Chapter 7: The Auction That Was Never Supposed to Happen
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Vanessa had bought my mother's original collection.
The same collection she had supposedly helped manage. The same collection she had tried to transfer years earlier. The same collection my mother had spent the final months of her life trying to protect.
And my father had signed the ownership declaration.
"How much did she pay?"" I finally asked.
Evelyn hesitated.
"Three hundred and twenty thousand dollars.""
I gripped the edge of my desk.
"Where did she get that kind of money?""
"That's something we're investigating. But there's a bigger problem.""
"What?""
"The collection was sold through a private auction house. The buyer wasn't identified as Vanessa Carter. It was purchased under a company called VC Legacy Holdings.""
I looked at the video paused on my laptop.
"VC. Vanessa Carter.""
"That's what we suspect.""
"Can the sale be reversed?""
"Possibly. If the original ownership documents establish that the collection was transferred without authorization, the sale may be challenged. But we need evidence.""
I looked at the flash drive.
"I have evidence.""
"What kind?""
"A recording of my mother refusing to sign the transfer documents. Dad and Vanessa were both there.""
Evelyn went quiet.
"Have you made a copy?""
"Not yet.""
"Don't touch the original again. I'll arrange for the attorney to preserve it properly.""
I glanced at the clock.
It was almost midnight.
"There's something else.""
"What?""
"Vanessa knows about the collection. She knows Isabelle is interested. And she's planning to make Brianna look like the designer.""
Evelyn sighed.
"Then we need to move before the gala.""
The gala was scheduled for Saturday evening at the Grand Meridian Hotel.
It was a charity event organized by a local arts foundation, with fashion executives, journalists, and wealthy donors in attendance.
Vanessa had been talking about it for weeks.
She had even ordered Brianna a professional makeup appointment and hired a photographer.
Now I understood why.
She wasn't simply trying to give Brianna an opportunity.
She was preparing to introduce her as the rightful heir to my mother's work.
The next morning, I found Brianna in the kitchen practicing her introduction in front of her phone.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Brianna Carter, an emerging fashion designer whose work celebrates the beauty of feminine expression.""
She stopped recording.
"Does that sound professional?""
Vanessa looked up from her coffee.
"Beautiful, sweetheart. Just smile more.""
I entered the kitchen.
Brianna noticed me.
"Oh, look. The original designer has arrived.""
Vanessa placed her cup down.
"Good morning, Nia.""
I ignored her.
"Brianna, take off my dress.""
She rolled her eyes.
"You're still on that?""
"Yes.""
"Mom already told you I'm wearing it.""
"Then Mom can explain to the police why she authorized you to take it.""
Vanessa stood.
"Don't threaten me.""
"I'm not threatening anyone. I'm telling you what happens when someone takes property that doesn't belong to them.""
Brianna laughed.
"You're hilarious. You don't even have a designer label.""
I looked at her.
"Neither do you.""
Her smile vanished.
Vanessa stepped between us.
"Go to school, Nia. You have exams to worry about.""
I picked up my backpack.
"Actually, I have an appointment with an intellectual property attorney.""
Vanessa's face changed.
"What attorney?""
"Someone who knows how to read contracts.""
Dad entered the kitchen just in time to hear me.
"Nia, don't do anything foolish.""
I looked at him.
"You signed a declaration saying Brianna owns my mother's collection.""
He froze.
Vanessa turned toward him.
"Marcus, you said she didn't know.""
Dad looked at me.
"What declaration?""
I laughed.
"That's what you're going to pretend now?""
Vanessa quickly picked up her tablet.
"Marcus, we need to go.""
But I wasn't finished.
"Did you sign it because Vanessa told you to, or because she paid you?""
Dad's face went white.
Brianna stood up.
"What is she talking about?""
Vanessa grabbed her handbag.
"We're leaving.""
She walked out.
Dad followed.
Brianna remained behind for a moment, staring at me.
Then she lowered her voice.
"You really think you're going to win?""
I didn't answer.
She leaned closer.
"Mom told me something you don't know.""
I looked at her.
"What?""
"She said your mother signed everything over before she died.""
"That's not true.""
"Maybe. But Mom has the original documents.""
Then Brianna picked up her phone and followed Vanessa.
I stood alone in the kitchen.
The original documents.
Where could they be?
That afternoon, I met Evelyn and the attorney, Daniel Brooks, at Mrs. Miller's shop.
Daniel was in his early forties, wore round glasses, and carried a thick leather briefcase.
He listened carefully as I explained everything.
When I finished, he placed the flash drive on the table.
