Chapter 7: ## Chapter 7: The Documents She Thought Were Gone
Marissa didn't: The Documents She Thought Were Gone
Marissa didn't answer.
She stood beside the broken coffee cup, staring at the photograph on Tyler's phone as answer.
She stood beside the broken coffee cup, staring at the photograph on Tyler's phone as though the words might disappear if she refused to acknowledge them.
Owen remained though the words might disappear if she refused to acknowledge them.
Owen remained seated, holding his mother's letter.
"Where are the original documents?"" he asked again.
Marissa looked at Rachel.
"Why are you even here?""
Rachel slowly stood.
"Because Eleanor seated, holding his mother's letter.
"Where are the original documents?"" he asked again.
Marissa looked at Rachel.
"Why are you even here?""
Rachel slowly stood.
"Because Eleanor was my mother too. And because I promised her I would protect what she left for her grandchildren.""
Marissa laughed nervously.
"You're was my mother too. And because I promised her I would protect what she left for her grandchildren.""
Marissa laughed nervously.
"You're making this sound like some criminal investigation.""
"Then answer the question," Owen said.
Marissa crossed her arms.
"I don't have the documents making this sound like some criminal investigation.""
"Then answer the question," Owen said.
Marissa crossed her arms.
"I don't have the documents.""
"That's not what I asked.""
"I said I don't have them.""
Tyler looked at his mother.
"Then why did you write that Sadie would never know about the trust?""
Mar.""
"That's not what I asked.""
"I said I don't have them.""
Tyler looked at his mother.
"Then why did you write that Sadie would never know about the trust?""
Marissa turned toward him.
"Tyler, you shouldn't have been looking through my phone.""
"I wasn't. You sent me that picture when you asked me to print somethingissa turned toward him.
"Tyler, you shouldn't have been looking through my phone.""
"I wasn't. You sent me that picture when you asked me to print something for you.""
"That was private.""
"You told me to print it.""
Owen held out his hand.
"Tyler for you.""
"That was private.""
"You told me to print it.""
Owen held out his hand.
"Tyler, let me see the original photograph.""
Tyler forwarded it.
Owen enlarged the image.
The document was a notification, let me see the original photograph.""
Tyler forwarded it.
Owen enlarged the image.
The document was a notification from Eleanor's estate attorney, confirming the establishment of a trust for Sadie. The accompanying letter explained that the original signed documents had been placed in a secure estate file.
But the handwritten note was what from Eleanor's estate attorney, confirming the establishment of a trust for Sadie. The accompanying letter explained that the original signed documents had been placed in a secure estate file.
But the handwritten note was what concerned him.
It wasn't an official legal instruction.
It was Marissa's personal reminder.
And the date suggested she had known about the inheritance before Eleanor died.
Owen looked at his wife.
"Did my mother tell you about the trust?""
Mar concerned him.
It wasn't an official legal instruction.
It was Marissa's personal reminder.
And the date suggested she had known about the inheritance before Eleanor died.
Owen looked at his wife.
"Did my mother tell you about the trust?""
Marissa hesitated.
"She mentioned something.""
"What exactly?""
"She said she wanted to make sure Sadie was taken care of.""
"That's all?""
"Yes.""
issa hesitated.
"She mentioned something.""
"What exactly?""
"She said she wanted to make sure Sadie was taken care of.""
"That's all?""
"Yes.""
Rachel shook her head.
"That's not what Eleanor told me.""
Marissa's expression hardened.
"Your mother told you everything, apparently.""
"She told me sheRachel shook her head.
"That's not what Eleanor told me.""
Marissa's expression hardened.
"Your mother told you everything, apparently.""
"She told me she was worried about Sadie.""
"Why would she be worried? The girl has a father with a good job and a roof over her head.""
was worried about Sadie.""
"Why would she be worried? The girl has a father with a good job and a roof over her head.""
Rachel looked at her steadily.
"Because she knew Sadie would need someone to protect her if the adults around her everRachel looked at her steadily.
