Chapter 4: The Papers She Needed Him to Sign
“What papers, Vanessa?””
My father's question cut through the kitchen like a blade.
Vanessa stood beside the dining table, her hands pressed against her stomach. The color had drained from her face, but her eyes kept darting toward the phone in my hand.
“David, you're taking that recording out of context.””
“Then put it in context.””
“It was a private conversation.””
“With a man you haven't identified.””
“He's a financial adviser.””
My father stared at her.
“What's his name?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“Richard.””
“Richard what?””
She swallowed.
“Richard Cole.””
My father glanced at me. I could tell from his expression that the name meant nothing to him.
“Why were you discussing papers with Richard Cole?””
“Because I was trying to help us.””
“Help us do what?””
Vanessa picked up her handbag from the chair and began searching through it, pulling out a lipstick, a packet of tissues, and a small leather wallet.
“I knew this would happen eventually,” she muttered.
“I knew you'd turn on me the moment Emily had something to use against me.””
“Stop changing the subject.””
She dropped the wallet into her bag.
“I'm not changing anything. You want to know about the papers? Fine.
They're estate-planning documents. We discussed updating our financial arrangements after marriage.””
My father frowned.
“We already have a financial adviser.””
“I know.””
“Then why were you meeting someone else?””
“Because your adviser works for you, David. I wanted independent advice.””
“Independent advice about what?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“Can we discuss this without your daughter listening?””
“No,” my father replied.
“We can't.””
The answer seemed to surprise her.
She had spent two years treating my presence as an inconvenience, an obstacle to be moved whenever she wanted a private moment with my father. Now, for the first time, he was refusing to send me away.
Vanessa pressed her lips together.
“Fine. I wanted to understand what would happen if something happened to you.””
My father's expression softened slightly.
“What do you mean?””
“You travel constantly. You work too much. You never think about the future.””
“That's why we made our wills.””
“And I thought we should update them.””
“Why?””
“Because we're married!””
She said it as if the word itself should end the conversation.
My father took the folded rent demand from the table and held it up.
“Is that why you were charging Emily rent? To pay for these documents?””
“No!””
“Then why did you tell her the money had to go directly to you?””
Vanessa's eyes flickered.
“I was angry. I didn't think through how it sounded.””
“You thought through it enough to calculate the amount.””
“David, please.””
He placed the paper on the table.
“Show me the documents.””
She tightened her grip on her handbag.
“I don't have them here.””
“Where are they?””
“At home.””
“We are home.””
“I mean in my office.””
My father stared at her for a long moment.
Then he held out his hand.
“Your phone.””
Vanessa recoiled.
“Excuse me?””
“If you're discussing estate documents with a financial adviser, show me the messages.””
“You cannot demand access to my private conversations!””
“I'm not demanding access to your entire life. I'm asking to see the conversations that concern my estate.””
“Your estate?”” she repeated bitterly.
“There it is. Everything is yours, isn't it? Your house.
Your money. Your daughter. Your precious memories of your dead wife.””
The room went silent.
My father slowly lowered his hand.
“Don't ever use your mother's memory against Emily again,” he said.
Vanessa's face twisted.
“I'm tired of living in the shadow of a woman who isn't even here.””
I felt the words land somewhere deep in my chest.
My father stepped closer to her.
“Then you should have thought about that before marrying a man who already had a family.””
Vanessa laughed, but there was no humor in it.
“I gave up everything to be with you.””
“What did you give up?””
“My independence! My life! I moved into this house and made it a home.””
“You moved into a house I had already owned for eleven years.””
“And I made it beautiful!””
She swept her hand toward the living room.
“I chose the furniture. I redecorated the guest bedroom. I replaced the curtains. I made your life comfortable while your daughter treated me like hired help.””
I looked at the expensive curtains hanging beside the window.
They had been purchased with my father's money.
So had the furniture.
So had the renovation of the guest bedroom.
Vanessa spoke about these things as if she had built the house with her own hands.
My father seemed to notice the same contradiction.
“You used our joint account for the renovations,” he said.
“Of course I did. It's our home.””
“Then why are you telling Emily it's yours alone?””
Vanessa opened her mouth, then shut it.
My father took a slow breath.
“I'm going to ask you one more time. What papers were you discussing with Richard Cole?””
She stared at him.
