Chapter 6: What My Mother Left Behind
The attorney introduced himself as Harold Bennett.
He was in his seventies, with silver hair and tired eyes.
But when he looked at me, I saw something unexpected.
Regret.
“I’m sorry it took this long,” he said.
I sat across from him.
“What took this long?””
He placed a small wooden box on the desk.
My hands froze.
“Your mother left this with me.””
I stared at the box.
“Why?””
“Because she knew Delphine would fight to keep you away from the truth.””
Terrell leaned forward.
“She knew?””
Harold nodded.
“She knew everything.””
The room became quiet.
I touched the box.
“Why didn’t you contact me?””
Harold looked down.
“Because your mother left very specific instructions.””
“What instructions?””
He opened a folder.
“She wanted you to receive this only when you were about to become part of the Vance family.””
I frowned.
“Why?””
“Because she believed the truth would protect you.””
I looked at Terrell.
The same question was in his eyes.
Harold opened the box.
Inside was a small envelope.
My name was written across the front.
My mother’s handwriting.
I recognized it immediately.
My fingers trembled.
I had not seen her handwriting since I was a child.
I opened the letter.
My mother’s words filled the room.
My Jasmine,
If you are reading this, it means you are standing at a crossroads.
You are probably angry. You are probably confused.
And you are probably wondering why the people who loved you kept secrets.
I swallowed.
Harold watched silently.
I continued reading.
The Vance family property was never about money.
It was about a promise.
My eyes moved faster.
Your father and Delphine will tell you different versions of what happened.
Listen carefully.
The person who benefits from hiding the truth is usually the person afraid of it being found.
I stopped.
Terrell looked at me.
“What else?””
I turned the page.
The final paragraph made my heart stop.
Jasmine, there is one person you must not trust until you hear the full story.
I stared at the sentence.
Below it was a name.
A name I never expected.
My breathing became shallow.
Terrell noticed.
“What does it say?””
I slowly lowered the letter.
Because written at the bottom was the name of the person who had raised me.
The person who had comforted me.
The person who had told me they loved me.
My father.
Harold leaned forward.
“Your mother discovered something before she died.””
“What?””
His voice was barely a whisper.
“She discovered Marcus Okafor had been hiding a second agreement.””
I looked at Terrell.
The wedding day had started with a ruined dress.
But now I understood.
May you like
The wine was never the first betrayal.
It was only the first thing I could see.
