Chapter 7: The Mother-in-Law’s Final Move
I thought Daniel was the person I needed to fear.
I was wrong.
Because Daniel was only one piece of the plan.
The person who had smiled at me during family dinners, who had placed her hand on my pregnant belly and called my baby “the Whitmore heir,” was now trying to take everything from me.
Eleanor.
My mother-in-law.
The woman who had held my arm down with her shoe while her daughter ripped my dress apart.
I stared at the phone.
“Dad… are you sure?””
His answer came immediately.
“Emily, I’m looking at the request right now. It requires additional verification, but someone attempted to move control of the account.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“Can they do it?””
“No.””
I closed my eyes.
Relief lasted only a second.
“Then why are you worried?””
My father paused.
“Because whoever submitted it had access to private information only family members would know.””
I looked at Daniel.
Then Eleanor.
The answer was standing right in front of me.
The attorney stepped closer.
“Mrs. Carter, we need to leave.””
But before I could move, Eleanor appeared at the entrance of the lobby.
She no longer looked like the elegant woman who had hosted the wedding.
Her makeup was slightly smudged.
Her expression was cold.
“Emily.””
I stared at her.
“You really have no shame coming near me.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“You’re making a terrible mistake.””
I almost laughed.
“A mistake?””
She looked around.
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing to this family?””
I stepped closer.
“You mean what I’m doing to your plan?””
Her face changed.
Only for a moment.
But I saw it.
Fear.
“You’ve been listening to lies.””
“From who?””
She glanced at Marcus.
“That man?””
Marcus scoffed.
“Interesting coming from someone who tried to frame her.””
Eleanor ignored him.
“Emily, you are emotional. You’re pregnant. You’re not thinking clearly.””
There it was again.
The same excuse.
The same way they tried to make me question myself.
I looked at her.
“I was thinking clearly when you stepped on my dress.””
Her lips pressed together.
“That was a misunderstanding.””
“A misunderstanding?””
My voice shook.
“Your daughter accused me of stealing. You helped her tear my clothes. My husband searched my purse in front of strangers.””
I pointed at Daniel.
“And now I find out you tried to steal my money.””
Eleanor’s expression hardened.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.””
The attorney stepped forward.
“Actually, we have several records.””
Eleanor looked at him.
“Records?””
“Yes.””
He opened his briefcase.
“Messages between you and Mr. Carter. Financial discussions. Requests regarding account access.””
Daniel immediately interrupted.
“Enough.””
Everyone looked at him.
His face was pale.
“Stop making this worse.””
I turned toward him.
“Worse for who?””
He didn’t answer.
Eleanor suddenly changed tactics.
She walked toward me slowly.
“Emily, think carefully.””
I felt my body tense.
“You’re about to destroy your marriage.””
I stared at her.
“My marriage was destroyed when my husband chose to watch me suffer.””
She lowered her voice.
“You think your father can protect you forever?””
The threat was quiet.
Almost gentle.
That made it worse.
I looked at her.
“Was that supposed to scare me?””
She smiled slightly.
“No.””
She glanced at my stomach.
“It was supposed to make you understand.””
My blood ran cold.
The attorney immediately stepped between us.
“That’s enough.””
Security moved closer.
For the first time, Eleanor looked nervous.
But then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Her expression changed.
She answered.
“Hello?””
She listened.
Then her face went completely white.
“What do you mean?””
Everyone watched her.
She ended the call slowly.
Daniel frowned.
“What happened?””
Eleanor looked at him.
Then at me.
“The police are here.””
Nobody moved.
The lobby suddenly felt smaller.
The security officers exchanged looks.
The attorney calmly said:
“Good.””
Eleanor’s eyes snapped toward him.
“Good?””
“Yes.””
He closed his folder.
“Because now Mrs. Carter can finally tell her side of the story.””
Two officers entered through the main doors.
But they weren’t walking toward me.
They walked toward Daniel.
My husband froze.
One officer looked at him.
“Daniel Carter?””
“Yes?””
“We need to ask you some questions regarding financial fraud and attempted identity manipulation.””
The color disappeared from his face.
Then the officer added:
“And there’s another matter.””
Daniel swallowed.
“What matter?””
The officer opened a folder.
“A report was filed tonight claiming your wife stole a family heirloom.””
I looked at Chloe.
She looked terrified.
The officer continued:
“But the evidence submitted with the report appears to contain false information.””
Daniel looked at me.
I didn’t look away.
Because for the first time that night, I wasn’t the person standing accused.
The officer turned toward Chloe.
“Mrs. Whitmore, we need to speak with you too.””
Chloe’s face collapsed.
May you like
And then she whispered something I never expected.
“Daniel told me you would never survive this.””
