Chapter 9: The Daughter They Tried to Blame
For a moment, nobody spoke.
The authorization form lay on the coffee table.
My name was printed across the top.
My signature appeared at the bottom.
And the date was from the previous year.
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"Well?""
I stared at her.
"That's not my signature.""
She laughed.
"Of course it isn't. You'd say that.""
My father examined the document.
"Where did you get this?""
"From the company files.""
"Which files?""
"Your accountant provided them.""
I turned toward James's empty seat in my father's office.
He had already left for Patricia's office.
"James gave you this?""
Vanessa didn't answer.
Instead, she looked at Madison.
"Tell them what you know.""
Madison shook her head.
"Mom, stop.""
Vanessa's eyes narrowed.
"Don't you dare.""
My father stepped between them.
"Nobody is forcing Madison to say anything.""
Vanessa looked furious.
"She's my daughter.""
"And she's an adult.""
Madison wiped her face.
"I didn't sign that.""
Vanessa turned sharply.
"What?""
"I didn't sign it.""
Vanessa grabbed the document.
"You know exactly what you did!""
Madison stepped backward.
"I know what I did. I bought things I shouldn't have bought. I used Dad's card. But I didn't sign Nia's name.""
I looked at her.
For the first time, she was openly contradicting her mother.
Vanessa's face turned red.
"You ungrateful little girl.""
Madison flinched.
My father stepped forward.
"Don't speak to her like that.""
Vanessa laughed.
"Now you're defending her?""
"I'm defending my daughter.""
"Which one?""
My father looked at her.
"Both of them, if they stop lying.""
Vanessa's expression changed.
She looked toward Madison.
Then toward me.
And finally at the document.
I understood what she was doing.
She was trying to create enough confusion that nobody would know which transactions belonged to whom.
"Can I see that?"" I asked.
Vanessa hesitated.
Then she handed it to me.
I examined the signature.
It looked similar to mine.
But the final letter was wrong.
I had a habit of crossing the letter T with a long horizontal stroke.
This signature didn't.
I turned the document over.
There was a small reference number in the bottom corner.
My father leaned closer.
"What's that?""
I read it aloud.
"Application 4098-B.""
James had shown us the original transaction records earlier.
I remembered the same numbering format.
I opened my phone and searched through the photographs I had taken.
There it was.
The original document.
It had the same reference number.
But a different signature.
And a different date.
I placed the two images side by side.
"This document has been altered.""
Vanessa looked at me.
"Don't be ridiculous.""
I pointed to the reference number.
"The original authorization was submitted four months later than the date on this one.""
My father took the phone.
He compared the two documents.
Then his expression hardened.
"Someone changed the date.""
Vanessa shrugged.
"Maybe the bank made a mistake.""
I looked at her.
"And someone copied my signature?""
She rolled her eyes.
"You expect us to believe you're the only honest person in this family?""
I didn't respond.
My father called Patricia.
He explained what had happened and sent her photographs of both documents.
She asked us to preserve the original and not let Vanessa take it.
Then she said something that made my father straighten.
"The reference number is important. I can request the bank's original electronic submission.""
Vanessa's expression changed.
For the first time, she looked genuinely nervous.
My father noticed.
"Why are you worried?""
"I'm not.""
"Then stay while we verify it.""
Vanessa grabbed her handbag.
"I have somewhere to be.""
My father moved toward the front door.
"You're not leaving with those documents.""
She stared at him.
"You cannot keep me here.""
"I'm not keeping you anywhere. I'm telling you that the evidence stays.""
Vanessa threw the document onto the table.
"Fine.""
She turned toward the stairs.
Then Madison spoke.
"Mom, where are you going?""
Vanessa stopped.
"Pack your things.""
Madison shook her head.
"I'm not going.""
Vanessa slowly turned around.
"What did you say?""
"I'm staying here.""
Vanessa laughed.
"After everything I've done for you?""
Madison looked at her mother.
"You told me the money was ours.""
"It was.""
"No, it wasn't.""
Vanessa stepped closer.
"You ungrateful child.""
Madison wiped her eyes.
"You promised me two million dollars.""
My father froze.
I stared at Madison.
Vanessa's face went white.
Madison continued.
"You said we'd sell the company. You said I'd go to London. You said Nia would be declared incapable and nobody would ever know what happened.""
Vanessa slapped her hand against the staircase railing.
"Shut up!""
Madison flinched but kept speaking.
"You told me Dad would be blamed for everything.""
My father looked at Vanessa.
"You planned to frame me?""
Vanessa said nothing.
Madison nodded.
"She did.""
I felt a cold wave move through me.
Vanessa looked at her daughter.
"You're making a terrible mistake.""
Madison shook her head.
"No. I made a terrible mistake when I believed you.""
Vanessa picked up her handbag.
Then she turned toward my father.
"You think this changes anything? You think you can just throw me away?""
Richard looked exhausted.
"I think you should leave.""
Vanessa stared at him.
For a moment, I thought she might scream.
Instead, she smiled.
A small, cold smile.
"You still don't know everything.""
My father didn't move.
"Then tell us.""
Vanessa looked directly at me.
"Your mother wasn't the only person who wanted control of that company.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
She laughed.
"Ask your father why he never told you about the first offer to buy the shares.""
My father went still.
I turned toward him.
