Chapter 3 - MY FATHER’S WARNING
My father’s letter was only four pages long.
But by the time I finished reading it, the world I thought I knew was gone.
He began with an apology.
Jake,
I should have told you the truth years ago.
I stopped reading.
My father had never been a man who apologized easily.
He had been strong.
Strict.
Sometimes distant.
But never dishonest with me.
At least, that was what I had believed.
The letter continued.
He wrote that my mother had been secretly moving money from the family business.
At first, he thought it was a mistake.
Then he discovered transfers to accounts he did not recognize.
When he confronted her, she denied everything.
A month later, the accounts were closed.
The money was gone.
My father hired a private investigator.
The investigator discovered something worse.
My mother had been working with Tyler.
My father had never told me because Tyler was only twenty-two at the time.
He believed he could fix the situation quietly.
He was wrong.
The final paragraph made my hands shake.
If anything happens to me, do not trust Diane with the company. Do not allow Tyler access to the family accounts. And most importantly, do not sign anything without independent counsel.
I read the letter twice.
Then a third time.
My father had died from a heart attack.
At least, that was what everyone had told me.
But now a question entered my mind.
Had it really been natural?
I immediately hated myself for thinking it.
My father had been sick.
He had suffered from high blood pressure.
There was no evidence of anything else.
But my mother had inherited control of the family assets after his death.
And Tyler had become her favorite.
I showed the letter to Rachel.
She read it carefully.
Then looked at me.
“Did your father leave any other records?”
“I don’t know.”
“Find them.”
The next morning, Marcus helped me search the old family office.
We found boxes of financial documents.
Most were ordinary.
Tax records.
Business contracts.
Investment statements.
Then we found a locked cabinet.
Inside was a hard drive.
The files were encrypted.
Marcus smiled faintly.
“I know someone.”
By evening, the files were open.
The first folder contained old bank records.
The second contained emails.
The third was labeled:
DIANE — PRIVATE
I opened it.
My father had been collecting evidence.
There were recordings.
Photographs.
Financial statements.
One email showed my mother transferring money to an account in Tyler's name.
Another showed her contacting a lawyer.
The subject line read:
When Jake returns.
I opened it.
My heart stopped.
The email had been written six months earlier.
The exact week I had been deployed.
The message said:
Jake cannot know about the company restructuring. If he returns before the transfer is complete, we will need another plan.
Another plan.
I stared at those words.
Then I found a second email.
Emily is becoming a problem.
My blood went cold.
The message was from my mother to Tyler.
She refuses to sign. She believes Jake will protect her.
Tyler had replied:
Then make her understand that Jake cannot protect anyone from overseas.
I slammed my hand on the desk.
Marcus looked at me.
“Jake.”
I stood.
“I’m going to kill them.”
Marcus immediately grabbed my shoulder.
“No.”
I looked at him.
“They hurt my wife.”
“I know.”
“They stole my life.”
“I know.”
“They planned this while I was gone.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you stopping me?”
“Because they want you angry.”
I stared at him.
Marcus lowered his voice.
“They want you to make one mistake.”
Rachel nodded.
“Your mother has likely prepared for a confrontation.”
I looked at the documents.
“What do you mean?”
“If she has forged signatures and transferred assets, she knows there may eventually be an investigation.”
“She thinks I won’t find out.”
“Maybe.”
“Or maybe she has a plan for what happens after I do.”
That thought stayed with me.
That evening, I returned home.
My mother was waiting in the living room.
Tyler sat beside her.
He was still wearing my watch.
I looked at it.
Then at him.
“Take it off.”
Tyler smiled.
“Still obsessed?”
I walked past him.
My mother stood.
“Jake, we need to talk.”
“No.”
Her face tightened.
“You’ve been home for less than two days.”
“And already I know more than you expected.”
Tyler stood.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
I looked at him.
“It means you should enjoy that watch while you still have it.”
My mother stepped forward.
“Are you threatening us?”
I smiled.
“No.”
Then I looked directly into her eyes.
“I’m warning you.”
For the first time, her smile disappeared.
That night, I received an anonymous text.
You should have stayed overseas.
I stared at the screen.
Then another message arrived.
Your wife is not the only person who knows what we are capable of.
I looked toward the bedroom.
Emily was asleep.
May you like
I immediately ran upstairs.
She was gone.
