Chapter 9: My Husband's Name Was in the Will
I read the email again.
Then a third time.
Alexander Carter.
My husband's name.
For several seconds, the street seemed to disappear around me.
I turned toward him.
"Explain.""
He looked at the screen.
His face became still.
"I've never seen this document.""
"Your name is right there.""
"I can see that.""
"Why would Mom leave you her estate?""
He took a breath.
"She wouldn't.""
Jonathan stepped closer.
"Mr. Carter, this could be an attempt to create a conflict of interest.""
I looked at him.
"What does that mean?""
"Someone may be trying to make it appear that Mr. Carter benefits from the fraudulent transfer. If that becomes part of the legal dispute, his involvement in protecting your mother's estate could be challenged.""
I stared at the email.
"So someone put his name there deliberately?""
"That's one possibility.""
Alexander took the phone and examined the sender information.
"Richard's account.""
Jonathan nodded.
"The email was sent to Daniel three weeks ago.""
I looked at my husband.
"Did you know?""
"No.""
"Are you absolutely sure?""
His eyes met mine.
"Emily, I would never take anything from your mother. You know that.""
I wanted to believe him.
But the past few days had taught me that people could hide enormous things behind familiar faces.
Before I could respond, Alexander's phone rang.
It was his head of security.
He answered immediately.
"Talk to me.""
A few seconds passed.
Then he said, "Is she injured?""
My heart stopped.
"Vanessa?""
He listened again.
"Don't let anyone enter the property until the police arrive.""
He ended the call.
I grabbed his arm.
"What happened?""
"Vanessa has left the house.""
"Where is she?""
"She's safe. Our security team found her at a nearby gas station.""
I exhaled.
"Thank God.""
"She has been taken to a private location until the police arrive.""
I looked at Jonathan.
"Can we see her?""
"Yes, but I would recommend having an attorney present.""
Alexander nodded.
"We'll go together.""
Vanessa was sitting in a small private conference room at a hotel.
She looked different.
Her hair was tangled. Her makeup had disappeared, and the expensive diamond necklace was missing.
When she saw me, she stood.
"Emily.""
I approached slowly.
"Are you hurt?""
She shook her head.
Then she started crying.
I wanted to hug her.
I really did.
But I remembered her standing beside Mom's coffin, telling me I couldn't keep a man.
I remembered the photographs of her mansion.
I remembered every time she had made my heartbreak into entertainment.
So I simply sat beside her.
"What happened?""
Vanessa wiped her face.
"Daniel found out I gave you the document. He started shouting. Then he said I had ruined everything.""
"What did he do?""
"He grabbed my arm and pushed me against the kitchen counter.""
I looked at the red mark near her wrist.
My stomach turned.
"Did you call the police?""
"No. I was afraid.""
Alexander placed a bottle of water in front of her.
"You're safe here.""
Vanessa nodded.
Then she looked at me.
"I found something in Daniel's office.""
"What?""
She reached into her handbag and removed a small envelope.
"I took it before I left.""
Alexander opened it.
Inside was a printed copy of a draft legal agreement.
I recognized my name immediately.
But it wasn't an inheritance document.
It was a proposed settlement agreement.
The heading read:
*BENNETT ESTATE — BENEFICIARY RELEASE AND WAIVER.*
I scanned the first paragraph.
It stated that I would voluntarily surrender my rights to the estate in exchange for a payment of $250,000.
I looked up.
"They were planning to buy me out?""
Vanessa nodded.
"Daniel said if you signed it, everything would become simple.""
I laughed in disbelief.
"Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars? For a forty-million-dollar estate?""
Alexander examined the signature section.
"There's something worse.""
He pointed toward the bottom.
My name was already signed.
My signature.
But I had never seen the document.
I felt cold.
"That's forged.""
Jonathan leaned closer.
"Yes. It appears to be.""
Vanessa covered her mouth.
"Daniel told Richard he could make Emily believe she had already agreed.""
I looked at her.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?""
"Because I was afraid he'd leave me. And because I thought I could get enough money to start over.""
I stared at her.
"How much did you know?""
She looked down.
"I knew he was using Mom's property. I knew the documents weren't right. But I didn't know about the forged signature.""
I closed my eyes.
The truth was becoming more complicated with every conversation.
Alexander handed the document to Jonathan.
"Have this examined immediately. And contact the authorities.""
Vanessa suddenly reached for my hand.
"Emily, there's something else about Alexander.""
I turned.
"What?""
She looked frightened.
"Daniel said your husband wasn't supposed to marry you.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
"He said the entire arrangement depended on you remaining unmarried and financially independent.""
I stared at her.
"That makes no sense.""
"Daniel said Mom had a clause in the trust. If you married someone with a controlling interest in a major company, the estate could be transferred into a protected structure.""
Alexander went very still.
I turned toward him.
"Is that true?""
He didn't answer immediately.
Jonathan opened his laptop.
"Let me check the original trust language.""
He searched through several pages.
Then he stopped.
"There's a marital protection clause.""
I looked at him.
"Explain.""
"Your mother wanted to ensure that your inheritance couldn't be taken through marriage, divorce, or outside financial pressure. If you married, the estate would remain in a separate trust under your control.""
"Then why would Daniel care who I married?""
Jonathan looked at Alexander.
"Because the original clause contains an exception.""
My heart began pounding.
"What exception?""
Jonathan turned the laptop toward us.
The document stated that if I married a person who had previously been involved in an attempted fraudulent transfer of the estate, the trust would automatically enter independent court supervision.
Alexander read the paragraph twice.
Then he looked at me.
"Emily, your mother anticipated that someone might try to use your marriage to gain access to the estate.""
I swallowed.
"But why would Daniel say I wasn't supposed to marry you?""
Alexander's expression darkened.
"Because if you married me, he knew I would investigate the property transactions.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"No. That's not what he said.""
She looked directly at me.
"Daniel told Richard that Alexander had already been warned to stay away from you.""
I turned toward my husband.
"What?""
Alexander didn't look away.
"Emily, I need to tell you something.""
He took a slow breath.
"Before I proposed, I received a letter from your mother's attorney. It contained a warning about Daniel and a request to protect you.""
My throat tightened.
"Was that all?""
He hesitated.
Then he said, "No.""
He reached into his jacket and removed a folded document.
"I also received a photograph.""
He placed it on the table.
It showed my mother standing beside Alexander outside a hospital room.
But the date on the back was from six months before we met.
I stared at it.
"How is that possible?""
Alexander looked at me with an expression I had never seen before.
"Emily, I knew your mother long before you and I met.""
Then he turned the photograph over.
In my mother's handwriting were seven words:
If you love my daughter, tell her everything.
May you like
And beneath them was a date.
The date of the day my first engagement ended.
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