Chapter 5: The Threat She Made Behind My Back
David moved closer to Michael.
"Tell me exactly what she said.""
Michael rubbed his palms against his jeans.
"She said nobody would believe me.""
Sarah came down two steps.
"Michael, you're twisting everything.""
David raised his voice.
"Stay upstairs.""
Sarah froze.
Michael continued.
"She said you always wanted a peaceful house. She said if I made trouble, you'd think I was jealous of Jordan.""
David felt his chest tighten.
"What else?""
Michael hesitated.
"She said she could make you believe I was the problem.""
Sarah laughed nervously.
"This is ridiculous.""
David turned toward her.
"Let him finish.""
Michael took out his phone again.
"There are messages.""
David looked at the screen.
"What messages?""
"I saved some of them.""
Sarah's expression changed immediately.
"Michael, give me your phone.""
He stepped behind his father.
David moved in front of him.
"You're not taking anything from him.""
Sarah threw her hands into the air.
"This is unbelievable! You're treating me like some kind of criminal because I tried to establish boundaries!""
David held out his hand toward Michael.
"Show me.""
Michael opened a conversation.
The contact name was Sarah.
The first message was dated October 15.
*Sarah:* You need to stop making things difficult. Your father has enough problems without you adding to them.
Another message followed.
*Sarah:* If you keep complaining about Jordan, he'll eventually get tired of defending you.
Then another.
*Sarah:* You should be grateful you're allowed to stay here. Some children don't even have a father looking after them.
David's jaw tightened.
He scrolled.
A message from October 19 made his fingers stop.
*Sarah:* Remember what we discussed. If your father asks, you wanted to stay with Grandma. Don't make this harder than it needs to be.
David looked at Michael.
"Did you ever tell her you wanted to stay with your grandmother?""
Michael shook his head.
"No.""
"Did you ever ask to leave?""
"No, Dad.""
Sarah stepped forward.
"Those messages are completely out of context.""
David turned toward her.
"Then give me the context.""
She didn't answer.
He scrolled farther.
There was another message.
*Sarah:* Your father doesn't need to know about the agreement. It will only upset him. Once everything is arranged, he'll understand.
David read it twice.
Then he looked at the date.
October 21.
That was the evening Sarah had told him Michael was being unusually difficult.
She had even suggested that he spend more time disciplining his son.
David remembered sitting at the kitchen counter, exhausted after work, while Sarah described Michael as disrespectful and ungrateful.
He had believed her.
He had spoken sharply to Michael that night.
He had told him to stop making life difficult for everyone.
Now he understood why his son had gone to bed without dinner.
David put the phone down.
"Michael, did she ever take anything from you?""
Michael looked confused.
"What do you mean?""
"Money. Belongings. Anything.""
The boy nodded slowly.
"My birthday money.""
David frowned.
"How much?""
"Three hundred and twenty dollars.""
David turned toward Sarah.
"What happened to his money?""
Sarah sighed.
"I borrowed it.""
"You borrowed your fourteen-year-old's birthday money?""
"It was for household expenses.""
David stared at her.
"You took money from my son?""
"I intended to replace it.""
"When?""
"When I could.""
"Did you ask him?""
Sarah's silence answered the question.
Michael spoke quietly.
"She said I didn't need it because I had everything I needed here.""
David looked at his son.
"Did you give it to her willingly?""
Michael shook his head.
"I told her I was saving it for a new bicycle.""
Sarah snapped.
"He barely uses the money anyway!""
David turned.
"That's not the point.""
"I bought groceries with it! Food that everyone in this house eats!""
"Then why didn't you ask me for grocery money?""
"Because you make me feel like I have to justify every dollar I spend!""
David stared at her.
"You took money from a child and then told him he should be grateful?""
Sarah's cheeks flushed.
"You're exaggerating.""
David took out his phone.
"I'm calling my lawyer.""
Sarah laughed bitterly.
"Go ahead. Tell him what? That your wife made a chore chart?
That she borrowed some money? That she wants your son to respect household rules?""
David looked at her.
"No. I'll tell him that someone used my personal information to prepare a document about removing my child from his home.""
Sarah's expression changed.
"You don't know that I submitted anything.""
"That's why I'm calling.""
He dialed the number.
Sarah watched him for several seconds before turning away.
Then Jordan spoke.
"Mom?""
Sarah looked at him.
"What?""
Jordan was standing near the dining room entrance.
His eyes were red.
"Are we going to lose our house?""
Sarah's expression softened immediately.
"No, sweetheart. Of course not.""
Jordan looked toward Michael.
"Is Michael leaving?""
David crouched beside him.
"No one is making either of you leave tonight.""
Jordan's lower lip trembled.
"But Mom said we couldn't be a real family unless Michael went somewhere else.""
Sarah closed her eyes.
"Jordan, please.""
The boy continued.
"She said Dad would finally have time for me.""
David looked at Sarah.
She looked away.
Jordan wiped his nose with his sleeve.
"I don't want Michael to go.""
Michael stared at him.
For the first time that evening, the two boys looked at each other without the usual tension.
Then Jordan walked toward Michael.
"I'm sorry I ate all the chicken.""
Michael blinked.
"What?""
Jordan looked embarrassed.
"Mom said you weren't supposed to eat with us, so I didn't save you any.""
Michael stared at him for a moment.
Then he shrugged.
"It's okay.""
David watched them.
Two children.
Both caught in a situation neither had created.
He stood and finally reached his attorney.
"Mark, I need you to review something urgent. Someone may have prepared a document using my signature without my authorization.""
He listened.
Then his face tightened.
"Yes. I have the original photograph and the document itself.""
Another pause.
"Tomorrow morning? No. I need to know tonight what steps I should take.""
Sarah suddenly interrupted.
"David, can we please talk privately?""
He covered the phone.
"Not now.""
She approached him.
"Please. There are things you don't understand.""
David looked at her.
"Then start explaining.""
Sarah glanced at the boys.
"Not in front of them.""
David lowered his voice.
"You've already involved them in everything.""
Sarah swallowed.
Then she said something that made David stop breathing for a moment.
"I didn't start this because I wanted Michael gone.""
David stared at her.
"Then why did you?""
Sarah looked toward the staircase.
"Because someone told me you were planning to change your will.""
David frowned.
"What?""
Sarah's eyes filled with tears.
"Someone told me Michael's inheritance would leave Jordan with nothing.""
David slowly lowered his phone.
"My will?""
Sarah nodded.
"And they said if I didn't protect Jordan now, it would be too late.""
David stared at his wife.
"Who told you that?""
Sarah hesitated.
May you like
Then she whispered a name.
And it wasn't someone David had expected.
