Chapter 3: The Secret Behind the Trust
Nobody moved after Martha screamed.
The music remained off.
The champagne glasses sat untouched.
My wedding guests weren’t watching a celebration anymore.
They were watching a family fall apart.
Rebecca slowly closed the leather briefcase.
“Twenty-five years ago,” she said, “before Nick was born, your mother met his father.””
I stared at her.
“My mother?””
She nodded.
“Yes.””
A strange pressure formed in my chest.
My mother had died when I was eighteen.
There were so many things I never got to ask her.
So many stories she took with her.
Nick stepped closer.
“Rebecca, what are you saying?””
She looked at him.
“I’m saying your father made a promise.””
Martha shook her head.
“No.””
Rebecca continued.
“He knew what kind of person Martha could become.””
Martha’s face hardened.
“You’re lying.””
Rebecca ignored her.
“Your father saw how Martha treated people she considered beneath her. He worried that one day she would use the family’s wealth to control Nick’s choices.””
Nick looked confused.
“My father never said anything like that.””
“Because he didn’t want you carrying his fears,” Rebecca said softly.
She turned toward me.
“But he did something else.””
She pointed to the trust papers in my hands.
“He created that account.””
I looked down again.
My name stared back at me.
“But why?””
Rebecca took a breath.
“Because your mother helped him when he had nothing.””
The room became quiet.
“My father?””
Rebecca nodded.
“Before he became successful, before the company, before the mansion, before the money… Nick’s father was struggling.””
Martha interrupted.
“That’s enough.””
Rebecca looked at her.
“No. It’s time.””
Nick’s voice was low.
“Mom, what is she talking about?””
Martha looked away.
Rebecca continued.
“Your father was about to lose everything. His business was failing. He was drowning in debt.””
She looked at me.
“Your mother helped him survive.””
I felt tears forming.
“My mother never told me.””
“She didn’t want anything from him,” Rebecca said.
“That was the difference between her and Martha.””
Martha’s expression changed.
“Don’t compare me to her.””
Rebecca smiled sadly.
“You already know why I am.””
Nick looked at his mother.
“Did Dad know about Emily?””
Martha stayed silent.
“Mom.””
Finally, she whispered.
“Yes.””
My breath caught.
Nick stared.
“You knew?””
Martha looked at me.
“I knew who you were.””
The words felt like a slap.
“For how long?””
She didn’t answer.
Rebecca did.
“Since the beginning.””
I stepped back.
“You knew about me before Nick and I met?””
Martha’s eyes hardened.
“Yes.””
“Then why did you hate me?””
She laughed bitterly.
“Hate?””
I looked at her.
“You tried to destroy my wedding.””
Her face twisted.
“Because I knew exactly what would happen.””
“What?””
Martha looked at Nick.
“If you married Emily, you would eventually discover everything.””
Nick’s voice became cold.
“Discover what?””
Rebecca opened her briefcase one more time.
This time, she removed a small envelope.
She handed it to Nick.
“Your father left this for you.””
Nick stared at the envelope.
“He wrote this?””
Rebecca nodded.
“He instructed me to give it to you if Martha ever tried to interfere with your marriage.””
Martha went completely still.
“You had no right.””
Rebecca’s eyes narrowed.
“You lost the right to control this family when you tried to destroy another woman’s life for money.””
Nick opened the envelope.
Everyone watched him read.
His hands began to shake.
“Nick?”” I whispered.
He didn’t answer.
He kept reading.
Then he looked at his mother.
“What did you do?””
Martha’s lips parted.
“I can explain.””
“No,” Nick said.
His voice was different now.
Broken.
“What did you do to my father?””
The question stunned everyone.
I looked between them.
Rebecca closed her eyes.
Because she already knew the answer.
Martha backed away.
“I never meant for that to happen.””
My heart stopped.
“Meant for what to happen?””
Nick looked at me.
Then he looked at the letter again.
And the next words that came out of his mouth changed the entire wedding forever.
“My father didn’t die from an accident.””
The room went silent.
“He died because…”
He stopped.
His eyes filled with disbelief.
May you like
And Martha whispered:
“Nick, please.””
