Chapter 5: The Enemy Who Became an Ally
The name on the email was Evelyn Whitmore.
Garrett’s mother.
For a moment, I thought Claire had made a mistake.
Why would Evelyn be someone Garrett lied to?
She was his biggest supporter.
His defender.
The person who stood beside him while my mother was humiliated.
But then I read the message attached.
And my understanding of everything shifted.
Years ago, Garrett had convinced Evelyn to transfer ownership of several family properties into a business trust.
He told her it was for protection.
For taxes.
For security.
But according to Claire’s notes, the documents had clauses Evelyn didn’t fully understand.
Clauses that gave Garrett control.
I read the information twice.
Then a third time.
The woman who helped him destroy my mother had also been manipulated by him.
That didn’t erase what she did.
It didn’t make her innocent.
But it explained something.
Garrett didn’t just use strangers.
He used everyone.
Including the people who loved him.
The next morning, I found Evelyn sitting alone in the garden.
For years, I would have avoided that conversation.
I would have waited.
I would have tried to keep peace.
Not anymore.
She looked up when she saw me.
Her expression immediately hardened.
“If you’re here to discuss yesterday, I have nothing to say.””
I stopped beside the chair.
“Good. Because I’m not here to defend myself.””
That surprised her.
“What?””
I handed her a folder.
She didn’t take it.
“What is this?””
“Your son’s documents.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“Don’t involve me in your marriage problems.””
I almost walked away.
Almost.
Then I remembered my mother on the ground.
“I think you’re already involved.””
That made her angry.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.””
“I know about the trust.””
Her face changed.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
“You shouldn’t know about that.””
“Why?””
She looked away.
“Because it’s private.””
“No.””
I placed the folder on the table.
“Because Garrett wanted it hidden.””
Her fingers slowly touched the edge of the folder.
“Where did you get this?””
“Does it matter?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Her voice became quieter.
“Because if you found it the same way I did…”
She stopped.
“What?””
She looked at me.
And for the first time, I saw something I had never seen in Evelyn.
Fear.
“He told me those papers were gone.””
The garden became silent.
I sat across from her.
“You knew?””
“I knew something was wrong.””
Her hands trembled slightly.
“But Garrett always convinced me I was overthinking.””
I almost laughed.
That was his favorite weapon.
Making people question themselves.
Evelyn opened the folder.
She read silently.
The longer she read, the more her expression changed.
Anger.
Confusion.
Betrayal.
All the emotions I had felt the night before.
Finally, she looked up.
“He used me.””
The words were barely audible.
I didn’t answer.
Because she wasn’t asking me.
She was admitting it to herself.
For a moment, I wanted to feel satisfaction.
I wanted to say, “Now you understand.””
But I didn’t.
Because my mother raised me differently.
Pain was not something to celebrate.
Even when someone deserved consequences.
“Why did he hate my mother so much?”” I asked.
Evelyn looked at me.
That question seemed to break something inside her.
“He didn’t hate her.””
“Then why?””
She looked toward the house.
“Because your mother saw him.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Evelyn swallowed.
“Your mother was the first person who told me Garrett wasn’t as perfect as he pretended.””
I stared at her.
“She knew?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Before your wedding.””
My heart stopped.
“Before my wedding?””
Evelyn nodded slowly.
“She warned me.””
“About what?””
The older woman looked down.
Then whispered:
“She told me Garrett would eventually hurt the person closest to him.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
Because suddenly the fountain incident wasn’t the beginning.
It was the result of something much older.
Something my mother had seen coming.
I stood up.
“Why didn’t you listen to her?””
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“Because I was his mother.””
The answer was quiet.
And painful.
“I thought loving him meant protecting him.””
She looked at me.
“I was wrong.””
Before I could respond, my phone rang.
Claire.
I answered immediately.
“Alessia.””
Her voice was urgent.
“What happened?””
“Why?””
“Because Garrett just filed something.””
My stomach tightened.
“What?””
“A legal motion.””
“What kind?””
A pause.
Then Claire said:
“He’s trying to have you removed from the house.””
I looked at Evelyn.
She was already watching my face.
She knew.
May you like
Garrett had made his move.
And this time, he wasn’t pretending anymore.