"Because she knew Sadie would need someone to protect her if the adults around her ever put their own interests first.""
The words landed heavily.
Owen looked down at the letter.
His mother had anticipated something.
Perhaps put their own interests first.""
The words landed heavily.
Owen looked down at the letter.
His mother had anticipated something.
Perhaps not this exact situation.
But she had understood that a child's inheritance could become a source of conflict.
He turned to Rachel not this exact situation.
But she had understood that a child's inheritance could become a source of conflict.
He turned to Rachel.
"Who is the attorney?""
"Mr. Bennett. He handled Mom's estate.""
"Can you contact him?""
"I already did.""
Marissa's.
"Who is the attorney?""
"Mr. Bennett. He handled Mom's estate.""
"Can you contact him?""
"I already did.""
Marissa's head snapped around.
"You did what?""
Rachel reached into her folder and removed a business card.
"He wants to speak with Owen today.""
Marissa's voice head snapped around.
"You did what?""
Rachel reached into her folder and removed a business card.
"He wants to speak with Owen today.""
Marissa's voice became sharp.
"There's no reason to involve lawyers.""
Owen stood.
"That's no longer your decision.""
She stared at him.
"You're became sharp.
"There's no reason to involve lawyers.""
Owen stood.
"That's no longer your decision.""
She stared at him.
"You're going to destroy our marriage over a photograph and a box of jewelry?""
"No. I'm trying to understand why you hid my daughter's inheritance.""
"I didn't going to destroy our marriage over a photograph and a box of jewelry?""
"No. I'm trying to understand why you hid my daughter's inheritance.""
"I didn't hide anything.""
"Then you'll have no problem explaining it to the attorney.""
Marissa picked up her handbag.
"I'm leaving.""
Owen stepped aside.
"Fine.""
She stopped hide anything.""
"Then you'll have no problem explaining it to the attorney.""
Marissa picked up her handbag.
"I'm leaving.""
Owen stepped aside.
"Fine.""
She stopped, apparently expecting him to ask her to stay.
He didn't.
"You're not even going to try to stop me?""
"Not until, apparently expecting him to ask her to stay.
He didn't.
"You're not even going to try to stop me?""
"Not until you tell me the truth.""
Marissa looked at Tyler.
"Come with me.""
Tyler didn't move.
"Tyler.""
He lowered his eyes.
"I you tell me the truth.""
Marissa looked at Tyler.
"Come with me.""
Tyler didn't move.
"Tyler.""
He lowered his eyes.
"I think I should stay.""
Marissa's face crumpled for a moment.
Then anger replaced the expression.
"After everything I've done think I should stay.""
Marissa's face crumpled for a moment.
Then anger replaced the expression.
"After everything I've done for you?""
Tyler swallowed.
"You don't have to make me choose.""
"I'm your mother.""
"I know for you?""
Tyler swallowed.
"You don't have to make me choose.""
"I'm your mother.""
"I know.""
"Then act like it.""
Tyler looked at her.
"I am. I'm just asking you to stop hurting Sadie.""
Marissa grabbed her keys and left.
The front door slammed.
Rachel waited until the sound of the car faded.""
"Then act like it.""
Tyler looked at her.
"I am. I'm just asking you to stop hurting Sadie.""
Marissa grabbed her keys and left.
The front door slammed.
Rachel waited until the sound of the car faded before speaking.
"There's something else you should know.""
Owen turned.
"What?""
"Your mother didn't leave Sadie the trust because of the money.""
Rachel opened before speaking.
"There's something else you should know.""
Owen turned.
"What?""
"Your mother didn't leave Sadie the trust because of the money.""
Rachel opened the folder and removed another letter.
"She wrote this after Sadie's first birthday.""
Owen took it.
His mother's handwriting was slightly uneven.
*I want Sad the folder and removed another letter.
"She wrote this after Sadie's first birthday.""
Owen took it.
His mother's handwriting was slightly uneven.
