Chapter 6: The Secret Beneath The Villa
The next morning, I returned to the villa before sunrise.
I couldn’t sleep.
Not after what my father said.
There was something about his confidence that bothered me.
People who were losing usually became desperate.
They begged.
They apologized.
They tried to fix things.
My father did the opposite.
He looked like he had another card hidden.
And I needed to know what it was.
Michael arrived with another set of records.
He placed them on the dining table.
“The original property history.””
I sat down.
“What did you find?””
He opened the folder.
“Your purchase was legitimate. The deed is valid.””
I nodded.
“That’s what I expected.””
“But…”
I looked up.
There was always a but.
“The villa changed ownership several times before you bought it.””
I frowned.
“Okay.””
“One previous owner was a company.””
“What company?””
Michael looked at the document.
“Carter Holdings.””
My stomach tightened.
My father’s company.
I stared at him.
“No.””
Michael nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
I stood up.
“My father owned this property?””
“Years ago.””
The room suddenly felt different.
All this time, I thought my father was simply jealous.
Controlling.
Entitled.
But now there was history.
“How did I buy it from him?””
Michael flipped another page.
“That’s what we need to understand.””
I looked closer.
The sale records.
The dates.
Something didn’t make sense.
“My father never told me.””
“No.””
Michael looked serious.
“And there’s another unusual detail.””
“What?””
“The sale price.””
I waited.
“It was significantly lower than market value.””
I stared at the paper.
“Why?””
“That’s the question.””
The fireplace crackled quietly.
For years, I thought my father hated the fact that I owned this house.
But maybe the truth was different.
Maybe he never believed it truly belonged to me.
Maybe he thought he was letting me borrow it.
A memory came back.
The day I bought the villa.
I remembered Dad standing outside with me.
I remembered him saying:
“Someday, you’ll understand why this place matters.””
At the time, I thought he was proud.
Now I wondered.
What did he mean?
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A man’s voice spoke.
“Emma Carter?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Daniel Brooks. I was the attorney who handled the original property sale.””
I looked at Michael.
He immediately started recording notes.
“How did you get my number?””
“I was contacted because of a recent legal inquiry.””
My heart beat faster.
“What inquiry?””
There was a pause.
Then he said:
“Your father is challenging the ownership history of the villa.””
I closed my eyes.
Of course he was.
“But there is something you need to know.””
“What?””
The man lowered his voice.
“When your father sold you that property…”
I waited.
“He didn’t sell you the entire story.””
The silence felt heavy.
“What does that mean?””
Before he could answer, the call suddenly ended.
I looked at the phone.
Michael frowned.
“That was strange.””
I nodded.
Then my computer notification appeared.
A new email.
From the same attorney.
The subject line was simple.
*The truth about the Lake Tahoe villa.*
I opened it.
May you like
And the first sentence made my entire body go cold.
*Emma, your father was never trying to take your house. He was trying to hide what was underneath it.*
