Chapter 5
I didn't shout.
I wanted to.
Every part of me wanted to scream.
But I looked at the trust statement and forced myself to breathe.
Fifty thousand dollars.
Money Danielle had saved for Lily.
Money that was supposed to help our daughter build a future.
And Vanessa had just admitted borrowing it.
Without telling me.
Without asking Lily.
Without explaining anything.
I placed the document on the desk.
"Where did the money go?"
Vanessa stared at the floor.
"Marcus, please."
I took a breath.
"Where?"
She swallowed.
"I needed it for something important."
My chest tightened.
"What could possibly be important enough to take from a child?"
She looked up sharply.
"I wasn't stealing!"
I stared at her.
"Then why didn't you ask?"
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
I turned toward the doorway.
"Daniel!"
My brother appeared immediately.
"What's wrong?"
I handed him the statement.
He read it.
Then his face changed.
"Vanessa."
She folded her arms.
"Don't start."
Daniel looked stunned.
"You took money from Lily's account?"
Vanessa began crying.
"I was going to pay it back."
I felt sick.
"With what?"
She didn't answer.
Daniel looked at me.
"We need to call someone."
I nodded.
Then I remembered something.
Danielle had worked with an estate attorney named Patricia Greene.
She'd helped prepare our wills after Lily was born.
I'd spoken to her briefly after Danielle died.
But grief had overwhelmed me.
I hadn't followed up on every document.
I looked at Daniel.
"Call Patricia."
Vanessa immediately stepped forward.
"Marcus, don't involve lawyers."
I stared at her.
"Why not?"
She swallowed.
"Because this is family."
Those words made my stomach turn.
Family.
She'd used that word every time she wanted something.
When she needed help with rent.
When she wanted me to pay off her credit card.
When she asked Mom for money.
And now she was using it to excuse taking from my daughter.
I took a slow breath.
"Family doesn't steal from children."
Vanessa flinched.
Then her face hardened.
"You're making me sound like a criminal."
I looked at the statement.
"I'm asking where the money went."
She didn't answer.
I turned toward Daniel.
"Stay with Mom."
He nodded.
I picked up Danielle's box.
Then walked toward the hallway.
Vanessa followed.
"Marcus!"
I stopped.
She looked frightened.
"Please don't take that."
I stared at her.
"Why?"
Her eyes filled.
"Because there are things inside you don't understand."
I looked down at the box.
Then back at her.
"Then I'll find someone who does."
I walked downstairs.
Mom was sitting on the sofa.
When she saw the box, she began crying.
"Oh, Marcus."
I knelt beside her.
"Mom."
She reached toward the butterfly.
"Danielle loved that little thing."
I nodded.
"I know."
Her eyes filled.
"She told me to protect it."
I took her hand.
"You tried."
She shook her head.
"I failed her."
My chest tightened.
"No, Mom."
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I trusted Vanessa."
I swallowed.
"So did I."
For a moment, we simply sat together.
Then Mom whispered, "Did you find the letters?"
I nodded.
She began crying harder.
"Danielle wanted Lily to remember her."
My throat tightened.
"I know."
Mom looked at me.
"There's something else."
My stomach tightened.
"What?"
She hesitated.
"Danielle was worried about Vanessa."
I froze.
"What?"
Mom looked toward the staircase.
Then whispered, "Before she died, she told me not to let Vanessa control Lily's money."
My heart began pounding.
"Why?"
Mom wiped her eyes.
"She said Vanessa kept asking questions."
I stared at her.
"What questions?"
"About the trust."
I closed my eyes.
Danielle had noticed.
Even while she was sick.
Even while she was fighting for her life.
She'd noticed Vanessa's interest in money.
I took a breath.
"Did Danielle tell you anything else?"
Mom nodded slowly.
"She said there was another envelope."
I stared at her.
"Another envelope?"
"One she wanted you to open if anything went wrong."
My stomach tightened.
"Where is it?"
Mom looked toward the hallway.
"Inside the old family Bible."
I froze.
Our father's Bible sat on a shelf in the living room.
Mom had kept it there since his death.
I walked toward it.
Opened the cover.
Then carefully turned the pages.
Near the middle was a sealed white envelope.
My name was written across the front.
MARCUS.
I stopped breathing.
Danielle's handwriting.
I recognized every letter.
My hands trembled as I opened it.
Inside was a letter.
And a small flash drive.
I unfolded the paper.
"My love," it began.
Tears immediately filled my eyes.
I sat down.
Then read.
"If you're reading this, something has happened that I was afraid might happen."
My stomach tightened.
I continued.
"I don't want you to hate anyone. But I need you to protect Lily."
My hands shook.
The next sentence made my blood turn cold.
"Vanessa has been asking about my accounts. I don't believe she understands that the money belongs to our daughter."
I stared at the page.
Then continued.
"I've saved copies of the documents and messages because I want there to be no confusion later."
I looked at the flash drive.
My heart pounded.
Danielle had left evidence.
Evidence she'd hidden because she feared someone might try to take Lily's inheritance.
I felt tears roll down my face.
The letter continued.
"Marcus, I know you love your family. Sometimes that love makes you trust too easily."
I laughed through my tears.
She knew me.
Even now.
She knew me.
I kept reading.
"Please remember that protecting Lily sometimes means saying no to people you love."
I closed my eyes.
Then the final lines nearly broke me.
"Tell our baby girl that I loved her every second of my life. And tell her she never has to earn anyone's kindness."
I pressed the letter against my chest.
For a long time, I couldn't move.
Then I heard footsteps.
Daniel entered.
He looked at my face.
"Marcus?"
I held up the flash drive.
"Danielle knew."
His expression changed.
"Knew what?"
I looked toward the staircase.
"That Vanessa might try to take Lily's money."
Daniel stared at me.
Then he whispered, "We need to find out what's on that drive."
I nodded.
But before we could move, Vanessa appeared in the doorway.
She saw the flash drive.
Her face turned white.
"Where did you get that?"
I stood.
She stepped backward.
"Marcus, don't open it."
I stared at her.
"Why?"
She began shaking.
Then she whispered something I would never forget.
"Because Danielle recorded things she wasn't supposed to hear."
My stomach dropped.
Recorded things?
What things?
I looked at the flash drive.
May you like
Then at Vanessa.
And suddenly, I wondered whether the missing money was only the beginning.