I want Sadie to have something that belongs entirely to her. Not because I think she will need money to be happy, but because every child deserves to knowie to have something that belongs entirely to her. Not because I think she will need money to be happy, but because every child deserves to know that someone believed in her future.
Owen sat down.
Rachel continued.
"Mom also asked me to make sure the trust couldn't be changed without an independent trustee.""
"Who is the trustee?""
"Mr. Bennett's firm.""
Owen looked relieved.
"Then why are we worried?""
Rachel's expression remained that someone believed in her future.*
Owen sat down.
Rachel continued.
"Mom also asked me to make sure the trust couldn't be changed without an independent trustee.""
"Who is the trustee?""
"Mr. Bennett's firm.""
Owen looked relieved.
"Then why are we worried?""
Rachel's expression remained serious.
"Because the attorney's office contacted me last month.""
"Why?""
"They received a request for information about changing the beneficiary arrangements.""
Owen stared at her.
"From whom?""
Rachel didn't answer immediately.
She turned serious.
"Because the attorney's office contacted me last month.""
"Why?""
"They received a request for information about changing the beneficiary arrangements.""
Owen stared at her.
"From whom?""
Rachel didn't answer immediately.
She turned the folder around.
There was a copy of the request.
At the bottom was a name.
Marissa.
And beside it was a signature that the folder around.
There was a copy of the request.
At the bottom was a name.
Marissa.
And beside it was a signature that looked remarkably similar to Owen's.
He felt his stomach drop.
"That's not my signature.""
Rachel nodded.
"I know.""
Tyler leaned closer.
"Why would Mom sign Dad looked remarkably similar to Owen's.
He felt his stomach drop.
"That's not my signature.""
Rachel nodded.
"I know.""
Tyler leaned closer.
"Why would Mom sign Dad's name?""
Nobody answered.
Then Owen noticed the date.
The request had been submitted two weeks before the photography appointment.
And beneath the signature was a handwritten explanation's name?""
Nobody answered.
Then Owen noticed the date.
The request had been submitted two weeks before the photography appointment.
And beneath the signature was a handwritten explanation.
*The father has agreed that the funds should be redirected to the household's shared future.*
Owen looked at Rachel.
"I never agreed.
*The father has agreed that the funds should be redirected to the household's shared future.*
Owen looked at Rachel.
"I never agreed to this.""
"I know.""
He took out his phone.
"Call the attorney. Tell him I want everything frozen until we to this.""
"I know.""
He took out his phone.
"Call the attorney. Tell him I want everything frozen until we establish what happened.""
Rachel nodded.
But before she could dial, Owen's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
"Hello?""
A woman's voice came through.
"Mr. establish what happened.""
Rachel nodded.
But before she could dial, Owen's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
"Hello?""
A woman's voice came through.
"Mr. Owen? This is Laura Bennett, from your mother's estate office.""
"Yes.""
"We received your sister's message. There's something urgent you need to know.""
Owen? This is Laura Bennett, from your mother's estate office.""
"Yes.""
"We received your sister's message. There's something urgent you need to know.""
Owen stood.
"What is it?""
"We located the original trust file.""
"Where?""
Laura paused.
"Your wife collected it from our office four months ago,Owen stood.
"What is it?""
"We located the original trust file.""
"Where?""
Laura paused.
"Your wife collected it from our office four months ago, claiming she had written authorization from you.""
Owen's face went cold.
"She collected it?""
"Yes, sir. And there's another problem.""
"What?""
"The original beneficiary acknowledgment appears claiming she had written authorization from you.""
Owen's face went cold.
"She collected it?""
"Yes, sir. And there's another problem.""
"What?""
"The original beneficiary acknowledgment appears to have been altered.""
Owen looked at Tyler.
Then at Rachel.
Laura continued.
"Mr. Owen, we need you to come in immediately. Because the document your wife submitted may not be the only one to have been altered.""
Owen looked at Tyler.
Then at Rachel.
May you like
Laura continued.
"Mr. Owen, we need you to come in immediately. Because the document your wife submitted may not be the only one that was changed.""