"We'll arrange a forensic copy of this recording," he said.
"But we need to establish the chain of custody.""
"Can the video prove Vanessa forged my mother's signature?""
"Not by itself. But it may establish that Elena refused the transaction and was pressured to sign.""
He opened a folder.
"There's another issue. The documents used in the recent auction contain a notarized declaration stating that Elena transferred the collection to Vanessa voluntarily.""
I frowned.
"Mom was in the hospital.""
"Exactly. That's why we need her medical records and the original agreement.""
Evelyn leaned forward.
"There's something else. The trust was established with a special condition. The original collection couldn't be sold or transferred until Nia reached eighteen, unless the trustee approved the transaction.""
Daniel nodded.
"Which means any sale without the trustee's authorization may be invalid.""
I looked at them.
"Then why did the auction house accept the documents?""
"Because the declaration appeared legitimate," Daniel explained.
"They may not have known there was a dispute.""
I thought about Brianna's words.
"She said Vanessa has the original documents.""
Daniel closed his folder.
"Then we need to find them.""
"How?""
"By asking Vanessa to produce them.""
I almost laughed.
"She'll never agree.""
Daniel smiled faintly.
"We don't need her agreement forever. We need to give her a formal reason to preserve them.""
He drafted a legal notice demanding that Vanessa and Marcus preserve all documents related to Elena's designs, the trust, and the recent auction.
He also prepared a notice to the auction house requesting that the collection not be resold or altered while ownership was under review.
For the first time, I felt as though someone was finally taking me seriously.
Then Daniel asked a question that changed everything.
"Nia, does your mother have any unfinished design that never appeared in the collection?""
I thought about the thirteen sketches.
"Yes. The Last Summer Ocean.""
He looked at Evelyn.
"That may be important.""
"Why?"" I asked.
"Because the auction catalog listed thirteen original designs. But the photographs show only twelve completed gowns.""
I stared at him.
"What's the difference?""
Daniel turned his laptop toward me.
A photograph of the auction listing appeared.
At the bottom was a description:
Lot 13: Unfinished original design by Elena Carter, accompanied by private development notes and a sealed personal archive.
My breath caught.
"The blue folder.""
Evelyn shook her head.
"No. The folder contains copies of the sketches and some legal documents. The original archive was never found.""
I looked at the listing.
"What was inside it?""
Daniel enlarged the photograph.
There was a small handwritten note beside the description.
Includes original creative ownership declaration.
He leaned back.
"Nia, if that archive contains your mother's final signed declaration, it could establish ownership of the entire collection.""
I felt a chill.
Vanessa hadn't just bought the dresses.
She might have bought the evidence that proved they belonged to me.
That evening, I returned home and found Brianna sitting on my bed.
She was holding my mother's notebook.
I rushed toward her.
"Put that down!""
She jumped, nearly dropping it.
"Relax!""
"That's private.""
She tossed it onto the bed.
"Mom says we need to find the original declaration.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why?""
Brianna shrugged.
"She said there's a document hidden somewhere in your mother's things.""
I stared at her.
"How do you know about it?""
Brianna looked uncomfortable.
Then she said something I hadn't expected.
"Because Mom has been looking for it for years.""
I stepped closer.
"Why?""
"She said without that document, the collection can't legally belong to her.""
I felt my pulse quicken.
"Where is the original archive?""
Brianna looked toward the door.
Then she lowered her voice.
"At the storage facility.""
"Which one?""
She hesitated.
"Mom keeps a key in her jewelry box.""
I stared at her.
"Why are you telling me this?""
For the first time, Brianna didn't look smug.
She looked frightened.
"Because Mom said something last night.""
"What?""
Brianna swallowed.
"She said after the gala, she was going to make sure you never got the chance to tell anyone what really happened.""
Before I could respond, the front door slammed downstairs.
Vanessa was home.
Brianna quickly stood.
"Don't tell her I told you.""
She hurried out.
I locked my bedroom door.
Then I opened my phone and called Daniel.
"I think I know where the original archive is.""
He listened carefully.
When I finished, he said, "Do not go there alone.""
"I won't.""
"And Nia?""
"Yes?""
"Whatever is inside that archive, Vanessa has been willing to lie, steal, and forge documents to keep it hidden.""
I looked at my mother's sewing box.
"Then maybe it's time someone found out why.""
An hour later, my phone received a photograph from an unknown number.
It showed a metal storage locker.
The number on the door was 1307.
May you like
Below the photograph was a message.
*Your mother left you the truth. But your father buried it.*
