Chapter 2: My Mother's Signature
My mother had always been a woman who controlled every room she entered.
At sixty-two, Victoria Caruso could silence an entire boardroom with a glance.
She had built her reputation on three things: elegance, intelligence, and an absolute refusal to be challenged.
She had also raised me.
Or at least, that's what I had believed until that night.
"Elise," she said, taking one measured step into the nursery, "go upstairs.""
Elise didn't move.
"Mrs. Caruso, I can't.""
My mother gave a small, humorless laugh.
"You're a nanny. Not a member of this family.""
I stepped between them.
"Don't speak to her like that.""
Victoria's eyebrows lifted.
"Dominic, darling, you're exhausted. It's two in the morning. Whatever she's showing you is clearly upsetting you.""
"She showed me Isabella.""
"An old recording.""
"She showed me a transfer document.""
My mother glanced at the paper in my hand.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
Her eyes widened before she quickly looked away.
"Where did you get that?""
"That's what I'm trying to find out.""
Victoria sighed and placed her hand on my shoulder.
"Your wife was very sick after delivery. There were medical complications. The hospital transferred her for specialized treatment.""
"Three days after you told me she was dead?""
Her hand dropped.
Silence filled the nursery.
Even the twins seemed to sense the change.
"Dominic," she began, "there are things you don't understand.""
"Then explain them.""
She looked at Elise.
"She is manipulating you.""
Elise shook her head.
"No, ma'am. I promised Isabella I would protect her daughters.""
My mother laughed sharply.
"Protect them from what? Their own grandmother?""
"From someone who tried to take their inheritance before they were even born.""
Victoria's expression hardened.
"Be very careful, young woman.""
I raised the document.
"What's this inheritance business?""
My mother turned toward me.
"Your father established a trust for his grandchildren. You know that.""
I did.
My late father had created a substantial family trust years before his death. The money was intended for his future grandchildren, with strict provisions protecting their interests.
"Isabella was the trustee's primary beneficiary representative," I said.
"She was your wife. She had no understanding of how complicated our family's finances were.""
"She was a lawyer before we married.""
Victoria's lips pressed together.
"She was also pregnant with twins and taking medication. Her judgment wasn't reliable.""
I stared at her.
"You're saying she was mentally unstable?""
"I'm saying she was frightened, confused, and surrounded by people who didn't know what was best for her.""
Elise stepped forward.
"That's not what happened.""
My mother snapped her fingers toward the door.
"Enough.""
Then she did something that made my stomach turn.
She reached into her nightgown pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of paper.
It was a check.
She held it toward Elise.
"One hundred thousand dollars. You can take it tonight, leave this house, and never contact my son again.""
Elise looked at the check.
Then at my mother.
"You think I came here for money?""
Victoria shrugged.
"Everyone has a price.""
Elise slowly pushed the check away.
"Isabella offered me something money couldn't buy.""
"What?""
"Her trust.""
My mother went completely still.
I turned toward Elise.
"What trust?""
Elise glanced at the twins.
"She trusted me to make sure nobody separated those girls from their father.""
My mother laughed, but the sound was strained.
"Ridiculous. Dominic, this woman is inventing stories.""
I walked toward the computer.
"Let's hear the rest of the recording.""
Victoria moved immediately.
"Don't.""
One word.
One desperate word.
I stopped.
"Why?""
She reached for the keyboard.
I blocked her.
"Don't touch that computer.""
Her expression changed.
For the first time, I saw the woman behind the polished appearance.
Not my mother.
A stranger.
"Dominic, listen to me. Your wife was making dangerous decisions. I was trying to protect this family.""
"From Isabella?""
"From what she was planning to do!""
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Elise looked at me.
I looked at my mother.
"What was she planning?""
Victoria closed her eyes.
Then she said something that made the room tilt.
"She wanted to take the girls away from you.""
I felt a cold emptiness spread through my chest.
"Why would Isabella do that?""
"Because she believed you were becoming just like your father.""
I stepped backward.
My father had been dead for eight years.
He had been a powerful businessman, a demanding parent, and a man whose decisions had shaped every corner of our family's life.
"What does that have to do with anything?""
Victoria's voice lowered.
"Your father made mistakes. Isabella discovered some of them. She wanted to expose everything.""
"What mistakes?""
My mother didn't answer.
Instead, she looked at Elise.
"You shouldn't have brought that drive here.""
Elise's face went pale.
I turned to her.
"Why?""
She reached into her sweater and pulled out a second object.
A small, folded photograph.
She handed it to me.
It showed Isabella sitting in a hospital wheelchair.
She was thinner than I remembered.
Her hair was tied back.
But she was alive.
And standing behind her was a man I recognized immediately.
My mother's personal physician.
Dr. Samuel Reed.
On the back of the photograph, Isabella had written five words.
Dominic, ask him about the twins.
I looked at the date.
It was six months old.
My wife had supposedly died eight months ago.
My voice came out barely above a whisper.
"Where was this taken?""
Elise shook her head.
"I don't know.""
My mother reached for the photograph.
I pulled it away.
"Don't.""
Then my phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
One message.
*Stop asking about Isabella. Your daughters are in danger.*
I looked at the screen.
Then another message appeared.
*Ask your mother what happened to the second birth certificate.*
I slowly raised my eyes toward Victoria.
"Second birth certificate?""
For the first time, my mother couldn't find an answer.
And then she whispered:
"Dominic, you need to understand something. The girls you brought home from that hospital...""
She stopped.
May you like
Her eyes moved toward the two cribs.
"...weren't supposed to be together.""
