Chapter 8: The Secret Ethan Had Been Hiding
Ethan stepped closer to his father.
“Dad, what did you invest in?””
Richard glanced at the wedding guests gathering behind the glass doors.
“Not here.””
“No. I want an answer now.””
Richard rubbed his forehead.
“Ethan, this is complicated.””
“Apparently everything about this family is complicated.””
I looked at Richard.
“Please. Whatever you know about Daniel, I deserve to hear it.””
He nodded slowly.
“About seven years ago, Daniel approached my company with a commercial property investment opportunity. It involved several undeveloped parcels outside Nashville.””
My heart tightened.
“Daniel never told me.””
“He didn't want to discuss business at home. But the investment looked promising, so I agreed to participate.””
Ethan folded his arms.
“How much?””
Richard hesitated.
“Four hundred thousand dollars.””
Ethan stared.
“Dad!””
“I know.””
“You invested four hundred thousand dollars in a company connected to a woman who just threatened us?””
Richard shook his head.
“Not directly. The company was registered under a different name. Vanessa was one of the financial representatives.””
Thomas opened his briefcase.
“That's the problem. The company Daniel originally invested in was legitimate. But after he died, several ownership records were altered.””
Richard nodded.
“Three years later, my accountant discovered that our investment statements no longer matched the official property records.””
“Why didn't you report it?”” Ethan asked.
“We did. But the investigation stalled because the company had been dissolved.””
Thomas placed a document on the table.
“Daniel anticipated that possibility. He created a separate holding structure to protect the assets.””
I looked at him.
“So the trust was never just about money?””
“Correct. It was also meant to protect the ownership rights of the original investors.””
Richard looked stunned.
“Are you saying Daniel's trust owns the properties?””
Thomas nodded.
“Part of them. And the current estimated value is significantly higher than the original investment.””
Ethan rubbed his face.
“Then why would Vanessa need Olivia?””
“Because Olivia is a beneficiary,” Thomas explained.
“She could be persuaded to help transfer control.””
I looked at my daughter.
“Did you understand what you were signing?””
Olivia wiped her cheeks.
“Not everything.””
“What did you understand?””
She stared at the ground.
“Vanessa said Dad had left money for me. She told me Uncle Thomas was keeping it from me because he wanted to control everything.””
Thomas closed his eyes.
“I tried to explain the trust.””
“She said you were lying!””
“And you believed her?””
Olivia's voice broke.
“She showed me documents.””
I shook my head.
“Documents with forged signatures?””
She didn't answer.
Ethan stepped away from her.
“Did you know Vanessa was using my financial information?””
Olivia looked up.
“I didn't know about the loan.””
“But you knew about the wedding guarantee.””
She nodded faintly.
“Why was my signature on it?””
“I thought it was just a formality.””
“You thought?””
Olivia began crying again.
“I needed the money. Vanessa said everything would be repaid once the trust transfer was completed.””
Richard looked at his son.
“Ethan, we need to leave.””
Ethan shook his head.
“I'm not going anywhere until I understand whether my information was used.””
He took out his phone and called the bank again.
After several minutes, he turned pale.
“They found three additional applications.””
Richard grabbed his shoulder.
“What applications?””
“A business credit line, a personal loan, and a mortgage inquiry.””
I stared at Olivia.
“Did you use his identity for all three?””
She whispered, “I didn't submit them.””
“Who did?””
She looked at Vanessa's empty parking space.
Richard took out his phone.
“I'm calling our attorney.””
Then he turned to me.
“Margaret, I want to apologize. My family should have verified Olivia's story before allowing things to reach this point.””
I shook my head.
“Your family didn't make my daughter lie.””
He nodded.
“No. But we should have asked more questions.””
The wedding coordinator approached.
“Mrs. Hayes, there's another matter.””
I almost laughed.
“Of course there is.””
She looked uncomfortable.
“We received an email from a company called Whitmore Event Holdings. They're claiming the wedding venue and several vendor contracts were transferred to their management yesterday.””
Richard frowned.
“Whitmore Event Holdings?””
The coordinator nodded.
“The email includes your company logo, Mr. Whitmore.””
Richard took the tablet.
He read the message.
Then his expression changed.
“That company is not ours.””
Ethan leaned over his shoulder.
“Who registered it?””
The coordinator scrolled down.
“An individual named Olivia Hayes.””
Richard stared at her.
“Why is my family name attached to a company you created?””
Olivia looked frightened.
“Vanessa told me to use it.””
“Why?””
“She said it would make the vendors feel secure.””
Richard gave a bitter laugh.
“You impersonated my company?””
“I didn't mean—”
“Stop saying that!””
His voice echoed through the courtyard.
For the first time, Olivia looked genuinely afraid of the consequences.
Then Thomas's phone rang.
He checked the screen.
“It's Daniel's attorney.””
He answered.
“Hello, this is Thomas Hayes.””
A few seconds passed.
Then he looked at me.
“Yes. She's here.””
He listened again.
“What do you mean the original beneficiary designation has been replaced?””
I stood up.
“Thomas?””
He held up one finger.
“Who authorized it?””
His face turned pale.
He listened for another moment.
Then he ended the call.
“Margaret, we have a serious problem.””
“What now?””
“The attorney located the original trust amendment. Someone filed a replacement document six months ago.””
“Who?””
Thomas looked toward Olivia.
“According to the filing, you voluntarily resigned as trustee.””
I shook my head.
“I never signed anything.””
Thomas nodded.
“I know.””
Richard asked, “Who was appointed in your place?””
Thomas swallowed.
Then he turned the document toward me.
The name printed beneath the new trustee designation wasn't Olivia's.
It wasn't Vanessa's, either.
It was Thomas Hayes.
My brother-in-law.
I looked at him.
“Thomas, did you sign this?””
His face crumpled.
“Margaret, I swear I didn't.””
But before I could respond, Olivia whispered:
“Uncle Thomas, you told me you had already taken care of it.””
Everyone turned toward her.
Thomas stared at his niece.
“What did you just say?””
May you like
Olivia covered her mouth.
And suddenly, I understood that the person standing beside me might not be the only family member who had been hiding something.
