Chapter 4: The Twenty-Two-Thousand-Dollar Withdrawal
"Your wife.""
Robert's words echoed through my head.
I stood in the living room, staring at Vanessa as she watched me from the staircase.
"Robert, stop the transaction," I said.
"I'm already contacting the bank and the trust administrator. But Michael, there's something else. The withdrawal request includes a document bearing your signature.""
My stomach dropped.
"What signature?""
"An authorization form. It claims you approved the transfer of the remaining twenty-two thousand dollars to a private account.""
"I never signed anything.""
"I believe you. But I need you to come to my office with every document you have.""
I glanced at Vanessa.
She was still standing on the stairs.
"Robert, can you tell me where the money is going?""
He paused.
"An account belonging to a company called Carter Family Holdings.""
I closed my eyes.
Carter was Vanessa's maiden name.
"Don't let that money leave.""
"We'll do everything legally possible.""
I ended the call.
Vanessa descended the remaining stairs and walked toward me.
"Who was that?""
"Robert.""
Her expression changed.
"Your attorney?""
"Yes.""
She folded her arms.
"You're involving lawyers now?""
"Someone stole from my son's trust.""
"Nobody stole anything.""
"Then explain the twenty-two-thousand-dollar withdrawal.""
She walked to the kitchen, picked up her coffee, and took a slow sip.
"Daniel is handling the financial arrangements.""
"With my son's inheritance?""
"Michael, you need to stop saying inheritance as if it's some sacred treasure. Noah is eleven. He doesn't need ninety thousand dollars sitting in an account.""
"He doesn't need you spending it either.""
She put down her cup.
"Do you know how expensive it is to raise three children?""
"Two of those children aren't mine.""
Her face hardened.
"Wow.""
"What?""
"That's what you really think? That Madison and Tyler are somehow less important?""
"I've paid for their school activities, clothes, medical appointments, vacations, and everything else. Don't pretend I've treated them differently.""
"Then why are you attacking me?""
"Because I found my son eating plain rice upstairs while your children ate steak downstairs.""
She slammed her palm against the counter.
"That boy is manipulating you!""
I stepped toward her.
"He's eleven years old.""
"He's old enough to understand that actions have consequences.""
"What consequence justified taking his food away?""
She looked at me for several seconds.
Then she said something that made my skin crawl.
"Emily spoiled him. Somebody had to teach him that the world doesn't revolve around him.""
I stared at her.
Emily had been dead for five years.
And Vanessa had just admitted that she'd been punishing my son because he reminded her of his mother.
Before I could respond, a small voice came from behind me.
"Is Mom mad because I look like Mommy?""
I turned.
Noah stood beside the hallway wall.
His eyes were wet.
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
"Here we go again.""
I immediately moved toward him.
"Buddy, come here.""
He walked into my arms.
I held him tightly.
"No. Nobody is mad because you look like your mother.""
He buried his face in my shirt.
Vanessa picked up her phone.
"Michael, I'm going to my mother's. I need a break from this nonsense.""
"You're not taking Noah anywhere.""
She laughed.
"Who said anything about Noah?""
She walked upstairs.
A few minutes later, I heard a suitcase being dragged across the bedroom floor.
I called Robert again and arranged to meet him that afternoon.
Before leaving, I checked the kitchen camera recordings once more.
This time, I noticed something I had overlooked.
On the morning of my birthday, Vanessa had entered the kitchen carrying a stack of papers.
She placed them beside the coffee machine.
Then Daniel appeared through the back door.
They spoke for almost twenty minutes.
At one point, Daniel pointed toward the hallway.
Vanessa shook her head.
He handed her a pen.
She signed something.
Then he placed the papers inside the same envelope marked with my name.
I froze the recording.
The date was four months earlier.
The exact month Noah said Vanessa began excluding him from dinner.
I downloaded the footage and sent it to Robert.
Then I went upstairs to pack a bag for Noah.
As I opened his closet, I noticed something strange.
His school backpack was missing.
So was the small suitcase he used when visiting his grandparents.
I called out.
"Noah, have you seen your backpack?""
He appeared in the doorway.
His face went pale.
"Vanessa took it.""
"When?""
"Last night.""
"Why?""
He hesitated.
Then he reached into the pocket of his pajamas and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
It was a printed bus itinerary.
The departure date was the following Monday.
The destination was Asheville.
And the passenger name was Noah Carter.
I stared at the paper.
My son had never used Vanessa's last name.
"Where did you get this?""
He swallowed.
"I found it in her purse.""
"Did she tell you that you were going somewhere?""
He nodded.
"She said I was going to stay with a family who could take better care of me.""
I knelt in front of him.
"Did she say who?""
Noah shook his head.
May you like
Then he whispered:
"Dad, I think she already told them I was coming.""
