Chapter 4 - THE MONEY BEHIND THE BETRAYAL
I spent the entire night staring at the document.
The name on the authorization was Thomas Davis.
My uncle.
My father's older brother.
Everyone had told me Thomas died twenty-two years ago.
A car accident.
That was the story.
I had been a child.
I barely remembered him.
But the signature on the transfer was unmistakable.
Thomas Davis.
Alive or dead, someone had signed his name.
Arthur Bell came to the hospital the following morning.
I placed the document in front of him.
“Who is Thomas Davis?”
Arthur did not look surprised.
That frightened me more than anything.
“You have been told that he died.”
“Yes.”
“He did not.”
My entire body went still.
“What?”
Arthur sighed.
“Thomas left Ohio twenty-two years ago.”
“Why?”
“Because he accused your father of stealing from the family estate.”
I stared at him.
“What happened?”
“Your grandfather had discovered irregular withdrawals.”
“How much?”
“Enough to destroy the family.”
Arthur explained that Gregory had been managing several properties for my grandfather.
Money had disappeared.
Records had been altered.
Thomas had confronted him.
The brothers had fought.
Then Thomas vanished.
My grandfather had been too ill to pursue the matter.
Gregory had told everyone Thomas died in an accident.
But Arthur had never believed him.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“You were a child.”
“And now?”
“Now you are old enough to know the truth.”
He handed me a sealed envelope.
The handwriting on the front was unmistakable.
My grandfather's.
I opened it carefully.
Inside was a letter addressed to me.
Dear Sadie,
If you are reading this, then something has gone terribly wrong.
I stopped.
My eyes filled with tears.
The letter explained that my grandfather had become suspicious of Gregory.
He had created a second will.
He had placed important documents in the care of Arthur.
And he had instructed Arthur to reveal everything only when I was old enough to protect myself.
The letter ended with one sentence.
Never trust anyone who tells you that blood is the same thing as loyalty.
I could barely breathe.
Then Arthur said:
“Your grandfather also knew something about your birth.”
I looked up.
“What?”
Arthur's face became unreadable.
Before he could continue, the hospital door opened.
A man stood there.
He was tall.
Older.
His hair was mostly gray.
But I recognized something in his eyes.
Something familiar.
He looked at Arthur.
“Is she ready?”
Arthur nodded.
The man looked at me.
“My name is Thomas.”
I stared at him.
My uncle.
The man who was supposed to be dead.
I couldn't speak.
He took one step into the room.
“I know this is difficult.”
I laughed bitterly.
“Difficult?”
He lowered his eyes.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“By pretending to be dead?”
“Your father threatened me.”
“With what?”
“Your mother.”
I froze.
Thomas explained that Gregory had threatened to expose Brenda's secrets.
He had threatened to destroy Thomas financially.
Eventually, Thomas left.
But he never stopped watching.
He had stayed away because he believed Gregory would retaliate against me.
“Then why are you here now?”
Thomas looked at the bandage on my head.
“Because your father finally went too far.”
He reached into his coat.
Inside was another document.
A copy of my grandfather's second will.
My name appeared at the top.
I read the conditions.
I had to turn thirty.
Or marry someone outside the Davis family's financial interests.
I was twenty-nine.
My wedding date had been the reason my parents had attacked me.
I looked at Wyatt.
He understood before I did.
The marriage condition had been activated.
If I married him, control of the estate would transfer to me.
My father knew.
Melanie knew.
They had known.
And suddenly, the entire attack made sense.
They had not simply wanted Wyatt.
They wanted to stop me from becoming the legal owner of everything they had spent years controlling.
Then Thomas looked at me.
“There is something else.”
“What?”
May you like
He took a deep breath.
“Your father may not be your biological father.”
