Chapter 2: The Dead Mother
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Richard Whitmore stared at Olivia as if he were waiting for her to correct him.
She didn't.
Instead, she looked at the ground and began twisting the diamond bracelet around her wrist.
“Richard,” she finally said, “this isn't the right time.””
“Not the right time?”” Richard repeated.
“You told my wife you had no living parents.””
I felt my knees weaken.
“Why would you tell them that, Olivia?””
She looked at me.
“Mom, please. Don't make this worse.””
“Worse than telling people I'm dead?””
Richard rubbed his forehead.
“Five years ago, Olivia told us her mother passed away after a long illness. She said she had no close relatives left.””
I shook my head.
“I was alive five years ago. I am alive right now.””
“I can see that,” Richard replied quietly.
He turned back to Olivia.
“You showed us a photograph of a woman you claimed was your mother. You even told us about her funeral.””
My stomach twisted.
“A photograph?””
Richard nodded.
“An old photograph. You said it was taken shortly before she died.””
I looked at my daughter.
“Olivia, what have you been telling these people?””
She started crying.
Not the quiet tears of someone who had made an honest mistake.
These were loud, desperate sobs, the kind that seemed designed to make everyone forget the question.
“I'm sorry!”” she exclaimed.
“I never wanted things to get this complicated!””
Richard's expression hardened.
“Then explain the inheritance.””
I blinked.
“What inheritance?””
Richard pulled out his phone.
“Olivia told us her mother left her approximately two million dollars when she died. She said she had invested most of it and was using part of the inheritance to fund this wedding.””
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“Two million dollars?””
He nodded.
“That's what she told us.””
I almost laughed, but there was no humor in it.
“My husband died when Olivia was six. We had a modest life insurance policy, most of which went toward the mortgage and her education. I never inherited two million dollars.””
Richard stared at me.
“Then who paid for this wedding?””
I looked toward the reception hall.
“The $87,000 came from my retirement savings.””
A silence fell over the group.
Richard slowly turned toward Olivia.
“You told us the wedding was being paid for by your mother's estate.””
Olivia wiped her cheeks.
“I was going to explain everything eventually.””
“When?”” Richard asked.
“After the ceremony? After the honeymoon? After you spent the money?””
She flinched.
At that moment, Ethan appeared through the glass doors.
He was wearing a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, his boutonniere pinned neatly to his lapel.
“Dad? What's going on? The coordinator says the ceremony might be delayed.””
Richard pointed toward me.
“Ethan, this is Margaret Hayes. Olivia's mother.””
Ethan smiled politely at first.
“Of course. Olivia's mother is—”
He stopped.
His eyes moved from me to Olivia.
Then back to me.
“What?””
I offered him a small, trembling smile.
“Hello, Ethan. We've never officially met.””
He looked at Olivia.
“You told me your mother died.””
Olivia grabbed his hand.
“Ethan, listen to me.””
“Is that true?””
“It's complicated.””
“No, Olivia. It's a simple question.””
Richard stepped between them.
“Your fiancée has spent months telling our family that her mother was deceased. She claimed she inherited two million dollars. Now the actual woman is standing in front of us, and apparently she paid for this entire wedding.””
Ethan released Olivia's hand.
“Why?””
Olivia shook her head.
“I just wanted your family to respect me.””
Ethan looked genuinely stunned.
“Respect you? My mother invited you to spend Thanksgiving with us. She asked about your childhood. You told her your mother died!””
“I didn't know how else to explain things.””
“Explain what?””
Olivia looked toward me.
Her eyes were pleading.
I didn't rescue her.
For once, I wanted to hear the truth.
Richard took a deep breath.
“There's another issue. Ethan told me Olivia said her mother had established a trust before she died.””
I frowned.
“What trust?””
“A family trust worth approximately two million dollars,” Richard explained.
“Apparently, Olivia was the sole beneficiary.””
I shook my head.
“Daniel and I never had anything like that.””
Ethan rubbed his face.
“Dad, I remember signing something related to the wedding financing. Olivia said it was a standard vendor guarantee.””
My stomach tightened.
“What financing?””
Before anyone could answer, the wedding coordinator hurried toward us.
She carried a thick folder and looked deeply uncomfortable.
“Mr. Whitmore, Mrs. Hayes, I'm sorry to interrupt. But there's a serious issue with the financial documents.””
Richard turned.
“What issue?””
The coordinator opened the folder.
“Mrs. Hayes, you're listed as the primary guarantor for the wedding expenses. The original estimate was $87,000, but an additional personal guarantee was submitted last week.””
She placed a document in my hands.
I read the amount.
$140,000.
My name was printed beneath it.
And at the bottom was a signature that looked almost exactly like mine.
Except I had never signed it.
“Who submitted this?”” I asked.
The coordinator glanced nervously at Olivia.
“Miss Olivia Hayes.””
I looked at my daughter.
“Did you forge my signature?””
She started shaking her head.
“Mom, I can explain.””
“Explain why there's a $140,000 guarantee with my name on it.””
Richard took the document.
His eyes moved down the page.
Then he stopped.
“Wait a minute.””
He looked at the second guarantor's signature.
“Ethan, why is your name here?””
Ethan snatched the paper.
His face changed.
“That's not my signature.””
The coordinator swallowed.
“There's more.””
She turned to the next page.
It was a receipt for a $25,000 deposit on a luxury property outside Nashville.
The payment had come from an account opened under my name.
I stared at the account number.
I recognized the last four digits.
It was linked to my personal information.
But I had never opened that account.
Richard looked at Olivia.
“Did you use Margaret's identity?””
Olivia took a step backward.
And for the first time, she didn't try to deny it.
Then Richard's phone vibrated.
He checked the screen and frowned.
“Ethan, we need to talk.””
“What now?””
Richard showed him a message.
It had been sent from Olivia's phone two weeks earlier.
Once the wedding is over, Mom won't be a problem anymore. I've already arranged everything.
Ethan looked at her in disbelief.
“What does this mean?””
Olivia covered her face.
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I whispered the only question that mattered.
“Olivia, what exactly have you arranged?””
Before she could answer, my phone began ringing.
The caller ID read: FIRST TENNESSEE BANK — FRAUD DEPARTMENT.
I answered.
“Mrs. Hayes?”” a woman asked.
“We need to verify an urgent request involving the ownership of your home.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“What request?””
“Someone has submitted paperwork seeking authority over your financial affairs and property. The applicant claims to be your legal guardian.””
I stopped breathing.
“I'm perfectly capable of managing my own affairs.””
The woman paused.
“Understood, ma'am. But the paperwork contains a notarized document naming the proposed guardian.””
I looked at Olivia.
“Whose name is on it?””
May you like
The bank representative lowered her voice.
“Your daughter, Olivia Hayes.””
