Chapter 5 - The Man My Father Trusted
"Raymond?"
My father sounded like he had been punched.
Maya nodded.
"He's the one who brought the documents."
I looked between them.
"Who is Raymond?"
My father sat heavily on the staircase.
"Claire's older brother."
I knew Claire had a brother.
But I had only met him twice.
Raymond Collins was always well-dressed.
He drove expensive cars.
He talked about business opportunities and investments.
Claire called him a financial genius.
Dad had once told me Raymond owned several successful companies.
Apparently, that wasn't the entire story.
"Why would he want my inheritance?" I asked.
My father rubbed his face.
"I don't know."
But his expression suggested he suspected something.
Nia stepped closer.
"Uncle Daniel, what aren't you telling us?"
He looked at her.
Then at me.
"Raymond approached me six months ago about investing in a property development project."
My stomach tightened.
"Did you give him money?"
"Some."
"How much?"
Dad hesitated.
"Two hundred thousand dollars."
I stared at him.
"Two hundred thousand?"
He nodded.
"From your money?"
"No. From my personal savings."
I exhaled.
But Marcus, who had returned from his call, looked concerned.
"Daniel, did Raymond provide financial statements?"
"Yes."
"Have you verified them independently?"
Dad didn't answer.
Marcus closed his eyes.
"That's what I was afraid of."
Claire appeared at the top of the stairs.
"I can hear you talking about my brother."
My father looked up.
"Did Raymond use you to get to Jordan's inheritance?"
She descended slowly.
"Raymond was trying to help us."
"Help us do what?"
"Recover the investment."
My father stood.
"Recover?"
Claire stopped.
I watched her face change as she realized what she'd said.
"Daniel—"
"Recover what investment?"
She began shaking.
"Raymond's project ran into problems."
"What problems?"
"The bank froze some accounts."
Marcus stepped forward.
"Was the project actually legitimate?"
Claire looked offended.
"Of course it was."
"Then why would he need access to Jordan's assets?"
She didn't answer.
My father stared at her.
"How much money did Raymond lose?"
Claire started crying.
"I don't know exactly."
"How much?"
"Almost everything."
The room fell silent.
My father whispered, "Oh, God."
Claire wiped her face.
"He said there was still a way to save the business."
"By taking Jordan's inheritance?"
"Not taking!"
She shook her head.
"Borrowing. Just temporarily."
I felt sick.
My mother's savings.
Her investments.
The home she wanted me to have.
To Claire and Raymond, they were nothing but money waiting to be used.
Marcus's voice became firm.
"Nobody can borrow from Jordan's assets without proper authority and consent."
Claire suddenly turned to me.
"Jordan, please understand. Raymond promised he'd repay everything."
I stared at her.
"You accused me of attacking your daughter."
She began crying harder.
"I know."
"You wanted Dad to throw me out."
"I'm sorry."
"You tried to have someone else control my money."
She reached toward me.
I stepped back.
"Don't touch me."
Her hand dropped.
For the first time, I saw how desperate she was.
Not for forgiveness.
For escape.
Marcus told Dad he needed to contact the financial institutions immediately.
He also recommended that we preserve all security recordings and documents and obtain independent legal advice about the false statements.
I barely heard the rest.
All I could think about was my mother.
She had worked hard to build something for me.
And these people had nearly destroyed my future because they couldn't control their own greed.
My father walked toward Claire.
"Call Raymond."
She shook her head.
"Daniel, that's not necessary."
"Call him."
"He's probably asleep."
"It's eleven o'clock."
"He's traveling."
My father held out his hand.
"Give me your phone."
Claire clutched it to her chest.
"No."
The silence that followed was frightening.
My father had always been gentle.
Sometimes too gentle.
But now his expression hardened.
"Then leave."
Claire blinked.
"What?"
"Take what you need and leave this house tonight."
She stared at him.
"You can't be serious."
"I am."
"This is my home!"
My father shook his head.
"No. This is a home you tried to destroy."
Maya began crying.
"Mom, where will we go?"
Claire turned toward her.
"Sweetheart—"
My father interrupted.
"Maya can stay with me tonight if she wants. But Claire, you need to go."
Maya looked between her parents.
Then she stepped toward her mother.
"I don't want to stay here."
For a moment, I felt a sharp pain in my chest.
Despite everything, Maya was still seventeen.
She had been manipulated by her mother.
But she had also chosen to hurt me.
Both things could be true.
Claire disappeared upstairs to pack.
Maya followed.
Nia touched my arm.
"Are you okay?"
I shook my head.
"I don't know."
My father approached us.
"Jordan, I want you to stay."
I looked at him.
"I can't."
"Please."
"Dad, I don't feel safe here anymore."
He flinched.
I hadn't meant to hurt him.
But I wasn't going to lie to make him feel better.
Nia called Aunt Teresa.
Within twenty minutes, she arrived in her old blue sedan.
She hugged me so tightly that I finally started crying again.
"My baby," she whispered. "Come on. You're coming home with me."
Home.
That word sounded different now.
I picked up my bag.
As we approached the door, Claire came downstairs carrying two suitcases.
Maya followed with a backpack.
Claire stopped when she saw Aunt Teresa.
"Oh, wonderful. Now the whole family gets involved."
Aunt Teresa looked at her.
"Claire, I suggest you don't speak to me tonight."
Something in her voice made Claire fall silent.
We walked past them.
But before I reached the car, my phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
A text message appeared.
"You should have accepted the chance to leave quietly."
I stopped.
Another message followed.
"Your mother tried to protect you from people like us. She failed."
My hands went cold.
I showed Nia.
She gasped.
Aunt Teresa immediately took a photograph of the screen using her phone.
"Don't reply."
I nodded.
Then a third message appeared.
"Tell Daniel to stop asking questions."
I looked toward the house.
My father stood in the doorway watching us.
He looked exhausted.
Then I noticed a dark SUV parked across the street.
Its headlights were off.
Someone was sitting behind the wheel.
I couldn't see the driver's face.
But when Aunt Teresa stepped toward the car, the engine started.
The SUV slowly drove away.
Nia whispered, "Jordan, did you see that?"
I nodded.
A terrible feeling settled inside me.
Claire had tried to throw me out.
Raymond had apparently tried to reach my inheritance.
And now somebody knew we were asking questions.
Aunt Teresa opened the car door.
"Both of you, get in."
I climbed into the backseat.
As we drove away, I looked through the rear window.
The house grew smaller.
For the first time in my life, leaving it felt like relief.
Then my phone rang.
It was an unfamiliar number.
Aunt Teresa told me not to answer.
I let it go to voicemail.
Seconds later, a notification appeared.
One new message.
I pressed play.
A man's voice filled the car.
"Jordan Harris, listen carefully."
I froze.
"I knew your mother."
May you like
My heart stopped.
"And there's something Daniel never told you about how she died."
