Chapter 3: The Secret Behind the Engagement
Darius gripped his phone.
“Who are you?””
The man on the other end exhaled.
“My name is Richard Hale. I'm an attorney.””
“An attorney for whom?””
Another pause.
“For Brittany Collins.””
Darius looked at Marcus.
His brother immediately understood that something was wrong.
“What exactly have you been discussing with my fiancée?”” Darius demanded.
Richard cleared his throat.
“I believe there has been a misunderstanding.””
“Then explain the document with my forged signature.””
Silence.
Darius glanced down at the folder.
“I'm waiting.””
Richard lowered his voice.
“Mr. Mitchell, I think we should discuss this in person.””
“No. You're going to tell me why my fiancée's name appears on a document concerning my daughter's inheritance.””
“I cannot discuss confidential client matters over the telephone.””
“Then you can explain it to the authorities.””
Darius ended the call.
Marcus stared at him.
“What did he say?””
“He wants to meet.””
“Are you going?””
“Absolutely not. I'm calling James first.””
He immediately contacted his attorney, James Whitaker, who had handled Renee's estate.
James arrived forty minutes later carrying a leather briefcase.
He was in his early fifties, with silver at his temples and the calm, measured manner of a man who rarely allowed emotion to interfere with his work.
Darius placed the suspicious documents on his desk.
James examined them carefully.
“Where did you find these?””
“In the blue folder. Brittany had access to my office.””
James adjusted his glasses.
“Did you sign this?””
“No.””
“Did you authorize anyone to sign on your behalf?””
“Never.””
James studied the document again.
“Then this is potentially a serious matter.””
Marcus leaned forward.
“What does it do?””
James turned the page.
“It attempts to add Brittany as a co-manager of the trust after Darius's marriage.””
“Can she do that?””
“Not without the proper authorization. And certainly not with a forged signature.””
Darius rubbed his forehead.
“Could she access Kayla's money?””
James shook his head.
“Not under the original trust. Renee was very specific about the conditions.””
He opened his briefcase and removed a thick legal packet.
“Your wife anticipated that something like this might happen.””
Darius looked up.
“What do you mean?””
James pulled out a letter.
“Renee included additional protections when she established the trust.””
Darius recognized the handwriting immediately.
It was Renee's.
His throat tightened.
“What protections?””
James turned the document toward him.
“Your daughter is the sole beneficiary. Neither a future spouse nor any other family member can become a beneficiary through marriage. The trust also contains a provision requiring an independent review if anyone attempts to alter its management without proper authorization.””
Marcus frowned.
“So Brittany couldn't get the money anyway?””
“Not directly. But the document she prepared could have given her access to financial decisions if it had been approved.””
Darius stared at the papers.
“Why would she need that?””
James didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he opened another section of his briefcase.
“There's something else.””
He placed a bank statement on the desk.
“Three months ago, someone requested information about the trust's investment accounts.””
Darius looked at him.
“Who?””
“The inquiry was submitted through a financial adviser.””
“Which adviser?””
James showed him the name.
Darius recognized it.
It was the same financial adviser Brittany had introduced him to shortly after their engagement.
He had trusted the man because Brittany said he had helped her father's business.
“Did you authorize the inquiry?”” James asked.
“No.””
James nodded.
“Then we have another problem.””
Darius leaned back.
The room seemed suddenly smaller.
He had spent three months planning a wedding with a woman he believed loved him and his daughter.
Now he was discovering that she might have been investigating his daughter's inheritance from the beginning.
“James,” he said quietly, “I want to know everything.””
“I'll begin an investigation immediately.””
“No. I want to know why she did this.””
James closed the folder.
“Then we need to speak with her.””
Darius stood.
“She'll have to answer.””
But before he could leave the office, Evelyn appeared in the doorway.
“Sir?””
Darius turned.
“What is it?””
“Kayla wants you.””
His expression softened.
“Is she okay?””
“She keeps asking whether you can find her curls.””
Darius closed his eyes.
“I'll come.””
Evelyn hesitated.
“There's something else.””
“What now?””
“I found this in the dressing room.””
She held up a small plastic storage bag.
Inside were several strands of Kayla's brown hair.
“I thought she might want to keep some of it.””
Darius took the bag carefully.
For a moment, he couldn't speak.
