Chapter 5: What My Stepmother Hid Beneath the Table
"Play it.""
My father didn't take his eyes off the screen.
Malik pressed the button.
The recording continued from the moment Monique picked up the brown envelope.
She glanced toward the doorway.
Then she slipped the envelope into her purse.
After that, she picked up the wine glass.
Rochelle looked at her.
"What was in that envelope?""
Monique said nothing.
Darius turned toward her.
"Answer the question.""
"It's personal.""
"Why was my daughter's name on it?""
She shook her head.
"That doesn't mean anything.""
I looked at the screen.
The envelope had clearly been placed beneath the drinks table before the confrontation.
Monique hadn't simply arrived and reacted to an argument.
She had brought something specifically for me.
"Give it to me," I said.
Monique tightened her grip on her purse.
"No.""
"Why?""
"Because it's none of your business.""
"My name is on it.""
"You're being ridiculous.""
My aunt Rochelle stepped forward.
"Monique, open the purse.""
"Don't tell me what to do.""
"Then explain why you're carrying something addressed to Jada.""
Monique looked at Darius.
He extended his hand.
"Give me the envelope.""
She stared at him.
"You're really doing this?""
"Yes.""
For several seconds, she remained still.
Then she unzipped her purse and pulled out the brown envelope.
She held it tightly.
Darius reached for it.
She released it at the last moment.
He opened the flap.
Inside were several printed emails, a photocopy of my mother's will, and a handwritten note.
My father examined the documents.
Then he looked at me.
"Jada, do you know anything about this?""
I shook my head.
He handed me the photocopied will.
I recognized it immediately.
It was the document my mother had signed shortly before she died.
She had left me the house, her savings, and the small investment account she had built over the years.
My father had been appointed executor of her estate.
But there was something else.
A handwritten addition at the bottom of the final page.
It wasn't part of the formal will.
It was a note from my mother to me.
My sweet girl, never let anyone convince you that what I leave behind is more important than who you become. The house is yours, but your life belongs to you.
I had seen that note before.
My mother had written it on the last good day we spent together.
I had cried when I found it in her desk after the funeral.
Now it was sitting inside Monique's envelope.
I looked at her.
"Why do you have this?""
She shrugged.
"Your father gave me access to the estate records.""
Darius frowned.
"I never gave you this.""
"You asked me to organize the paperwork.""
"Not to take personal documents.""
Monique rolled her eyes.
"You're acting like I stole something.""
Rochelle picked up the printed emails.
"These are emails?""
She scanned the first page.
Then her eyes widened.
"Jada...""
"What?""
She handed it to me.
The email was between Monique and someone saved as Property Services.
The subject line read:
*Willow Creek Transfer — Final Requirements.*
I read the first few lines.
Monique had asked whether the transfer could be completed without requiring me to attend an appointment in person.
The reply explained that additional identity verification would be necessary.
Monique's response was dated two weeks earlier.
She is traveling. Her father can handle the paperwork. We need this completed before the end of the year.
My fingers went cold.
I read it again.
Then I looked at my father.
"Dad?""
He took the page.
His face hardened.
"I didn't write this.""
Monique shook her head.
"It was just a preliminary inquiry.""
"An inquiry about transferring my daughter's property without her presence?""
"I was trying to help.""
"Help who?""
She looked away.
Darius read the next page.
It contained another email.
This one was more disturbing.
Monique had asked whether the house could be transferred into a trust before my wedding.
The reply explained that the transfer would require valid signatures and supporting documentation.
Then Monique had written:
The wedding is the perfect opportunity. She'll be distracted, and Darius will be handling the family arrangements.
My aunt made a small sound.
I felt as if the room had tilted.
"The wedding?"" I whispered.
Monique stepped toward me.
"That was taken out of context.""
I held up the paper.
"How exactly do you take that out of context?""
She reached for it.
I pulled it away.
"Don't touch me.""
My father read the final email.
His expression changed completely.
"What does this mean?""
Monique didn't answer.
He looked at the bottom of the page.
"Why did you ask them to prepare a power of attorney?""
She closed her eyes.
"I wanted to make things easier.""
"For whom?""
"For us!""
Darius shook his head.
"You wanted authority over Jada's property.""
"I wanted security!""
The word echoed through the room.
My father stared at her.
"Security?""
She nodded rapidly.
"Do you have any idea how expensive everything is? The house, the maintenance, the insurance. You keep paying for a property that sits empty half the time.""
"It's my daughter's inheritance.""
"And you're my husband!""
I watched the argument unfold.
For the first time, Monique wasn't trying to look sympathetic.
She was angry.
She had lost control of the room.
And she knew it.
"How much money do you need?"" Darius asked.
She laughed.
"That's not the point.""
"Then what is?""
She looked at him.
"Your daughter gets everything. The house, the money, the memories. I get to live in the shadow of a woman who has been dead for years.""
My father stared at her.
"You knew what I had before you married me.""
"I thought things would change.""
"What things?""
"Your priorities!""
He took a step back.
I saw the hurt on his face.
But I also saw something else.
Recognition.
He was beginning to understand that the woman standing in front of him wasn't simply upset about a wedding chair.
She had been planning something.
For months.
Possibly longer.
My father placed the emails on the table.
"How did you get Jada's signature?""
Monique folded her arms.
"I didn't forge anything.""
"Then explain it.""
She looked at me.
"Ask your daughter what she gave her father.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"Those documents you emailed him. The ones you sent from Chicago.""
I froze.
My father turned toward me.
"Jada, what is she talking about?""
I remembered the email.
The insurance papers.
The old property records.
The documents Dad had requested.
I had sent them because I trusted him.
Monique continued.
"She sent everything voluntarily. Nobody stole anything.""
I looked at my father.
"Did you give her my documents?""
He shook his head.
"I didn't know she had them.""
Monique laughed.
"You're unbelievable.""
Then she reached into her purse again.
This time, she pulled out a small flash drive.
"Fine. You want the whole truth?""
She placed it on the table.
"Everything is on here.""
Darius stared at it.
"What's on it?""
Monique looked directly at me.
"Your mother's estate records. Your father's financial information. And the reason I needed that house transferred before today.""
I felt my heart pounding.
My father reached for the flash drive.
Monique suddenly placed her hand over it.
"Before you open it, Darius, you should know something.""
He looked up.
"What?""
May you like
Her voice dropped.
"If you see what's on there, you'll understand why I couldn't let your daughter keep that house.""
