Chapter 7
I met Allison Reed at Raymond's office two days later.
She was thirty-one, with short natural curls and tired eyes.
She carried a large folder.
The moment she saw me, she stood.
"Maya?"
I nodded.
She looked ashamed.
"I'm sorry."
I sat down slowly.
"For what?"
She swallowed.
"For not speaking sooner."
Raymond stepped forward.
"Allison, why don't you explain what you found?"
She nodded.
Then opened the folder.
Inside were emails.
Invoices.
Bank records.
And draft documents relating to my mother's trust.
I stared at the pages.
One document contained my name.
Another contained Lauren's.
And a third referenced a proposed amendment to the trust's administrative arrangements.
I felt sick.
Allison pointed toward the page.
"Lauren told me she was becoming the new beneficiary."
My heart stopped.
"What?"
Allison nodded.
"She said Denise had arranged everything."
I looked at Raymond.
He raised a hand gently.
"To be clear, the trust's beneficiary couldn't simply be changed by Denise."
Relief washed through me.
He continued.
"But someone appears to have prepared documents attempting to represent otherwise."
I stared at Allison.
"Did Lauren know that?"
She hesitated.
"I don't know."
Then she looked down.
"But she told me Maya would never fight back."
The words struck hard.
I swallowed.
"What else did she say?"
Allison's eyes filled.
"She said you'd always been too afraid of upsetting Marcus."
I felt tears rising.
It was true.
For years, I'd stayed quiet to protect Dad from conflict.
Now I understood how people had used that silence.
Allison continued.
"Lauren said once the company sale went through, everyone would have enough money to start over."
I frowned.
"Everyone?"
She shook her head.
"I never saw a plan for you."
The room went silent.
I looked at Dad.
His face was filled with grief.
Then Allison pulled out another document.
"This is why I contacted you."
It was a spreadsheet showing projected proceeds from the proposed business sale.
Lauren had listed herself and Denise as recipients of substantial payments.
Dad's name appeared too.
But beside mine was a single word.
SETTLED.
I stared at it.
"What does that mean?"
Allison swallowed.
"Lauren said your interest would be resolved before closing."
I felt cold.
"Resolved how?"
She looked down.
"She wouldn't explain."
Raymond examined the page.
Then nodded.
"We'll preserve this with the other records."
I sat back.
For the first time, I felt something stronger than sadness.
Anger.
Not the kind that made me want to scream.
The kind that made me want to stand up.
I looked at Allison.
"Thank you for bringing this."
Her eyes filled.
"I should've done it earlier."
I nodded.
"Maybe."
She looked ashamed.
I continued.
"But you did it now."
She smiled faintly.
"Thank you."
After the meeting, Dad and I walked outside.
The afternoon sunlight felt warm against my face.
He looked at me.
"How are you holding up?"
I thought carefully.
"Better than I expected."
He nodded.
Then I surprised myself.
"Dad, I don't want to spend the rest of my life thinking about Denise and Lauren."
His expression softened.
"I don't want that for you either."
I continued.
"I want to finish school."
He smiled.
"You will."
"I want to become a nurse."
"You will."
"And someday, I want a family where nobody has to beg to belong."
His eyes filled.
"Maya."
I swallowed.
"I don't want this to turn me bitter."
He pulled me into a hug.
"It won't."
I leaned against him.
For the first time, I believed that might be true.
Over the following months, the legal investigation continued.
Raymond and Olivia traced the disputed transactions.
Some funds were recoverable.
Others had been spent.
Lauren's consulting business became the subject of formal claims.
The house she'd purchased was also examined because of the suspected use of trust and company funds.
Denise's attorney negotiated with Raymond over repayment.
The process was slow.
But it was moving.
Meanwhile, Dad made changes at Johnson Construction.
He hired a new financial controller.
He separated personal and business accounts more carefully.
And he established stronger approval procedures.
He also reduced his travel schedule.
For years, he'd believed working constantly was the best way to provide for me.
Now he understood that being present mattered just as much.
We started having breakfast together twice a week.
Sometimes he asked about school.
Sometimes I asked about his projects.
Sometimes we simply laughed about his terrible cooking.
Those moments meant more to me than expensive gifts.
One morning, Dad came home carrying a small box.
I looked up.
"What's that?"
He smiled.
"Open it."
Inside was a delicate silver necklace.
A tiny heart pendant hung from the chain.
I stared.
"Dad."
He nodded.
"It belonged to your mother."
Tears filled my eyes.
"Where did you find it?"
He smiled sadly.
"In a safe-deposit box. I should've given it to you years ago."
I touched the pendant.
On the back were three engraved letters.
M.O.J.
Maya Olivia Johnson.
My full name.
I began crying.
Dad hugged me.
"She bought it when you were born."
I pressed the necklace against my chest.
For years, Denise had made me feel like I needed to stop remembering Mom.
Now Dad was helping me reconnect with her.
I looked at him.
"Thank you."
He kissed my forehead.
"You're welcome, baby."
Later that afternoon, I received an unexpected call.
Lauren.
I stared at the screen.
My stomach tightened.
I almost ignored it.
Then I answered.
"Hello?"
Her voice sounded smaller than usual.
"Maya."
I took a breath.
"Lauren."
There was a long silence.
Then she whispered, "Can we talk?"
I hesitated.
"About what?"
She began crying.
"Everything."
I looked toward Dad.
He was sitting at the kitchen table.
I covered the phone.
"Lauren wants to talk."
He looked concerned.
"You don't have to."
I nodded.
Then spoke into the phone.
"Lauren, if you want to discuss the legal issues, you need to speak with the attorneys."
She sniffled.
"I know."
I waited.
Then she whispered, "I wanted to apologize."
My chest tightened.
I hadn't expected that.
For years, Lauren had treated me like an inconvenience.
She borrowed my clothes without asking.
Mocked my nursing degree.
And laughed whenever Denise told me to support myself.
Now she wanted to apologize.
I swallowed.
"Why now?"
Lauren began crying harder.
"Because I finally understand what Mom did."
I closed my eyes.
May you like
Then she said something that made my heart pound.
"And because she lied to me too."
