Chapter 2
Dad didn't immediately remove the envelope.
Instead, he looked toward the bridal table.
Lauren was standing beside the wedding cake.
She wore a beautiful ivory gown with delicate lace sleeves.
Her dark curls were pinned beneath a pearl comb.
But she wasn't smiling.
She was staring at her mother.
"Mom?"
Diane turned sharply.
"Lauren, stay out of this."
Lauren took a step forward.
"What is going on?"
I felt my father's hand tighten against my shoulder.
He looked down at me.
"Ava, I need you to listen carefully."
My stomach twisted.
"Did I do something wrong?"
His expression broke.
"No, baby."
He knelt beside me.
"You did nothing wrong."
Then he looked toward Diane.
"But somebody did."
Diane shook her head.
"Marcus, you are making a terrible mistake."
My father stood.
"The mistake was waiting this long."
A few guests started moving closer.
The wedding planner approached cautiously.
"Mr. Bennett, would you like us to clear the area?"
Dad nodded.
"Please give us some privacy."
But Diane suddenly raised her voice.
"No! If Marcus wants to accuse me, he can do it in front of everyone!"
Lauren stared at her.
"Accuse you of what?"
Nobody answered.
Then my father finally removed the envelope.
It was cream-colored.
Sealed with a strip of clear tape.
My name was written across the front in handwriting I recognized immediately.
My mother's.
My knees weakened.
"Dad..."
He caught my arm.
"Easy, sweetheart."
I stared at the envelope.
"That's Mama's writing."
He nodded.
I could barely breathe.
"Where did you get that?"
Dad swallowed.
"From a lawyer."
"What lawyer?"
He hesitated.
Diane stepped forward.
"Marcus, she's thirteen. You cannot do this to her."
My father turned.
"You don't get to decide what my daughter deserves to know."
Diane's face tightened.
Then Lauren moved between them.
"Mom, answer me."
Diane looked at her daughter.
Something like desperation crossed her face.
"I was trying to protect this family."
Lauren shook her head.
"From what?"
My father spoke quietly.
"From the truth about what happened before Naomi died."
The garden seemed to tilt.
My mother had died in a car accident.
Everyone knew that.
She'd been driving home from a late appointment when another vehicle struck hers.
The driver fled.
Police investigated.
But nobody was ever charged.
For three years, Dad told me that sometimes terrible things happened without an explanation.
I hated that answer.
But eventually, I stopped asking.
Now he was standing at his own wedding reception, holding a letter from my mother.
And Diane looked terrified.
I grabbed Dad's sleeve.
"What happened to Mama?"
He turned toward me.
"Her accident is still her accident, Ava. Nothing changes the fact that she died."
I stared at him.
"But?"
He took a breath.
"But before she died, she discovered something troubling."
Diane closed her eyes.
Lauren whispered, "Mom?"
My father continued.
"Naomi was working on a financial review for a charitable foundation."
I remembered that.
Mama was an accountant.
She helped small organizations manage money.
Sometimes she worked late because she believed every dollar meant something to the people who needed it.
Dad looked toward Diane.
"The foundation was run by Diane."
A sharp murmur moved through the guests.
I stared at her.
Diane had always told me she barely knew my mother.
She called Naomi a nice woman.
She said they'd met only a few times.
But Dad's expression told me that wasn't the truth.
Lauren looked horrified.
"Mom, you told me Naomi never worked with you."
Diane's eyes filled.
"It was complicated."
"Complicated how?"
My father held up the envelope.
"Naomi found irregularities in the foundation's accounts."
Diane shook her head.
"Those were bookkeeping mistakes!"
"Then why did you threaten her?"
I froze.
Threaten?
My father had barely spoken the word before Diane stepped backward.
"I never threatened anybody."
Dad looked at her.
"Naomi kept copies of your messages."
Lauren covered her mouth.
I felt my chest tightening.
My mother had been frightened before she died.
And nobody told me.
"Dad?"
He turned immediately.
"Baby, breathe."
I shook my head.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
His face crumpled.
"Because I didn't know everything until recently."
I stared at him.
"What do you mean?"
He looked down at the envelope.
"Three weeks ago, a lawyer contacted me."
My heart pounded.
"He said your mother had left some documents in safekeeping."
Diane suddenly spoke.
"Those documents were never supposed to be released!"
Everyone turned toward her.
She stopped.
Her expression changed.
And I watched her realize what she'd just admitted.
Lauren stepped away from her mother.
"How did you know about those documents?"
Diane didn't answer.
My father stared at her.
"That's what I wanted to ask you."
Then Lauren looked toward the guests.
Her voice shook.
"Everyone, please excuse us."
She turned to her mother.
"You're coming inside."
Diane refused.
"No."
Lauren's eyes filled.
"Then tell me why you lied."
My father took my hand.
We walked toward the private bridal suite.
Lauren followed.
Diane stood frozen for several seconds.
Then she came after us.
Inside the suite, Dad placed the envelope on a small table.
He looked at me.
"Ava, I need to tell you something difficult."
I nodded.
My hands were shaking.
He continued.
"Your mother didn't leave this letter because she knew she was going to die."
I stared at him.
"Then why?"
May you like
His voice cracked.
"Because she was afraid someone might try to silence her."
