Chapter 4 - The Account My Mother Left Behind
Two hundred and forty thousand dollars.
I repeated the number inside my head.
It didn't feel real.
I had spent three years wearing worn-out sneakers.
I had skipped school trips because Vanessa said they were too expensive.
I had eaten cheap lunches while Jordan and Nia bought whatever they wanted.
And all that time, my mother had left money for me.
Dad remained on the phone.
His attorney, Thomas Reed, was explaining the account.
I watched Dad's expression darken.
"Freeze whatever remains," he said.
A pause.
"Yes. Every linked account."
Another pause.
"And send me all the statements."
When he ended the call, his hands were shaking.
I stared at him.
"Is it true?"
He closed his eyes.
"Yes."
"Vanessa took all that money?"
"We need to verify where it went."
I shook my head.
"How could she?"
Dad looked at me.
"I don't have an answer that will make this hurt less."
I stared out the windshield.
For years, Vanessa told me money was tight.
She said I was selfish whenever I asked for new clothes.
She accused me of wasting food.
She made me feel guilty for needing anything.
But apparently, money hadn't been the problem.
I had been the problem.
At least to her.
Dad reached for my hand.
"There's something important you need to understand."
I looked at him.
"This was never your fault."
My eyes filled.
He continued.
"Your mother trusted me to protect you, and I allowed someone else to control things I should have monitored."
I swallowed.
"Why did she leave the account?"
Dad took a deep breath.
"Before she died, your mother knew she might not be here for your teenage years."
My chest tightened.
"She wanted you to have everything you needed."
I looked down.
"She always worried about me."
Dad smiled sadly.
"She loved you more than anything."
I started crying again.
Not because of the money.
Because Mom had planned ahead.
Even while she was sick, she had been thinking about my future.
Dad gave me a tissue.
"We're going to Thomas's office."
I nodded.
"What about Hawaii?"
He looked at me.
"Our trip isn't canceled."
I blinked.
"Really?"
"Really."
He smiled gently.
"But first, we have to protect what's yours."
Thomas Reed's office was in a tall building downtown.
He was a tall Black man in his early sixties with silver-framed glasses and a calm voice.
He greeted Dad with a firm handshake.
Then he turned toward me.
"Maya. I wish we were meeting under better circumstances."
I sat beside Dad.
Thomas opened a thick folder.
"Your mother established a custodial investment account shortly before her death."
I listened carefully.
"Your father was originally responsible for managing it."
Dad nodded.
"Later, I authorized Vanessa to handle certain household payments through the account."
Thomas looked at him.
"That authorization was limited."
Dad lowered his eyes.
"I understand that now."
Thomas turned several pages.
"Over the past three years, there have been repeated withdrawals."
He handed us a list.
I recognized several stores.
Designer boutiques.
Luxury furniture companies.
Vacation agencies.
Expensive restaurants.
And one jewelry store where Vanessa bought herself a diamond necklace.
I remembered that necklace.
She wore it to her birthday dinner.
When I complimented it, she smiled.
"Your father knows how to spoil me."
I stared at the transaction.
My stomach twisted.
"She bought that with Mom's money?"
Thomas looked sympathetic.
"The records suggest the account funded the purchase."
I gripped the paper.
"And Dad didn't know?"
Thomas shook his head.
"The statements were delivered electronically to an address Vanessa controlled."
Dad covered his face.
I felt anger rising.
Not just at Vanessa.
At Dad too.
He should have checked.
He should have noticed.
He should have listened when I told him something was wrong.
Thomas continued.
"The original balance was approximately three hundred thousand dollars."
I gasped.
"Three hundred thousand?"
He nodded.
"Your mother also arranged for investment earnings to remain in the account."
I looked at Dad.
"How much is left?"
Thomas hesitated.
"Less than sixty thousand."
My stomach dropped.
Almost everything was gone.
Dad stood abruptly.
"I want every unauthorized dollar returned."
Thomas nodded.
"We'll pursue that."
I looked at him.
"Can she really take money that belongs to me?"
"She could access certain funds because of the authority your father granted, but that doesn't mean every withdrawal was permitted."
I swallowed.
"What happens if she refuses to return it?"
Thomas's expression became serious.
"Then we may pursue civil recovery and refer evidence of potential criminal wrongdoing to investigators."
I stared at the documents.
For years, Vanessa made me feel powerless.
Now there were people willing to help me.
But something still bothered me.
"Thomas?"
"Yes, Maya?"
"How did Vanessa know about Mom's account?"
Thomas looked at Dad.
He hesitated.
Then answered.
"She reviewed the estate documents after marrying your father."
I nodded slowly.
"And Dad trusted her?"
Dad lowered his eyes.
"Yes."
My voice cracked.
"More than he trusted me."
Nobody spoke.
Then Dad sat beside me.
"You're right."
I looked at him.
He continued.
"I can't ask you to forget what happened."
Tears filled his eyes.
"But I can start doing things differently."
I wanted to believe him.
I truly did.
Thomas closed the folder.
"There's one more matter."
We both looked at him.
He removed a separate document.
"Your mother also left instructions concerning a property."
I frowned.
"What property?"
Thomas looked at Dad.
"Marcus, do you remember the small beach cottage you and your wife rented during your honeymoon?"
Dad froze.
His face changed completely.
"Yes."
Thomas nodded.
"She purchased it several years later."
I stared at him.
"Mom owned a house in Hawaii?"
"She did."
My heart raced.
Dad whispered.
"She never told me."
Thomas looked at me.
"She intended it to be a surprise when you turned eighteen."
I could barely breathe.
The cottage.
The ocean.
The dream.
Mom had somehow left me a piece of Hawaii.
Thomas continued.
"The property has remained under professional management."
I smiled through my tears.
"Can I see it?"
He nodded.
"Your father can arrange a visit."
Then his expression became troubled.
"But there's a problem."
My smile faded.
"What problem?"
Thomas turned another page.
"Someone recently requested information about selling it."
Dad stared at him.
"Who?"
Thomas looked directly at me.
"Vanessa."
My blood turned cold.
"She tried to sell Mom's house?"
Thomas nodded.
"And the request was submitted only four days ago."
I gripped Dad's hand.
Vanessa wasn't satisfied with taking my money.
May you like
She wanted the last beautiful surprise my mother had left me.
And she had no intention of stopping.