Then he nodded.
“Thank you, Evelyn.””
He followed her down the hallway.
Kayla was sitting on the guest bed, wearing a soft pink sweater and holding a stuffed rabbit.
The lavender dress had been placed on a chair.
She looked up when her father entered.
“Daddy!””
He sat beside her.
“Hey, princess.””
“Did you find my hair?””
Darius held up the little bag.
Kayla's eyes widened.
“You found it!””
“Miss Evelyn saved some for you.””
Kayla took the bag and held it against her chest.
“Can we keep it?””
“Of course.””
She looked down at the strands.
“Will Mommy be sad?””
Darius gently brushed a tear from her cheek.
“No, sweetheart. Your mommy would never be sad because of your hair.””
“Are you sure?””
“I'm sure.””
Kayla was quiet for a moment.
Then she whispered, “Brittany said my hair made Daddy remember Mommy too much.””
Darius went still.
“What?””
“She said you don't need to remember Mommy anymore because she's going to be your new wife.””
He felt a cold anger rise inside him.
“What else did she say?””
Kayla looked frightened.
“Am I in trouble?””
“No, baby. You're not in trouble.””
“She said if I didn't stop looking like Mommy, you might not want me anymore.””
Darius pulled her into his arms.
“Listen to me very carefully. Nothing you do could ever make me stop loving you. Nothing.””
Kayla buried her face against his chest.
“I don't want Brittany to be my mommy.””
Darius kissed her hair.
“You don't have to pretend she is.””
The little girl finally relaxed.
After a few minutes, she fell asleep against his shoulder.
Darius stayed beside her until Evelyn returned with a blanket.
When he stepped into the hallway, his phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number appeared.
*You need to stop asking questions about Brittany.*
He stared at the screen.
Another message arrived.
*You don't know what she has been protecting you from.*
Darius immediately called the number.
It went straight to voicemail.
He returned to his office.
James and Marcus were still examining the documents.
“Something happened?”” Marcus asked.
Darius showed them the messages.
James read them twice.
“Don't respond.””
“I'm not planning to.””
James placed his phone on the desk.
“I've also checked the signature.””
“And?””
“The document appears to have been created using a digital copy of your signature from the original estate paperwork.””
Marcus frowned.
“So whoever did this had access to the old documents.””
James nodded.
“Or access to someone who did.””
Darius looked toward the stairs.
“Brittany had access to my office.””
“Yes,” James replied.
“But we shouldn't assume she acted alone.””
Darius's phone rang.
This time, the caller ID displayed Brittany's name.
He answered.
“What?””
Her voice sounded breathless.
“Darius, where are you?””
“At home.””
“Why did you cancel the party?””
“Because my daughter was hurt.””
“Can we please stop exaggerating?””
Darius closed his eyes.
“Don't.””
“I was trying to help Kayla look presentable. You know how difficult she's been lately.””
“She is six years old.””
“She needs discipline.””
“She needed you to stop cutting her hair.””
Brittany sighed.
“You're making me sound like some monster.””
“You did that yourself.””
There was a pause.
Then she spoke more softly.
“Darius, I know you're upset. But we need to remember what we're building together.””
“What we're building?””
“Our family.””
Darius looked at the photograph of Renee on his desk.
“My family doesn't involve hurting my daughter.””
Brittany's voice sharpened.
“You can't keep putting that child before me.””
He didn't answer immediately.
Then he spoke in a low, steady voice.
“She is my child. There is no competition.””
Brittany went silent.
Finally, she said, “You're going to regret treating me like this.””
Darius ended the call.
Marcus looked at him.
“That's it?””
“That's it.””
“Are you ending the engagement?””
Darius stared at the phone.
“I'm finding out what she's done first.””
James gathered the documents.
“There's another issue we need to discuss.””
Darius turned.
“What?””
“Renee's trust includes a sealed letter that can only be opened if someone attempts to improperly interfere with Kayla's inheritance.””
Darius frowned.
“A sealed letter?””
James nodded.
“She instructed me to keep it with the original trust documents. The condition has now been triggered.””
He opened his briefcase and removed a cream-colored envelope.
Darius recognized Renee's handwriting on the front.
*For Darius. Only if someone tries to take what belongs to our daughter.*
His hands began to tremble.
