Chapter 10: The Person Behind the Plan
The name on the paper seemed impossible.
I read it again.
Then again.
But the letters didn’t change.
Rebecca.
The lawyer who had been helping us.
No.
Not Rebecca.
Someone else.
Someone whose name had been written in my mother’s handwriting.
Someone who had been trusted.
Someone who had known about the hidden account.
I looked at my dad.
“Do you know what this means?””
He didn’t answer.
He just stared at the paper.
The color had drained from his face.
“Dad?””
He finally spoke.
“I know that name.””
My heart dropped.
“Who is it?””
He took a deep breath.
“Your mother’s financial advisor.””
I frowned.
“A financial advisor?””
Dad nodded.
“His name was Thomas.””
I had heard the name before.
Not recently.
Years ago.
Back when my mom was alive.
“He worked with Mom?””
“Yes.””
“Then why would she warn us about him?””
Dad looked at the letter.
“That’s what I don’t understand.””
The bank manager cleared his throat.
“I should mention something.””
We both turned.
“What?””
He looked uncomfortable.
“The account records show Thomas accessed your mother’s financial files shortly after her death.””
Dad stood up.
“He had no permission.””
The manager nodded.
“Correct.””
I felt sick.
All this time, we thought Vanessa was the beginning of the problem.
But maybe she was only a piece of it.
A smaller piece.
A piece someone else controlled.
When we left the bank, Dad barely spoke.
The drive home felt endless.
Finally, he said:
“I owe you an apology.””
I looked at him.
“For what?””
“For not seeing this.””
I shook my head.
“Dad.””
“No.””
His hands tightened around the steering wheel.
“I spent years believing keeping the family together meant avoiding conflict.””
He looked at me briefly.
“But sometimes avoiding conflict lets people hurt the people you love.””
I didn’t know what to say.
Because part of me was angry.
Not at him.
At everything.
At all the years I spent thinking I had to fight alone.
When we got home, Rebecca was waiting.
That immediately made my stomach tighten.
“How did you know we were here?””
She looked confused.
“Your father called me.””
Dad frowned.
“I didn’t.””
The silence that followed was instant.
Rebecca’s expression changed.
“I’m sorry?””
Dad stepped forward.
“I never called you.””
Rebecca slowly looked at her phone.
Then back at us.
“I received a message from your number.””
Dad took out his phone.
He checked.
Nothing.
No message.
No call.
Someone had copied his identity.
Again.
Rebecca’s face became serious.
“This is bigger than I thought.””
I looked at her.
“Do you know Thomas?””
The reaction was small.
But I noticed.
A slight pause.
A quick change in her expression.
“Yes.””
Dad noticed too.
“How?””
Rebecca looked away.
“Because he was involved in another case.””
“What kind of case?””
She hesitated.
Then said:
“Fraud.””
The word felt heavy.
Dad stepped back.
“Why didn’t you tell us?””
“Because I didn’t know it was connected.””
I watched her carefully.
“Connected how?””
Rebecca opened her briefcase.
She pulled out a file.
“I found something while reviewing Vanessa’s documents.””
She placed it on the table.
Inside was a payment record.
A transfer.
From Daniel’s company.
To an account belonging to Thomas.
My chest tightened.
“So Vanessa wasn’t working alone.””
Rebecca shook her head.
“No.””
Dad looked furious.
“How long?””
Rebecca looked at the papers.
“Years.””
I felt dizzy.
Years.
Not months.
Not a mistake.
A plan.
That night, Dad contacted the police.
For the first time, I saw Vanessa’s actions described not as family problems.
Not as misunderstandings.
But as crimes.
The next morning, we received a call.
Vanessa had been found.
She wanted to talk.
Dad almost refused.
But I stopped him.
“No.””
He looked at me.
“You don’t have to see her.””
“I do.””
Because I needed answers.
Because I needed to hear the truth from her mouth.
When we arrived, Vanessa looked nothing like the woman who had walked into our kitchen with shopping bags.
She looked exhausted.
Broken.
She looked at me.
“Emma.””
I sat down.
“Tell me everything.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I was never trying to hurt you.””
I stared at her.
“Then why did you?””
She looked down.
“Because Thomas convinced me I had no choice.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
Vanessa whispered:
“He told me if I didn’t help him, he would destroy my life.””
Dad leaned forward.
“What did he have on you?””
Vanessa looked at him.
Then at me.
May you like
And said something that changed everything.
“He knew the truth about your mother’s death.””
