Chapter 2: The Missing Money
Three days earlier, I had been searching through my father’s old documents.
I wasn’t looking for anything suspicious.
I was looking for memories.
After his funeral, I couldn’t bring myself to touch his office.
His old leather chair was still there.
His reading glasses were still beside his favorite books.
Even his coffee mug remained on the desk.
It felt wrong to move anything.
But that morning, I needed a copy of an insurance document.
While opening a drawer, I found an envelope with my name written on it.
Inside was a handwritten note.
My father’s handwriting.
“Ethan, if you’re reading this, something happened before I could explain.””
My heart stopped.
The letter was short.
He wrote that after marrying Sarah, he had become concerned about several financial decisions.
He suspected money was disappearing.
But he never wanted to accuse her without proof.
At the bottom of the letter was a password.
A password to an encrypted folder on his computer.
I opened it.
And found months of bank statements.
Transfers.
Large withdrawals.
Payments made to accounts Sarah controlled.
The amount was almost enough to make me sick.
Over $180,000 was missing.
But that wasn’t the worst part.
The worst part was the date of the first transfer.
It happened only two weeks after my father added Sarah to his financial accounts.
I stared at the screen for hours.
Then I hired a lawyer.
I needed facts.
Not anger.
Not revenge.
Facts.
Now, standing in the dining room, watching Sarah’s confidence disappear, I knew I finally had them.
“What are you talking about?”” Sarah asked.
Her voice was different.
Less arrogant.
More careful.
I walked over and placed my phone on the table.
“Money was transferred from Dad’s account without proper authorization.””
She laughed nervously.
“That’s ridiculous.””
“Is it?””
“Yes. I was his wife.””
“Being his wife doesn’t mean you can take whatever you want.””
Her jaw tightened.
“You don’t understand our marriage.””
“No,” I said.
“I understand the bank records.””
Mason and Chloe looked confused.
Sarah immediately softened her voice.
“Kids, go upstairs.””
They left quickly.
The moment they were gone, her expression changed.
“You think you’re better than me?””
I shook my head.
“No. I think Lily deserves dinner.””
Sarah stood.
“You have no idea what I sacrificed for this family.””
I looked at her.
“You made a seven-year-old girl believe she wasn’t worth eating.””
Her face hardened.
“She’s not my responsibility.””
That sentence stayed with me.
Because it told me everything.
I grabbed Lily’s hand.
“We’re going upstairs.””
As I walked away, Sarah shouted behind me.
“You’ll regret this!””
I stopped.
Turned around.
“Why?””
She stared at me.
Because she knew she had said too much.
I noticed something on the table.
A folder.
Half hidden under a napkin.
A folder I had never seen before.
I walked back.
Sarah stepped forward.
“Don’t touch that.””
That was the first time she had ever sounded scared.
I picked it up.
And when I opened it, I saw my father’s name on the first page.
May you like
But underneath it was another name.
Someone I never expected.