“Why didn't you tell me about this before?””
“Because Renee specifically instructed me not to open it unless the condition was met.””
Darius sat down.
James handed him the envelope.
For several seconds, he simply stared at it.
Then he carefully broke the seal.
Inside was a handwritten letter and a small flash drive.
He unfolded the letter.
My darling Darius,
If you're reading this, someone has tried to interfere with Kayla's future. I wish I were there to protect her with you.
There is something I never told you because I didn't want it to affect the way you lived your life.
Before I became seriously ill, I discovered something about a woman who would eventually enter our family.
Darius stopped reading.
Marcus leaned forward.
“What is it?””
Darius continued.
I found evidence that someone close to us had been asking questions about Kayla's inheritance long before I died.
I couldn't prove who was responsible.
But I left the evidence with someone I trusted.
If you ever find yourself reading this letter, please ask Evelyn Carter what happened the night she brought Kayla home from the hospital.
Darius slowly lowered the paper.
Marcus looked confused.
“Evelyn?””
James frowned.
“Does she know anything about this?””
Darius looked toward the guest bedroom.
“I don't know.””
He picked up the flash drive.
“What is on this?””
James shook his head.
“I haven't examined it.””
Darius inserted it into his laptop.
A single video file appeared.
The date was almost two years old.
It had been recorded several weeks before Renee died.
Darius clicked play.
Renee appeared on the screen.
She was sitting in her bedroom, looking tired but smiling.
“Hello, my darling,” she began.
Darius's eyes filled immediately.
He hadn't heard her voice in two years.
Renee adjusted the camera.
“If you're watching this, something happened that I was afraid of.””
She looked directly into the lens.
“Darius, I need you to listen carefully. This isn't about money. It's about Kayla.””
Darius leaned closer.
Renee took a breath.
“There's someone who has been pretending to care about our family. Someone who believes that if I disappear, they will finally have access to everything.””
Her voice trembled.
“I found out that Brittany Collins—”
The video suddenly froze.
Darius stared at the screen.
Then the file went black.
A notification appeared.
*VIDEO FILE DAMAGED.*
Marcus stood up.
“What the hell?””
James immediately examined the drive.
“Don't touch anything.””
Darius looked at the frozen image of his wife.
“Can you recover it?””
“Possibly. I'll have a specialist examine it.””
Darius picked up the letter again.
Please ask Evelyn Carter what happened the night she brought Kayla home from the hospital.
His stomach tightened.
He walked out of the office.
Evelyn was downstairs, collecting the scattered flowers.
“Evelyn.””
She turned.
“Yes, sir?””
“Can we talk?””
“Of course.””
He waited until they were alone.
“Renee left me a letter.””
Evelyn's face changed.
Darius noticed immediately.
“She mentioned you.””
Evelyn slowly put down the flowers.
“What did she say?””
“She asked me to find out what happened the night you brought Kayla home from the hospital.””
For several seconds, Evelyn said nothing.
Then she sat down.
Her hands began trembling.
“Mrs. Renee told you about that?””
“Not exactly. She left a message.””
Evelyn looked toward the stairs.
“Is Kayla safe?””
“Yes. She's sleeping.””
Evelyn nodded.
Then she covered her mouth.
“Sir, there's something I've been afraid to tell you for almost six years.””
Darius pulled out a chair.
“What happened?””
Evelyn looked him directly in the eyes.
“The night Kayla came home from the hospital, I found something inside her baby blanket.””
Darius frowned.
“What?””
“A hospital bracelet.””
“So?””
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“It had a different name on it.””
Darius felt the room tilt.
“What name?””
Evelyn swallowed.
“Brittany Collins.””
He stared at her.
“That doesn't make any sense.””
“I know.””
“Brittany wasn't part of our lives six years ago.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“That's what I thought too.””
Darius stepped closer.
“Tell me exactly what you're saying.””
Evelyn began crying.
“I didn't understand it then, sir. But Mrs. Renee did. She found the bracelet and asked me to keep quiet until she knew the truth.””
Darius's voice became barely audible.
“Evelyn…”
She looked at him.
May you like
Then she delivered the words that shattered everything he thought he knew.
“Brittany was at the hospital the night Kayla was born. And Mrs. Renee believed she had come there looking for your daughter.””
