Chapter 3: The Daughter Who Wanted My Life
I couldn't hear the music anymore.
I couldn't hear the guests talking inside the vineyard.
All I could hear was the bank representative repeating the same sentence.
“Mrs. Hayes, the application identifies your daughter as your proposed legal guardian.””
I gripped the phone.
“That's impossible. I never appointed anyone.””
“That's why we're contacting you. We have placed a temporary hold on the requested ownership transfer pending verification.””
I closed my eyes.
“Thank you. Please don't release anything without speaking directly to me.””
“Of course, ma'am.””
When I ended the call, Richard was watching me.
“What happened?””
I looked at Olivia.
“She tried to take control of my house.””
Olivia immediately shook her head.
“That's not what happened!””
“Then tell me what happened.””
“Mom, you're misunderstanding the paperwork.””
“Am I?””
I held up the forged guarantee.
“Did you misunderstand this, too?””
Ethan stepped toward her.
“Olivia, what is going on?””
She wiped her cheeks with both hands.
“Everyone needs to calm down.””
Richard gave a short, humorless laugh.
“You have forged financial documents, invented a dead mother, and apparently attempted to gain control of her property. And you want us to calm down?””
Olivia turned toward him.
“You don't understand what it's like to be judged by people with money!””
Richard's jaw tightened.
“My family has never asked you to pretend to be wealthy.””
“You have no idea!””
“My wife offered to help you find a job at our foundation. You refused because you said you were building your own business.””
Olivia looked away.
Ethan frowned.
“What business?””
She didn't answer.
I stared at her.
“Olivia, what happened to the boutique you told me you were opening?””
Her silence told me more than words could.
I remembered giving her $12,000 three years earlier to help with startup costs.
She had promised to repay me when the business became profitable.
I never saw a penny.
“Where did that money go?”” I asked.
“Mom, please.””
“Where?””
She finally snapped.
“I spent it!””
“On what?””
“Living!””
Richard looked at Ethan.
“Son, I think you need to hear all of this before you marry her.””
Ethan stared at the wedding ring on his finger.
“I think you're right.””
Olivia grabbed his sleeve.
“Ethan, don't do this. We have three hundred people inside waiting for us.””
He gently removed her hand.
“You told me your mother was dead. You told me you inherited millions. You let me believe we were building a future together based on lies.””
“I love you!””
“Then why did you lie?””
She began crying again.
But I was no longer interested in comforting her.
I turned to the venue manager.
“Mr. Collins, I need copies of every contract bearing my name, including anything submitted in the last thirty days.””
He nodded.
“Of course, Mrs. Hayes.””
“And please preserve all payment records and electronic authorization logs.””
“Absolutely.””
Olivia stepped in front of me.
“Mom, don't do this here.””
I looked at her.
“You did this here.””
“People are watching!””
“Let them.””
She lowered her voice.
“Please. If this wedding falls apart, Ethan's family will never accept me.””
I almost felt sorry for her.
Almost.
“You should have thought about that before you told them I was dead.””
A woman in a pale blue dress hurried out of the reception hall.
It was Eleanor Whitmore, Richard's wife.
She looked from her husband to Ethan, then noticed the document in his hand.
“What happened?””
Richard handed her the paperwork.
“Eleanor, Olivia has been lying about her family.””
Eleanor read the first page.
Then she looked at me.
“Oh, Margaret.””
Her voice softened.
“I am so sorry.””
I nodded, unable to speak.
She turned toward Olivia.
“I asked you about your mother during our first dinner together. You told me she had died after suffering for years.””
Olivia looked down.
Eleanor continued.
“I even told you how much I admired your strength for getting through such a difficult loss.””
Her voice cracked.
“You let me comfort you over a death that never happened.””
Olivia whispered, “I didn't mean to hurt you.””
Eleanor shook her head.
“You used my sympathy to build a relationship with me.””
Ethan looked as though he might be sick.
Then the wedding coordinator returned with another document.
“Mrs. Hayes, there's one more thing you should see.””
She opened the folder to a page containing the bank account information used for the property deposit.
The account had been opened six months earlier.
I examined the address.
It was a luxury apartment complex downtown.
“That's not my address,” I said.
The coordinator pointed to the contact information.
“But the account holder's identity verification uses your Social Security number and date of birth.””
I felt cold all over.
Richard leaned closer.
“Can we see the account-opening signature?””
She handed him another page.
He examined it carefully.
Then he looked up.
“Margaret, do you recognize this handwriting?””
I shook my head.
“No.””
Ethan took the paper.
His eyes widened.
“Wait.””
“What?”” Richard asked.
Ethan pointed to the bottom of the page.
“There's an emergency contact listed.””
The coordinator nodded.
“Yes. The applicant provided one.””
I leaned closer.
The name was familiar.
Too familiar.
It belonged to Daniel's younger brother, my brother-in-law, Thomas Hayes.
Thomas had been the only relative who stayed close to Olivia after Daniel died.
He had helped me with paperwork, tax filings, and insurance documents. I trusted him completely.
But we hadn't spoken in nearly a year.
“Why is Thomas listed?”” I whispered.
Olivia looked up sharply.
For the first time, genuine panic crossed her face.
“Mom, don't call Uncle Thomas.””
I slowly turned toward her.
“Why?””
“He has nothing to do with this.””
“Then why is his name on the account?””
She grabbed the document.
“Give me that!””
Richard caught her wrist.
“Don't touch the evidence.””
Ethan stepped between them.
“Olivia, stop!””
I looked at my daughter.
“Did Thomas help you do this?””
She shook her head too quickly.
“No.””
“Then why are you afraid of me calling him?””
Olivia began backing away.
“I can't explain it.””
I pulled out my phone.
My hands were trembling so badly that I almost dropped it.
I found Thomas's number and pressed call.
It rang once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then someone answered.
“Margaret?””
I swallowed.
“Thomas, I need you to tell me something. Why is your name on a bank account opened using my identity?””
Silence.
Then I heard a chair scrape against the floor.
“Where are you?”” he asked.
“Olivia's wedding.””
Another pause.
His voice dropped.
“Listen carefully. Don't sign anything. Don't agree to anything. And whatever you do, don't let Olivia leave with those documents.””
My blood ran cold.
“Thomas, what are you talking about?””
He exhaled shakily.
“Margaret, there's something Daniel left behind. Something Olivia found last year.””
I looked at my daughter.
Her face had turned completely white.
Thomas continued.
“And if she has already submitted the guardianship papers, then we're much closer to the truth than I ever wanted to be.””
I gripped the phone.
“What did Daniel leave behind?””
Thomas was silent for a moment.
Then he said six words that changed everything.
“Your husband didn't die without leaving a fortune.””
I stared at Olivia.
May you like
And she whispered, almost inaudibly:
“Uncle Thomas, please don't tell her.””
