Chapter 3: The Secret Agreement
My father didn't hang up.
He simply stood in the backyard, listening.
"Repeat that," he said.
Jordan sighed.
"Look, man, I'm not trying to get involved in your family problems.""
"Then why do you have thirty-six thousand dollars of my daughter's money?""
"Your wife gave it to me.""
"Why?""
Silence.
Then Jordan laughed.
"Ask Vanessa. She knows what we agreed on.""
Dad looked toward my stepmother.
Vanessa was standing near the back door, clutching her arms.
"Richard, don't listen to him.""
Jordan continued.
"She told me the money was part of a family arrangement. She said Emily wouldn't be going to college anyway.""
My entire body went cold.
"What?"" I whispered.
Dad looked at me.
Jordan heard my voice.
"Oh, Emily. You're there?""
"Yes.""
"Listen, I didn't know you were going to be this upset.""
I stepped closer to the phone.
"That money was for my college.""
"Well, you know how things work. Your dad has a successful business. I figured there was more where that came from.""
Dad's expression changed.
"You're going to return every cent.""
Jordan chuckled again.
"That's going to be difficult.""
"Why?""
"Because the money is already gone.""
Vanessa suddenly moved toward the phone.
"Jordan, stop talking!""
Dad raised his hand.
"Don't.""
I could hear Jordan breathing.
Then he said, "Mr. Carter, maybe you should ask Vanessa about the property.""
Dad froze.
"What property?""
Jordan went quiet.
Vanessa's face turned completely white.
"Jordan," she whispered.
"Don't.""
Dad looked between them.
"What property?""
Jordan sighed.
"She told me you were planning to sell your mother's old house.""
My father stared at Vanessa.
"My mother's house?""
"Yeah. The one outside Savannah. She said it was being transferred to Kayla eventually.""
I turned toward Dad.
Grandma Evelyn's old house had belonged to my father's family for decades. After she died, he kept it as a rental property.
I remembered visiting it when I was younger.
It had a white porch, tall oak trees, and a little garden where my mother used to grow roses.
Dad had always said it would remain in the family.
"Vanessa," he said slowly, "what did you do?""
She shook her head.
"Nothing.""
"Did you sell my mother's property?""
"No!""
Jordan interrupted.
"Not yet.""
Dad's eyes narrowed.
"Explain.""
"She asked me to help arrange the paperwork. She said she wanted to sell it and use the proceeds to buy a house for Kayla.""
Vanessa lunged toward the phone.
"That's enough!""
Dad stepped away.
"You're telling me my wife tried to sell my mother's house without my permission?""
Jordan replied, "I have documents if you want them.""
"Send them.""
Vanessa started crying.
"Richard, please. I was only trying to secure Kayla's future.""
I looked at her.
"What about mine?""
She turned toward me.
"Emily, you have your father. Kayla has nobody else.""
I couldn't believe she had said that.
"Your daughter has you. She's had you every single day. My mother is dead, and you stole the only thing she left me.""
Vanessa wiped her cheeks.
"Your mother left plenty of money.""
Dad went still.
I looked at him.
"What does she mean?""
He didn't answer immediately.
Then he opened a drawer in the outdoor storage cabinet and pulled out an old folder.
I recognized it.
It was the folder where he kept important documents.
He opened it and removed several pages.
"Emily, your mother left you more than the college account.""
My heart started beating faster.
"What do you mean?""
Dad sat down.
"Your mother had a life insurance policy. She also had an investment account and a trust established for you.""
I stared at him.
"How much?""
He swallowed.
"Approximately one hundred and eighty thousand dollars when she passed.""
I felt the ground shift beneath me.
"One hundred and eighty thousand?""
Dad nodded.
"I was the trustee until you turned eighteen. The money was supposed to remain protected until then.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She wasn't crying anymore.
She was watching the folder.
Dad turned another page.
"After I married Vanessa, I gave her permission to help with household administration. I never gave her permission to withdraw from your trust.""
He pulled out his phone and called his attorney.
The call went straight to voicemail.
He left a message asking for an urgent meeting first thing in the morning.
Then he called the bank again.
The representative placed him on hold while reviewing the account history.
When she returned, her voice was different.
"Mr. Carter, I've found several transactions connected to the trust.""
Dad gripped the edge of the table.
"How many?""
"Eleven withdrawals over the past fourteen months.""
"Total?""
There was a pause.
"One hundred and twelve thousand, four hundred dollars.""
I covered my mouth.
Vanessa started backing toward the house.
Dad noticed.
"Where are you going?""
"I need to get my medication.""
"Your medication is on the kitchen counter.""
She stopped.
For the first time since I'd known her, Vanessa looked like she had no excuse prepared.
Dad asked the representative to email the complete transaction history.
Then he ended the call.
"Vanessa, you're going to explain every single dollar.""
She shook her head.
"I can't do this right now.""
"You've had fourteen months.""
Kayla suddenly stepped forward.
"Mom, just tell him!""
Vanessa spun around.
"I told you to stay out of this!""
Kayla began crying again.
"But you promised me!""
Dad looked at her.
"Promised you what?""
Kayla hesitated.
Then she pulled her phone from her pocket.
"Mom said once Emily turned eighteen, everything would be settled.""
I stared at her.
"What does that mean?""
Kayla looked down at her screen.
"She said the money would become mine because you weren't going to need it.""
Dad's face darkened.
"Who told you that?""
"Mom.""
"Why would she say that?""
Kayla's voice became barely audible.
"Because she said Emily was going to be sent away.""
I felt my stomach drop.
"Sent away where?""
Kayla looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa closed her eyes.
Then Kayla whispered the words I would never forget.
"Mom said she had already arranged for you to lose the house, the money, and your place in the family after graduation.""
Dad slowly stood up.
"What arrangement?""
Vanessa didn't answer.
Instead, she looked directly at me.
And for the first time, she wasn't pretending to be the caring stepmother.
She smiled coldly.
"Richard, there's something else you should know about Emily's mother.""
May you like
She paused.
"Because if you think the inheritance was the only secret she left behind, you're about to discover why I've spent three years making sure Emily never saw those documents.""
