Chapter 4
The hospital smelled like disinfectant and fear.
I followed Dad through the emergency department, barely aware of the people around us.
Grandma walked beside me, gripping her cane.
My mother had betrayed me.
She'd tried to blame me for destroying something priceless.
She'd helped hide money Grandpa left for my future.
But hearing that someone had hurt her made my chest tighten.
I didn't want her punished like this.
I wanted answers.
I wanted the truth.
I wanted my mother to stop lying.
When we reached her room, I froze.
Mom was lying in bed with a bruised cheek and a bandage across her forehead.
Her burgundy blouse had been replaced by a hospital gown.
One wrist was wrapped.
Her eyes were closed.
For a moment, she looked so small.
Nothing like the furious woman who had screamed at me in our kitchen.
Dad approached the bed.
"Claire?"
She opened her eyes.
When she saw him, tears immediately spilled down her cheeks.
"Marcus."
He stopped beside her.
"What happened?"
Mom glanced toward me.
Then Grandma.
Her face crumpled.
"I'm sorry."
I felt tears rise.
But I didn't move closer.
Dad pulled a chair beside the bed.
"Who hurt you?"
Mom began shaking.
"Daniel."
Grandma closed her eyes.
"Oh, Lord."
Dad's jaw tightened.
"Daniel Price?"
Mom nodded.
"He came to my sister's house."
"Why?"
"He wanted the journal."
I stared at her.
"The journal?"
Mom looked at me.
Her eyes filled with shame.
"He wanted to make sure the original letter was gone."
I swallowed.
"Did you tell him Grandma had other documents?"
Mom shook her head quickly.
"No."
Dad leaned closer.
"Claire, tell us everything."
She looked toward the door.
"Is he here?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
Dad stood.
"I'm going to ask the nurse about security."
Mom grabbed his sleeve.
"Please don't leave."
He gently removed her hand.
"I'll be right outside."
Grandma sat beside the bed.
I remained near the wall.
Mom looked at me.
"Maya."
I said nothing.
"I'm sorry, baby."
The words sounded strange.
She had called me baby thousands of times.
When I was sick.
When I fell off my bicycle.
When I graduated high school.
But now I didn't know what that word meant coming from her.
I looked at her bruised face.
"Why did you blame me?"
She closed her eyes.
"Because I was scared."
"Of Daniel?"
"Yes."
I shook my head.
"You didn't look scared when you screamed at me."
Mom began crying.
"I know."
"You looked angry."
"I was."
"At me?"
She hesitated.
Then whispered, "At myself."
I stared at her.
She continued.
"I made terrible decisions, Maya. And every time I thought about what I'd done, I felt ashamed."
"So you decided to make me feel ashamed instead?"
She covered her face.
"Yes."
The honesty surprised me.
It didn't make the betrayal hurt less.
But at least she wasn't lying.
Grandma spoke quietly.
"Claire, tell Maya what happened to the trust."
Mom lowered her hands.
She looked exhausted.
"Daniel approached me eighteen months ago."
I frowned.
"Why?"
"He said there were investments your grandfather had left unfinished. He claimed the trust needed restructuring."
Grandma shook her head.
"Your father never approved that."
Mom nodded.
"I know that now."
She took a shaky breath.
"Daniel showed me documents saying the trust had increased in value. He said we could borrow against it for investments."
Dad returned and stood near the door.
Mom looked toward him.
"I wanted to surprise you."
Dad stared at her.
"With what?"
"A business."
"What business?"
"A luxury event company."
I nearly laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because it was so unbelievable.
Mom had spent years complaining that our family didn't live extravagantly enough.
She hated when Dad said we should save money.
She hated driving the same car for seven years.
She hated seeing her wealthy friends post vacation photographs.
And apparently, she had decided to build the lifestyle she wanted using money that didn't belong to her.
Mom continued.
"Daniel told me he could help finance it."
Dad's voice was cold.
"With our daughter's trust."
Mom nodded.
"I didn't think of it that way."
I stared at her.
"How else could you think of it?"
She flinched.
"I thought I could grow the money."
"Without telling me?"
"You're nineteen."
I felt anger flare.
"Old enough to have my future stolen, but not old enough to know about it?"
Mom looked down.
Dad stepped closer.
"Claire, where did the eight hundred thousand go?"
She wiped her cheeks.
"Some went into the event company. Some went to Daniel's investment firm."
"How much did you personally spend?"
Mom hesitated.
"About two hundred thousand."
Grandma inhaled sharply.
Dad stared at her.
"On what?"
"Office space. Marketing. Equipment."
"And the rest?"
Mom began trembling again.
"Daniel said he invested it."
Dad closed his eyes.
I could see how hard he was trying to remain calm.
Mom continued.
"Three months ago, I asked for an accounting. Daniel refused."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Dad asked.
"Because he said I'd committed fraud."
Silence.
Mom stared at her hands.
"He said if I exposed him, I'd go to prison."
Grandma shook her head.
"Claire, hiding the truth only made things worse."
"I know."
Mom began crying harder.
"Then he told me Maya had been asking questions about Grandpa's papers."
I remembered.
I'd asked Grandma whether Grandpa had left any journals about his childhood.
I wanted to use some family history in a college writing project.
That was all.
Mom continued.
"Daniel said the journal might contain evidence. He told me to destroy it."
I felt sick.
"And you did."
Mom nodded.
"Yes."
Dad looked devastated.
"Why blame Maya?"
Mom whispered, "Because Daniel said if everyone believed she ruined it, nobody would investigate."
I looked away.
I couldn't bear to look at her anymore.
Grandma reached for my hand.
Mom began sobbing.
"I'm so sorry."
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I asked a quiet question.
"Did you ever think about what that would do to me?"
Mom looked up.
I continued.
"You knew how much I loved Grandpa. You knew I'd blame myself forever."
Her face crumpled.
"I know."
"No, Mom. I don't think you do."
I stepped toward the door.
Dad followed me into the hallway.
"Maya."
I turned.
He looked exhausted.
"Are you okay?"
I shook my head.
"No."
He opened his arms.
I walked into them.
For a long time, I cried against his chest.
Then Dad's phone rang.
It was Angela.
He answered.
"Hello?"
Her voice was loud enough for me to hear.
"Marcus, we have a serious problem."
Dad straightened.
"What happened?"
"The current trust administrator says the account has been frozen."
"Why?"
"Because Daniel Price submitted documents claiming Maya voluntarily assigned her beneficial interest."
I stared at Dad.
"What?"
Angela continued.
"There's a signed declaration attached."
Dad looked at me.
"Maya, did you sign anything?"
I shook my head violently.
"No!"
Angela's voice became grim.
"Then someone may have forged her signature."
My stomach dropped.
Dad gripped the phone.
"What does that mean?"
"It means we need to move quickly."
I looked through the hospital window at my mother.
She was crying in Grandma's arms.
And suddenly, I realized the worst part of the betrayal wasn't over.
Someone had put my name on a legal document.
May you like
Someone had tried to steal my entire inheritance.
And unless we stopped them, Grandpa's final gift could disappear forever.
