Chapter 10: The Son I Thought I Knew
I stared at Weston.
For a moment, I honestly thought I had misunderstood him.
“Say that again.””
His face was pale.
“Dad was investigating me.””
The words didn’t make sense.
Not because I believed Weston was innocent.
But because Daniel had always loved him.
Even when Weston made mistakes.
Even when he was stubborn.
Even when he disappointed us.
Daniel always said the same thing.
“He’s finding his way.””
I closed the laptop.
“Why?””
Weston looked away.
“Because I lied to him.””
The room felt smaller.
The walls that had held thirty-two years of memories suddenly felt like they were closing in.
“When?””
He sat down.
Not confidently.
Not defensively.
Like a person who had been carrying a heavy secret for too long.
“Before Dad died.””
I didn’t move.
“Tell me everything.””
He rubbed his hands together.
“I got into trouble.””
“What kind of trouble?””
He swallowed.
“Debt.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“How much?””
“Not just money.””
That answer scared me more.
Weston looked toward the window.
“I invested in something stupid.””
“An investment?””
He nodded.
“A friend convinced me he had a business opportunity.””
I almost laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because it sounded exactly like the kind of mistake Weston would make.
He always wanted to believe people.
Even people who had not earned it.
“How much did you lose?””
“Almost fifty thousand dollars.””
I closed my eyes.
“Weston.””
“I know.””
“No, you don’t.””
I looked at him.
“You don’t know what hurts.””
He looked up.
“It’s not the money.””
His eyes became wet.
“It’s that Dad found out.””
I waited.
“He saw the bank withdrawals. He saw I was moving money around. He asked me what was happening.””
“And you lied.””
He nodded.
“Yes.””
The room went quiet.
“Then what?””
“He said he was going to help me fix it.””
My heart softened for one second.
Because that was Daniel.
Even when angry, he helped.
“He told me I needed to be honest with you.””
I looked at him.
“But you weren’t.””
“No.””
His voice broke.
“I was ashamed.””
I walked to the desk.
The desk where Daniel had written that letter.
The desk where he had apparently discovered things I never knew.
“Where does Priscilla fit into this?””
Weston looked uncomfortable.
“She knew.””
“Of course she did.””
“She said she could help.””
I turned.
“How?””
He hesitated.
“She said you would never let us lose everything.””
I felt a chill.
“She used my love for you.””
He didn’t deny it.
“She told me if we could get access to the money temporarily, we could pay off my debts and fix everything.””
“Temporary.””
I repeated the word.
“That is what everyone says before they take something.””
He looked down.
“I didn’t know about the house.””
“Did you?””
“No.””
The answer came quickly.
This time, I believed him.
Because he looked devastated.
Not scared.
Devastated.
“Dad knew,” I whispered.
Weston nodded.
“He told me he was worried.””
“About you?””
He looked at the floor.
“About Priscilla.””
My heart sank.
“What did he say?””
Weston’s voice became quiet.
“He said she had a way of making people feel like they owed her something.””
I looked at the documents again.
The messages.
The evidence.
The warnings.
Daniel had seen it.
I hadn’t.
Because I wanted to believe the best.
That night, I called Margaret.
She answered immediately.
“Evelyn.””
Her voice sounded tired.
“Did Daniel know?””
Silence.
A long silence.
Then:
“Yes.””
I closed my eyes.
“You knew too.””
“Yes.””
“And you never told me?””
“I promised him.””
I felt anger rise.
“You promised my dying husband to keep me in the dark?””
“He wanted proof.””
“He wanted to protect me.””
“Yes.””
“But you protected his secret instead.””
Her voice softened.
“I was wrong.””
That surprised me.
Because I expected excuses.
Not regret.
“I thought I was following Daniel’s wishes,” she said.
“But I should have told you when the evidence became clear.””
“What evidence?””
She took a breath.
“Evelyn, there is something else you need to know.””
I gripped the phone.
“What?””
“Priscilla didn’t just manipulate Weston.””
A pause.
“She contacted me months ago.””
My chest tightened.
“Why?””
“To discuss your estate.””
I stood.
“She was planning this before moving in.””
“Yes.””
“And you let her?””
“No.””
Margaret’s voice hardened.
“I refused.””
“Then why were you meeting her?””
“Because I was trying to find out what she was planning.””
I sat back down.
For the first time in days, I didn’t know who to trust.
Then Margaret said:
“Evelyn, there is one document you haven’t seen.””
“What document?””
“The one Daniel was most worried about.””
“What is it?””
May you like
Her answer came quietly.
“A revised will.””