Finally, she said, “A property transfer.””
My heart lurched.
My father didn't move.
“What property?””
“The house.””
I looked at him.
He looked at her.
Then he asked, very quietly, “You wanted me to transfer this house to you?””
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
“Not exactly.””
“What does that mean?””
“I wanted to make sure I'd be protected if you died.””
“You wanted the house transferred into your name.””
“I wanted security!””
“You already have security. We have savings. Investments. Life insurance.””
“None of that matters if I have to fight your daughter for everything!””
I flinched.
My father noticed.
He turned toward Vanessa, his expression hardening.
“Emily is not going to fight you for anything.””
“How can you know that? She's already looking at me like I'm a criminal!””
“Because you hit her and demanded money from her!””
Vanessa slammed her handbag onto the table.
“I made one mistake!””
“And now you're telling me you were trying to transfer my house into your name without explaining why.””
“I was going to explain it!””
“When?””
“When the time was right!””
My father let out a bitter laugh.
“You mean when I'd already signed the documents?””
Vanessa began crying in earnest.
“David, I love you.””
He looked at her for several seconds.
“Then why did you tell another man that I had no idea what you were planning?””
She covered her face.
“I was frustrated.””
“That excuse isn't going to work anymore.””
My father reached for the phone and replayed the final portion of the recording.
The man's voice was faint, but unmistakable.
Are you sure the house is worth that much?
Then Vanessa's recorded answer.
David has no idea what I've been planning.
My father stopped the recording.
“Who is Richard Cole?””
“I told you. A financial adviser.””
“Then give me his contact information.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don't have it memorized.””
“Your phone, then.””
“No.””
He stared at her.
She stared back.
For the first time, neither of them seemed willing to look away.
Then my father reached for his briefcase.
“Fine. I'll call my attorney tomorrow morning. We'll have him review every estate document we've signed since our marriage.””
Vanessa's tears stopped.
“Your attorney?””
“Yes.””
“You're going to involve lawyers in our marriage?””
“You involved a stranger in my property.””
“David, please. Think about what you're doing.””
“I am.””
He took out his phone and began typing.
Vanessa watched his fingers move across the screen.
Then she suddenly stepped forward.
“Don't send that message.””
He didn't look up.
“Why?””
“Because if you contact your attorney, he'll tell you things you don't understand.””
My father paused.
“What things?””
Vanessa looked toward the hallway, then back at him.
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“There's something about the house you don't know.””
My father slowly lowered his phone.
“What are you talking about?””
Vanessa's lips trembled.
She looked at me, and for a second, I thought she might actually tell us the truth.
Instead, she whispered, “I never wanted it to happen this way.””
“Wanted what to happen?”” I asked.
She backed away from the table.
Then she grabbed her handbag and headed toward the stairs.
“Vanessa!”” my father called.
She stopped on the first step.
“Where are you going?””
“To get the documents.””
“Then bring them down.””
She shook her head.
“I need a minute.””
She disappeared upstairs.
My father watched her go.
Then he turned to me.
“Emily, I need you to tell me something.””
“What?””
He pointed at the phone.
“Can you recover every recording from the last six months? Not just the ones in the kitchen. Everything the camera has saved.””
I nodded.
“Dad, why?””
He looked toward the ceiling.
“Because I have a feeling your stepmother has been hiding something much bigger than a property transfer.””
Before I could answer, a loud crash came from upstairs.
Then Vanessa screamed.
“DAVID! GET UP HERE!””
My father ran toward the staircase.
I followed him.
We reached the landing just as Vanessa emerged from the bedroom, clutching a thick blue folder against her chest.
Her hair was disheveled, and her face was white.
“What's happened?”” my father demanded.
She stared at him.
Then she looked at the folder in her hands.
“Someone has been in my office.””
My father frowned.
“What?””
“The documents. They're gone.””
She looked directly at me.
“Emily took them.””
I stared at her in disbelief.
“I haven't been anywhere near your office!””
Vanessa tightened her grip on the folder.
“Then explain why I found this hidden behind your bedroom dresser.””
She opened it.
Inside was a document bearing my name, my father's signature, and a date from three weeks earlier.
My father took one look at it.
Then all the color left his face.
May you like
Because the signature at the bottom looked exactly like his.
And he swore he'd never signed it.
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