Chapter 6: The Day My Father Declared Me Dead
I couldn't hear anything.
Not the air conditioner humming above us.
Not Maya calling my name.
Not even Vanessa whispering to my father.
All I could see was the certificate.
My name.
My date of birth.
My father's signature.
And a date claiming I'd died two years earlier.
I reached for the table.
Maya caught my elbow.
"Nia, sit down.""
I shook my head.
"I'm alive.""
Her eyes filled.
"I know.""
"I'm standing right here.""
"I know, sweetheart.""
The competition director turned the document around.
"It appears to be a certified copy from the state records system. However, our legal team has already flagged inconsistencies.""
Elise pulled the certificate closer.
"Who submitted this?""
The director checked the application record.
"Mrs. Vanessa Carter uploaded it with Brianna's portfolio. The electronic submission was made three weeks ago.""
I stared at my stepmother.
"Three weeks ago?""
Vanessa looked at my father.
"Marcus, explain this.""
He looked at her as if she had just betrayed him.
"You told me the paperwork was handled.""
My breath caught.
"You both knew?""
Vanessa stood.
"Don't twist this. You don't understand what's happening.""
"Then explain it!""
She pointed toward the certificate.
"It was supposed to be a legal formality.""
"A legal formality?""
"You were never actually harmed. You were here. Nothing happened to you.""
I stared at her.
"Then why is there a death certificate with my name on it?""
She looked toward the door.
Elise blocked her path.
"Sit down, Vanessa.""
Vanessa's handbag slipped from her shoulder and hit the floor.
"Marcus, tell them!""
My father looked at me.
There was fear in his eyes now.
Not sadness.
Not guilt.
Fear.
"Nia, it was never supposed to go this far.""
I gripped the back of the chair.
"What exactly wasn't supposed to go this far?""
He rubbed his palms together.
"Two years ago, the house was close to foreclosure. We were behind on payments, and there were other problems. I was trying to keep the family together.""
"By telling the government I was dead?""
"That isn't what happened.""
Elise slammed her hand against the table.
"Then what happened, Marcus?""
He flinched.
Vanessa answered instead.
"We needed access to the trust.""
Silence.
She looked at me, almost annoyed that everyone was making such a fuss.
"Your mother created that account, and the bank wouldn't release all the money while you were a minor. Marcus was trying to find a way to protect the assets.""
I stared at her.
"So you invented my death?""
"Nobody invented anything.""
"Then why does this say I'm dead?""
Vanessa pointed at the certificate.
"There was a clerical issue.""
Maya laughed bitterly.
"A clerical issue? You don't accidentally report an eighteen-year-old girl dead.""
The director carefully examined the document.
"There's a more serious problem. The death certificate was attached to a declaration of inheritance.""
Elise leaned forward.
"Read it.""
The director adjusted his glasses.
"It states that Nia Danielle Carter passed away two years ago, leaving no surviving children or spouse. Her father, Marcus Carter, was identified as the legal representative of her estate.""
I looked at my father.
"Representative of my estate?""
He stared at the carpet.
I could barely form the next question.
"Why would you need to be the representative of my estate if I was alive?""
He whispered, "I wanted to fix things.""
"By making me disappear?""
"No!""
His voice cracked.
"I never wanted anything to happen to you.""
"Then why did you sign it?""
He covered his mouth.
Elise reached into the envelope and removed another document.
"This is the authorization attached to the trust withdrawal request. It claims that the beneficiary died and that her assets were transferred to her legal representative.""
I looked down.
My father's signature was there again.
But this time, there was another signature beneath his.
Vanessa's.
The two people who had raised me had signed papers declaring me dead.
And then they had taken the money my mother left me.
Brianna suddenly began crying.
"Mom, you said nobody would find out.""
Every head turned toward her.
Vanessa glared.
"Be quiet.""
Brianna shook her head.
"You said Nia wasn't going to enter the competition. You said the papers were already approved.""
I looked at her.
"You knew about the certificate?""
She wiped her nose.
"I didn't know they were going to say you died.""
"Then what did you think they were doing?""
Brianna looked down.
"I thought Dad had signed something saying you gave up your rights.""
I felt sick.
"So you thought my dress and my scholarship were yours because Dad made me surrender them?""
She didn't answer.
Maya stepped closer to her.
"You watched Nia work for four months. You saw her sewing until her fingers bled. And you still put on her dress.""
Brianna's voice rose.
"I wanted the scholarship!""
"Then you should have designed your own.""
Vanessa slapped her palm against the table.
"That's enough! Brianna has done nothing wrong. Marcus handled the documents!""
Elise turned slowly.
"Mrs. Carter, you personally uploaded this certificate. You also submitted the application claiming you were the legal representative of the beneficiary's estate.""
Vanessa froze.
The director opened the digital submission record.
"There's another attachment. It was uploaded separately from the death certificate.""
Elise looked at him.
"What is it?""
"A notarized document transferring the entire Danielle Carter design portfolio to Brianna Carter.""
I looked at the page.
At the bottom was my father's signature.
Above it was a line labeled:
*WITNESS TO BENEFICIARY'S FINAL STATEMENT.*
There was a second signature.
A signature written in my name.
I leaned closer.
The handwriting wasn't mine.
But the words beneath it made my stomach turn.
I, Nia Danielle Carter, voluntarily surrender all claims to my mother's designs, intellectual property, and remaining trust assets.
I looked up.
"I never signed this.""
The director nodded.
"That's why our legal department wants the original notarized record.""
Elise carefully studied the page.
Then her eyes settled on the notary stamp.
She went completely still.
"Where was this notarized?""
The director read the address.
Elise slowly turned toward my father.
"Marcus, this document was notarized at your home.""
My father closed his eyes.
Then Elise pointed to the notary's name.
"Do you know who certified Nia's signature?""
Vanessa's face turned gray.
Because the name printed beneath the seal belonged to someone I hadn't seen in six years.
My mother's older brother.
May you like
My Uncle Raymond.
And the last time I'd spoken to him, he'd told me he would never let anyone take what my mother left me.
