Chapter 4: The Meeting My Mother Never Forgot
"Nia didn't meet your grandfather by accident.""
My mother's words hung in the air.
I looked at her.
"What do you mean?""
Danielle slowly put the folder down.
"Mom, are you sure you want to tell him now?""
Evelyn nodded.
"I should have told him years ago.""
I pulled a chair closer.
"Mom, start from the beginning.""
She looked at the photograph of my grandfather.
His face was weathered, his gray hair neatly combed, and his familiar smile stretched across his cheeks. He had been a quiet man, but there was nothing weak about him.
He had worked construction for nearly forty years.
He believed in paying his debts, keeping his promises, and never trusting anyone who was too interested in what you owned.
I remembered him telling me that when I was a teenager.
At the time, I thought he was just being old-fashioned.
Now I wasn't so sure.
"Your grandfather met Nia before you introduced her to the family," Mom said.
I frowned.
"That's impossible. I introduced them at Thanksgiving.""
"That was the first time you knew they had met.""
My sister leaned forward.
"Tell him about the property office, Mom.""
Evelyn nodded.
"Three months before Thanksgiving, I took your grandfather to a property management office. He wanted to update some paperwork concerning the cottage.""
I listened carefully.
"He was getting older. His hands weren't as steady, and he wanted someone to help him organize everything. While I was speaking to the receptionist, a young woman approached him.""
"Who?""
"Nia.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why was she there?""
"She said she worked with property investors. She had seen the cottage listed in an old property advertisement and wanted to discuss whether your grandfather might consider selling.""
I stared at my mother.
"Grandpa never wanted to sell that cottage.""
"I know.""
"Then why did he talk to her?""
"Because she was polite. She complimented the renovations and asked intelligent questions.""
Mom paused.
"At first, he thought she was simply interested in the property.""
Danielle folded her arms.
"But she kept coming back.""
I looked at my sister.
"How many times?""
"Mom says at least four.""
I turned back toward Evelyn.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
She wiped her eyes.
"Because your grandfather made me promise not to.""
I shook my head.
"Why?""
"He discovered something about her.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
Mom reached for the old photograph.
"Your grandfather had a friend who worked in real estate. He asked him to look into Nia's company.""
I remembered Nia telling me she had worked in real estate administration for several years before we met.
She had described herself as ambitious, organized, and financially independent.
She had also told me that she had no connection to anyone in my family before our relationship.
"Did Grandpa find something?""
Mom nodded.
"He found out she had been involved in a property dispute with another family.""
"What kind of dispute?""
"A couple had hired her to help sell an inherited property. They later accused her of presenting documents they hadn't authorized.""
I sat back.
The room seemed to tilt.
"Was she charged with anything?""
"No. The dispute was settled privately. Your grandfather couldn't prove she had done anything illegal.""
Danielle added, "But he didn't trust her.""
I looked down at my hands.
My grandfather had known something.
He had seen a warning sign.
And I had married the woman anyway.
"Why didn't he tell me?""
Mom's eyes filled.
"He tried.""
I looked up.
"What?""
"Do you remember the night before your wedding? He asked you to come outside with him?""
I nodded slowly.
I remembered.
He had stood beside his old pickup truck, holding a glass of lemonade.
He had asked whether I was certain about marrying Nia.
I had laughed and told him I was the luckiest man alive.
He had looked at me for a long time.
Then he had said, "A good marriage should make your world bigger, son. Never let anyone make you ashamed of where you came from.""
I had thought he was giving me ordinary wedding advice.
Mom continued.
"He wanted to tell you about Nia, but you were so happy. He didn't want to destroy your wedding.""
I lowered my head.
"What happened after that?""
"Your grandfather changed the property documents.""
I looked at the deed on my phone.
"The restriction?""
She nodded.
"He created protections around the family properties. He wanted to make sure nobody could pressure me into selling the cottage or use it to take control of your home.""
"How?""
"He arranged for an attorney to draft the documents. Your grandfather knew I would eventually need help managing the property. But he wanted that help to come from someone independent.""
I glanced at the deed.
"Is that why Nia tried to remove the restriction?""
"Probably.""
Danielle opened the folder and pointed to a section of the recorded document.
"There's something else. Look at the filing date.""
I checked.
