Chapter 13: The Grandmother We Buried Was Still Alive
My father stared at the photograph for nearly a minute.
His hands were shaking.
I'd never seen Robert Ashford look frightened. I'd watched him negotiate billion-dollar contracts, confront hostile investors, and walk into rooms where everyone else was afraid to speak.
But now he looked like a little boy who had just discovered that everything he'd believed about his childhood was a lie.
"That's my mother," he whispered.
I gently touched his arm.
"Dad, are you sure?""
He nodded.
"I recognize that scar above her left eyebrow. She got it when I was seven. She fell while trying to pull me away from a broken staircase.""
He sat down.
"My mother died twelve years ago. I attended her funeral. I watched them lower her coffin.""
Daniel Whitmore approached the table.
"Robert, did you see her body?""
My father looked up.
"No. The funeral director said she had requested a closed casket.""
Daniel exchanged a glance with the legal director.
"Then someone may have staged her death.""
My father slowly closed his eyes.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Noah was sitting on the floor beside Lily's carrier, arranging his stuffed rabbit and a small toy car.
I looked at him.
"Sweetheart, would you like some juice?""
He nodded.
I poured him a small cup while my father continued studying the photograph.
Then he spoke.
"Emily, my mother wasn't an ordinary woman. She controlled almost every major financial decision in our family before I took over the company.""
"What happened between you?""
He sighed.
"She wanted me to marry someone she selected. I refused. When I married your mother, she considered it a betrayal.""
I had heard stories about my grandmother.
My mother rarely mentioned her.
Dad continued.
"She believed your mother was beneath our family. When I chose your mother anyway, she threatened to disinherit me.""
"Why did you never tell me?""
"Because I wanted you to grow up without carrying her hatred.""
He looked at the photograph again.
"Apparently, I underestimated how far she would go.""
The legal director examined the image.
"There's a timestamp. This photograph was taken yesterday at a private medical facility outside Atlanta.""
My father stood.
"Get the address.""
"Sir, we shouldn't go without law enforcement.""
"Then contact them.""
The facility was surrounded by tall trees and a black iron fence.
Two police vehicles arrived before we did.
My father insisted on coming inside, but the officers made sure the area was secure first.
I stayed with Lily and Noah in the protected vehicle.
Then my phone rang.
An unfamiliar number.
"Emily Ashford?""
"Yes.""
"My name is Olivia Reed.""
I sat upright.
"Richard's daughter?""
"Yes. Sophie told me everything.""
"Where are you?""
"Outside the facility. Your grandmother asked me to contact you.""
I looked through the windshield.
A young woman stood near the entrance, wearing a gray coat.
She looked frightened.
I stepped out carefully.
"Olivia?""
She nodded.
Then she looked at Lily.
"She's beautiful.""
"Thank you.""
Olivia's eyes filled.
"I've wanted to meet you for years.""
"Why didn't you?""
"Because my father told me you were dead.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
"He said your mother had taken you away and that you wanted nothing to do with the Ashford family.""
I stared at her.
"That's a lie.""
"I know that now.""
She reached into her bag and handed me a small envelope.
"My father gave me this before he disappeared. He told me to destroy it if anything happened to him.""
I opened it.
Inside was a handwritten note.
*Margaret Ashford never died. She arranged her disappearance because she wanted to control the family without being accountable for her decisions.*
I looked at Olivia.
"Why would your father hide this?""
"Because he was afraid of her.""
A police officer approached.
"Miss Ashford, we're ready.""
We entered the facility.
At the end of a long hallway, an elderly woman sat beside a window.
Her silver hair was neatly arranged.
Her hands rested on a walking cane.
When she saw my father, she smiled.
"Robert.""
My father stopped.
"Mother.""
She looked at me.
"And this must be Emily.""
I stepped forward.
"Why did you pretend to die?""
Her smile disappeared.
"Because your father made it impossible for me to remain part of this family.""
My father laughed bitterly.
"You stole money, manipulated our family, and tried to destroy my marriage.""
"Your mother was never suitable for you.""
I felt anger rise in my chest.
"Don't talk about my mother.""
The elderly woman studied me.
"You have her eyes.""
"And apparently her courage.""
She looked toward Lily.
"Bring me my great-granddaughter.""
I immediately stepped backward.
"No.""
Her expression hardened.
"She is an Ashford.""
"She's my daughter.""
"She's also the rightful heir to everything I built.""
My father moved between us.
"You built nothing. You stole from Eleanor's descendants.""
For the first time, the old woman looked genuinely uncomfortable.
She gripped her cane.
"Who told you that?""
I pulled the original trust agreement from my bag.
"We found it.""
Her face went pale.
Then she looked at Olivia.
"You betrayed me.""
Olivia shook her head.
"You lied to everyone. Even me.""
Margaret Ashford looked back at my father.
"You don't understand what Eleanor intended.""
"Then explain it.""
She was silent.
Finally, she spoke.
"Your grandfather changed the inheritance after discovering that I had been moving money between the family companies. He threatened to expose me.""
My father stared at her.
"And you made him disappear?""
She didn't answer.
Instead, she looked directly at me.
"Emily, there's something you still don't know.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What?""
She leaned forward.
"Your grandfather didn't die of natural causes.""
My father stepped closer.
"What are you saying?""
Margaret smiled faintly.
"He was murdered.""
A police officer immediately moved toward her.
"Ma'am, I need you to explain that statement.""
She looked at my father.
"Your father discovered what I had done. I had to silence him.""
My father's face collapsed.
Then she added:
"And I have the documents proving who helped me.""
She reached beneath her wheelchair cushion.
A small envelope appeared.
But before she could hand it over, the facility's emergency alarm began screaming.
The lights went out.
May you like
Someone shouted from the hallway.
And when the emergency lights came on, Margaret's wheelchair was empty.
