Chapter 2: The Question That Terrified Her
Dad carried me into the living room.
His jacket was wrapped tightly around my shoulders, and one hand remained on my back as if he were afraid I might disappear.
"Stay here, sweetheart.""
"I'm okay, Daddy.""
"No, you're not.""
He touched my forehead and immediately reached for his phone.
"You're burning up.""
Vanessa stood near the staircase, twisting the gold bracelet around her wrist.
"Michael, you're making this sound much worse than it is.""
Dad looked at her.
"Worse?""
"Emily has been difficult lately. She's refusing to follow household rules, so I thought a few nights in the garage would teach her responsibility.""
Dad stared at her.
"You put my sixteen-year-old daughter in an unheated garage?""
"It wasn't permanent.""
"How many nights?""
Vanessa hesitated.
"Four.""
"Four?""
Brittany appeared at the top of the stairs wearing my mother's old pearl earrings.
"Mom, you don't have to explain yourself. Emily agreed to switch rooms.""
I looked up.
"That's a lie.""
Brittany sighed dramatically.
"Here we go.""
"She took my phone," I said.
"I tried calling Dad, but she wouldn't let me.""
Vanessa folded her arms.
"She is exaggerating. I simply restricted her electronics because she was being disrespectful.""
Dad pointed toward the kitchen.
"Get me the thermometer and a glass of water.""
Vanessa didn't move.
"Michael, we need to discuss this privately.""
"Now.""
His voice was so sharp that Brittany stepped back.
A few minutes later, Dad had called for medical assistance. He sat beside me, holding my hand while I tried to stop shivering.
When the medical technician arrived, she checked my temperature and blood pressure.
"She needs to be evaluated at the hospital," she told Dad.
"She's showing signs of significant cold exposure, and that cough needs attention.""
Dad nodded.
"Do whatever you need to do.""
Vanessa followed us toward the front door.
"Michael, please. Don't let this become a family scandal.""
He turned around.
"Family scandal?""
"People don't need to know about this.""
Dad looked at her for several seconds.
"You're worried about what people will think?""
Vanessa lowered her voice.
"I was trying to establish boundaries.""
He didn't answer.
Instead, he helped me into the car.
At the hospital, doctors examined me, treated my cold exposure, and monitored my breathing. I spent several hours under observation.
Dad never left my bedside.
Around noon, he returned from speaking with the doctor and pulled a chair beside me.
"Emily, I need to ask you something.""
I looked at him.
"Okay.""
"Did Vanessa ever ask you about your mother's jewelry box?""
My stomach tightened.
"Why?""
He rubbed his forehead.
"Just answer me, honey.""
I thought back.
"She asked about it a few months ago. She wanted to know if Mom had left any valuable jewelry.""
"What did you tell her?""
"I said I didn't know. Mom told me there was something important inside, but I wasn't allowed to open the locked compartment.""
Dad closed his eyes.
"Did Vanessa ever take the box?""
I hesitated.
"She said she was moving it somewhere safe.""
Dad's expression changed.
"When?""
"About two weeks ago.""
He stood immediately.
"Did you see where she put it?""
"No. But Brittany was carrying it upstairs.""
Dad looked toward the hospital window.
Outside, the sky was gray, and rain streaked the glass.
"Emily, I need you to tell me something else. Did you ever see your mother give me any documents before she died?""
I shook my head.
"Not that I remember.""
He nodded slowly.
Then he said something I couldn't understand.
"Your mother made me promise.""
"Promise what?""
He looked at me.
"That I wouldn't let anyone touch what she left for you.""
I frowned.
"What's inside the box?""
Before he could answer, his phone rang.
Vanessa.
He declined the call.
It rang again.
Then again.
Finally, he answered.
"What?""
Her voice was loud enough for me to hear.
"Michael, you need to come home immediately. Brittany is upset, and you've embarrassed us in front of strangers.""
Dad's jaw tightened.
"Where is Emily's jewelry box?""
Silence.
Then Vanessa said, "I don't know what you're talking about.""
"Don't lie to me.""
"I put it somewhere safe.""
"Where?""
"Michael, you're frightening me.""
He let out a bitter laugh.
"Good. Maybe now you understand how your daughter felt when you locked mine outside.""
Vanessa started crying.
"I made one mistake!""
"One mistake?""
"She's always been difficult about her mother's things. I thought if we moved everything, she would finally accept that this is our family now.""
Dad looked at me.
I could barely believe what I was hearing.
"Vanessa," he said quietly, "what did you do with the documents inside that box?""
Another silence.
Then she whispered something.
Dad's face went completely still.
"What do you mean you already used them?""
My heart began pounding.
He ended the call without another word.
"Daddy?""
He sat down beside me.
"Your mother left you something, Emily. Something she wanted you to receive when you turned eighteen.""
"What?""
"A trust.""
I stared at him.
He swallowed.
"Seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars.""
For a moment, the hospital room seemed to disappear.
I had never known my mother had that kind of money.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"I was supposed to give you the documents on your eighteenth birthday. Your mother wanted you to have something that would belong entirely to you.""
"Then why does Vanessa know about it?""
Dad looked down at his hands.
"Because someone helped her find out.""
Before I could ask another question, his phone vibrated.
A text message appeared.
It was from the family attorney.
*Michael, I need you to come to my office immediately. The trust administrator has flagged another unauthorized transaction. The signature on the latest transfer is yours.*
Dad stared at the message.
I stared at him.
"Did you sign something?""
He didn't answer immediately.
Then he looked at me with an expression I had never seen before.
Fear.
"Emily, there's something about that money you need to know.""
And before he could explain, another message arrived.
This one included a photograph.
It showed a document bearing my father's signature.
But the date was two days earlier.
May you like
And beneath his signature was a second name.
Vanessa Carter.
