Chapter 4
Elena sat at the dining room table staring at the documents.
For the first time that day, she wasn't shouting.
She wasn't defending Robert.
She wasn't accusing me of ruining her wedding.
She was simply frightened.
I recognized that look.
I'd seen it when she was nine and broke her arm.
When she was sixteen and failed her driving test.
When she was nineteen and called me from college because she'd made a mistake she thought I'd never forgive.
Every time, I'd told her the same thing.
"We'll figure it out."
But this time, I couldn't say it immediately.
Because I didn't yet know how deep the deception went.
Samuel arrived at our house two hours later.
He carried a leather briefcase and wore the serious expression I associated with bad news.
He greeted Miriam.
Then Elena.
Then he looked at Robert.
"Mr. Bennett."
Robert nodded stiffly.
Samuel sat beside me.
"I've reviewed the documents. Some contain signatures that appear to belong to Elena, but the circumstances surrounding those signatures need investigation."
Elena whispered, "I didn't know what I was signing."
Samuel nodded.
"That's important."
He explained that the power of attorney's validity and scope would need careful review.
He also said any attempted transfer involving my shopping plaza couldn't simply proceed because someone placed my name on a proposal.
I felt a small wave of relief.
"So my property is safe?"
"For now, we haven't found evidence of a completed transfer."
I nodded.
Then Samuel looked toward Elena.
"However, your inherited funds may be more complicated."
She lowered her eyes.
"How complicated?"
"First, we need records from the trust administrator and the financial institution."
Robert shifted in his chair.
Samuel noticed.
"Mr. Bennett, who was responsible for managing the account?"
Robert hesitated.
"I was."
"Under what authority?"
"The trust documents."
Samuel nodded.
"Then we'll need copies of those documents."
Robert rubbed his forehead.
"I don't have them here."
"Please provide them through counsel."
I looked at Elena.
She was twisting her engagement ring.
I wanted to tell her everything would be okay.
But the truth mattered more than comfort now.
Samuel continued.
"The wedding can still proceed if the couple chooses, but financial arrangements must be clarified immediately."
Elena looked up.
"Can the venue cancel?"
"That depends on the contract."
She began trembling.
I reached across the table.
"Elena."
She looked at me.
"We'll speak to the vendors. No one needs to decide everything this minute."
Her eyes filled.
"Why are you still helping me?"
The question hurt.
I looked at her.
"Because you're my daughter."
She started crying.
Robert looked away.
I continued.
"Being hurt by what you said doesn't mean I stopped loving you."
Elena covered her face.
Miriam began crying too.
For a moment, I felt the familiar urge to solve everything with money.
Call the venue.
Pay the balance.
Make the wedding perfect.
Pretend the argument never happened.
But I knew that would teach Elena the wrong lesson.
Love wasn't supposed to mean accepting cruelty.
And being a father didn't mean allowing someone to treat you without respect.
I squeezed her hand.
"We're going to face this honestly."
She nodded.
Later that afternoon, Nathan arrived.
He looked worried.
His dark suit was wrinkled, and he carried a laptop under one arm.
The moment Elena saw him, she rushed into his embrace.
"I'm so sorry."
He held her tightly.
"Hey, we're going to work through this."
I watched them.
Nathan was twenty-eight.
He worked as a civil engineer.
He came from a modest family and had always treated Miriam and me with respect.
When he first asked permission to propose, I told him something he'd never forgotten.
"Don't ask me whether you can marry Elena. Ask yourself whether you're prepared to love her on the difficult days."
He smiled then.
Now I watched him face one of those difficult days.
Nathan sat beside Elena.
"I spoke with the venue manager."
I looked at him.
"What did they say?"
"The reservation is still active. But they need clarification on the outstanding balance."
I nodded.
"Good."
Nathan continued.
"The catering company is concerned too."
Elena covered her face.
"Oh, God."
He took her hand.
"Listen to me."
She looked up.
"We can simplify the wedding."
She frowned.
"What?"
"We don't need three hundred guests."
Her eyes widened.
"Nathan—"
"We don't need the luxury hotel rooms or the expensive floral arrangements."
She stared at him.
"We can get married with fifty people."
I felt something loosen inside my chest.
Nathan continued.
"We can have a beautiful ceremony without spending a fortune."
Elena looked devastated.
"But we've planned this for a year."
He gently touched her face.
"I know."
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"But the wedding isn't the marriage."
I smiled faintly.
I'd never been prouder of Nathan.
He looked toward me.
"Mr. Carter, I'm grateful for everything you've offered. But I don't want you paying for something that causes pain in your family."
I nodded.
"Thank you, son."
Robert suddenly stood.
"This is ridiculous."
We all turned.
He pointed toward Nathan.
"You're giving up a once-in-a-lifetime wedding because Daniel wants to make a point?"
Nathan remained calm.
"No, sir."
Robert scoffed.
"Then what?"
"Because Elena and I need to make responsible choices."
Robert's face reddened.
Elena looked at him.
"Dad, please."
He ignored her.
"Daniel is manipulating everyone."
I stood.
"Robert, enough."
He turned toward me.
"You've always wanted Elena to see you as her real father."
My chest tightened.
I took a breath.
"No."
He laughed bitterly.
I looked him directly in the eyes.
"I wanted her to feel loved."
Silence.
I continued.
"I didn't raise her to compete with you."
Robert's expression hardened.
"I raised her because she needed someone."
Elena began crying again.
Robert opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
For the first time, he seemed to understand that his usual arguments weren't working.
But just as the room settled, the front doorbell rang.
Miriam went to answer it.
A moment later, she returned with Patricia Wells.
The wedding planner wore a cream-colored business suit and carried a tablet.
She smiled brightly.
"Hello, everyone!"
Nobody answered.
Her smile faded.
"Is something wrong?"
Samuel stood.
"Ms. Wells, I'm Samuel Price, attorney for Mr. Carter."
Patricia looked startled.
"Attorney?"
He nodded.
"We have questions about several documents you arranged for Elena to sign."
Her eyes flickered toward Robert.
It lasted only a second.
But I saw it.
And so did Samuel.
He continued.
"Specifically, the power of attorney and the proposed property transaction."
Patricia's face went pale.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Samuel opened his folder.
"Then perhaps you can explain why your name appears on the documents."
She looked toward the door.
Robert stepped forward.
"Patricia, don't say anything."
The room went completely silent.
I slowly turned toward him.
"Why would you tell her that?"
Robert realized his mistake.
His face changed.
Then Patricia whispered something that made Elena gasp.
May you like
"Robert, you promised me Daniel would never see those papers."
And suddenly, every lie they'd told began collapsing.