The request had been submitted two months earlier.
That was the same month Nia had started insisting that we needed to renovate the kitchen.
The same month she had suggested refinancing our mortgage.
The same month she had begun asking how much equity we had accumulated.
I remembered sitting at the dinner table while she casually asked whether our home was worth more than we paid for it.
I had told her the approximate market value.
She had smiled.
At the time, I thought she was thinking about our future.
Now I understood why she wanted the number.
My phone rang.
Robert Hayes.
I answered.
"Robert, I need you to explain that restriction.""
"I've reviewed the original deed and the subsequent transfer documents," he said.
"Your grandfather established a protective agreement before his death. It required independent legal verification before certain transactions involving the property could proceed.""
"Could my wife remove it?""
"Not by submitting a request on her own.""
I looked at the document.
"Then why was her request accepted for processing?""
"Because it was submitted as a preliminary inquiry. It hasn't been approved.""
I exhaled.
"Good.""
"There's another concern, Marcus.""
"What?""
"The second mortgage application references the property restriction as something that has supposedly already been resolved.""
My stomach tightened.
"Meaning?""
"Someone represented that the restriction was no longer active.""
I looked toward my mother.
"Who?""
Robert paused.
"The application lists an authorization letter bearing your mother's name.""
I closed my eyes.
"That signature isn't hers.""
"I suspected as much. We'll need to have it examined.""
I looked at the photograph of my grandfather.
He had built those protections because he knew something could happen.
And now it was happening.
"Robert, I want to protect my mother.""
"I understand. I'll prepare the necessary notices and advise you on the appropriate legal steps. But I need you to do one thing.""
"What?""
"Don't warn anyone about the investigation.""
I glanced toward the staircase.
"Understood.""
After the call, Danielle stood.
"I'm going to stay with Mom tonight.""
I nodded.
"Thank you.""
Mom looked at me.
"Where are you going?""
"To talk to Nia.""
Danielle immediately shook her head.
"Robert just told you not to warn her.""
"I'm not going to accuse her. I just need to know what she's doing.""
My mother took my hand.
"Baby, please be careful.""
I kissed her forehead.
"I will.""
But when I reached the bedroom, Nia wasn't there.
Her wardrobe door stood open.
Several hangers were missing.
The suitcase she usually kept beneath the bed had disappeared.
I checked the bathroom.
Her cosmetics were gone.
I walked downstairs.
"Danielle, have you seen Nia?""
She shook her head.
"Why?""
"Her things are missing.""
I pulled out my phone and called her.
It rang four times.
Then voicemail.
I sent a message.
We need to talk. Please come home.
No response.
I checked our shared location app.
Her phone's location had been disabled.
Then I noticed something on the kitchen counter.
A small white envelope.
My name was written across the front.
I opened it.
Inside was a printed photograph.
It showed Nia standing outside a restaurant with Derek Lawson.
His arm was around her waist.
They were smiling.
On the back, someone had written:
You should have asked why she needed so much money.
My phone rang again.
This time it was an unknown number.
I answered.
A man's voice spoke.
"Mr. Carter?""
"Who is this?""
"My name is Peter. I used to work with your wife.""
I looked at the photograph.
"What do you want?""
"I think you need to know what she and Derek are planning.""
"Tell me.""
The man hesitated.
Then he said:
"Your wife isn't planning to leave you with the mortgage, Marcus.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
"It means she's planning to make sure you lose the house.""
The call ended.
And before I could call back, another notification appeared on my phone.
A security alert from our home alarm system.
*FRONT DOOR ACCESS: CODE UPDATED SUCCESSFULLY.*
I stared at the screen.
The new access code had been created from Nia's phone.
She had just locked me out of my own home.
Or at least, she thought she had.
Because there was something Nia didn't know.
My grandfather had installed a second security system years earlier.
And it was connected to an account she had never been told about.
I opened the app.
The system showed one active camera inside the house.
The upstairs hallway.
And someone was standing outside our bedroom door.
It was Nia.
She was holding a folder.
And she was speaking to someone on the phone.
I turned up the volume.
Her words came through clearly.
"Don't worry. Marcus still doesn't know about the second agreement.""
May you like
Then she laughed.
"By the time he finds out, Derek and I will already own everything.""
