.
"That is a lie!""
Evelyn didn't flinch.
"You told Daniel that you had enough influence to make him look unstable. You said you could have his parental rights challenged. He was sick, Nia. He was frightened that if he fought you, he would lose the only thing he had left.""
Nia felt tears slide down her cheeks.
"Me?""
Evelyn nodded.
"Your father chose to protect you.""
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"That's a convenient story.""
Nia approached her.
"Did you threaten my father?""
Vanessa looked into her eyes.
"I gave him options.""
"Did you threaten him?""
"I told him what would happen if he tried to destroy everything I had built.""
Nia's voice dropped.
"You mean everything he built.""
Vanessa's face tightened.
Brianna stepped away from her mother.
"Mom, I don't understand.""
Vanessa turned toward her.
"Of course you don't. You have no idea what it takes to survive in this world.""
Brianna's eyes filled.
"Then explain it to me.""
Vanessa looked at both girls.
For a moment, she seemed to be calculating how much she could safely reveal.
Then she reached into her handbag and pulled out her phone.
"Fine. You want the truth? I'll show you.""
She unlocked the screen and opened a photograph.
It showed two documents.
One was a signed agreement between Daniel Carter and Vanessa Hayes.
The other was a handwritten letter.
Vanessa placed the phone on the table.
"Your father agreed to transfer the collection's commercial rights to me. He signed voluntarily.""
Richard examined the photograph.
"That's not the final agreement.""
"It was signed.""
"That agreement was revoked.""
Vanessa smiled.
"Was it?""
Elise took the phone.
She enlarged the photograph.
Then she looked at the date.
"This was signed six months before Daniel died.""
Richard nodded.
"Yes. And the revocation was signed four months later.""
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
Nia looked between them.
"Why was it revoked?""
Richard reached into the box again.
He found a smaller envelope taped beneath the inside lid.
The handwriting was Daniel's.
But this time, the words were addressed to Richard.
If Vanessa presents the old agreement, do not accept it as final. The original signature was never meant to transfer ownership.
Richard read the sentence twice.
Then he looked at Nia.
"Your father anticipated this.""
Vanessa suddenly moved toward the box.
"Give me that letter!""
Security stepped between her and the table.
"Mrs. Hayes, please step back.""
Vanessa's breathing became uneven.
"That document is private.""
Elise held it away from her.
"Not anymore.""
Nia opened the envelope fully.
Inside was a second page.
It contained a list of names.
Five names.
Four had been crossed out.
The fifth was still visible.
*BRIANNA HAYES.*
Nia stared.
"Why is Brianna's name here?""
Richard's expression changed.
Brianna moved closer.
"What does it mean?""
Richard didn't answer.
Instead, he turned the page over.
A handwritten sentence appeared at the bottom.
If anything happens to me, my daughter must never be allowed to inherit the collection until the truth about her birth is revealed.
Brianna took a step backward.
"Her birth?""
Vanessa whispered something under her breath.
Nia looked at Richard.
"What truth?""
Richard slowly folded the paper.
May you like
Then he looked directly at Brianna.
"Miss Hayes, I think you need to know who your biological father really was.""