"Dad?""
He looked at Vanessa.
"Don't.""
Vanessa lifted her chin.
"Tell her.""
My father closed his eyes.
Then he spoke.
"Years ago, before your mother became ill, I received an offer to buy into her company.""
I stared at him.
"You?""
He nodded.
"I considered it.""
"Why didn't you?""
"Your mother refused.""
Vanessa smiled.
"Because she knew what you were planning.""
My father turned toward her.
"Enough.""
But I needed an answer.
"What was he planning?""
My father looked at me.
"I wanted to merge some of my construction company's operations with Elaine's property business. It was a legitimate proposal.""
"Then why did Mom refuse?""
"She believed keeping the businesses separate would protect you.""
Vanessa laughed.
"She believed Richard would eventually want control of everything.""
My father shook his head.
"That isn't true.""
I looked between them.
"Did Mom ever think you wanted her company?""
He hesitated.
That hesitation hurt.
"She worried about it," he admitted.
I felt my throat tighten.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because it was years ago. We resolved it.""
Vanessa picked up her handbag.
"Did you?""
My father looked at her.
She smiled again.
"Then perhaps you should tell Nia about the agreement you signed.""
My father didn't move.
I turned toward him.
"What agreement?""
He looked down.
"An agreement that gave me limited voting authority over certain company matters.""
I stared at him.
"Why?""
"Elaine asked me to help with operations during her treatment.""
Vanessa nodded.
"And that agreement was never properly revoked.""
My father's face hardened.
"That's not what it says.""
"Isn't it?""
I felt as if the floor were disappearing beneath me.
For months, I had believed Vanessa and Daniel were the only people trying to take my inheritance.
Now I was learning that my father had once held legal authority over the company too.
I looked at him.
"Did you use it?""
"No.""
"Did you know about the transfers?""
"No.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
He stepped toward me.
"Because I didn't think it was relevant.""
I pulled away.
"It is relevant when my mother left me something and everyone around me seems to have some kind of claim on it.""
His face fell.
I went upstairs.
I needed air.
I needed to think.
A few minutes later, Madison knocked on my bedroom door.
"Can I come in?""
I didn't answer immediately.
Then I opened it.
She was holding a small notebook.
"I found this in Mom's suitcase.""
I looked at it.
"What is it?""
"Her notes.""
I took the notebook.
Inside were dates, names, and transaction amounts.
Some entries were marked with initials.
V.C.
D.C.
J.C.
But one page was different.
It contained a handwritten list of people who had been given access to the original company records.
The first name was Daniel.
The second was Vanessa.
The third was James Collins.
The fourth was Richard.
I stared at it.
Then I turned the page.
A sentence was written in red ink.
The only person who can stop the transfer is the original custodian.
I looked at Madison.
"Who is the original custodian?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
I searched the notebook.
There were several references to a person named Eleanor Brooks.
I recognized the surname.
She had been my mother's closest business associate.
But I had never met her.
I called Patricia.
She answered immediately.
"Nia?""
"Do you know someone named Eleanor Brooks?""
There was a pause.
Then Patricia said:
"Yes.""
"Who is she?""
"She was your mother's original independent custodian before I took over the legal administration.""
"Can she stop the transfer?""
"Potentially. Why are you asking?""
I explained what we had found.
Patricia went quiet.
Then she said:
"That's very important. Eleanor has the original corporate seal and the final signed voting agreement.""
I looked at Madison.
"Where can we find her?""
Patricia gave me an address.
But before she could explain further, she added:
"Nia, there is something you should know. Eleanor disappeared from the company's records shortly after Elaine died.""
My stomach tightened.
"Disappeared?""
"She resigned and moved away. Nobody has heard from her in years.""
I looked down at the notebook.
There was a phone number written beside her name.
A number my mother had apparently kept.
I dialed it.
It rang twice.
Then a woman's voice answered.
"Hello?""
I swallowed.
"Is this Eleanor Brooks?""
"Who is calling?""
"My name is Nia Carter.""
Silence.
Then the woman's voice changed.
"Oh, Elaine's daughter.""
I felt tears gather.
"You knew my mother?""
"I did, sweetheart.""
"I found some of her documents. She left your name.""
Another pause.
Then Eleanor asked:
"Did Daniel find out?""
"I don't know.""
Her voice became urgent.
"Listen carefully. Do not sign anything. Do not agree to any transfer. And do not trust the documents Vanessa is showing you.""
I gripped the phone.
"Why?""
Eleanor lowered her voice.
"Because the agreement they are using is not the original.""
"What do you mean?""
"The original agreement contains a clause that Daniel has spent years trying to hide.""
I looked toward my father.
"What clause?""
Eleanor took a breath.
"If anyone attempts to steal or fraudulently transfer the controlling shares, the original voting rights automatically return to the beneficiary.""
My heart began racing.
"So the shares are mine?""
"Not quite.""
"What does that mean?""
Eleanor paused.
Then she said:
"Your mother placed one final condition on the inheritance. Before you can take control, you must discover who actually owns the remaining thirty-eight percent.""
I frowned.
"Who owns it?""
Eleanor's voice softened.
"Your father.""
I stared at Richard.
He looked stunned.
Eleanor continued.
"Elaine transferred the remaining shares to him years ago. But he was never told the full reason.""
My father slowly approached.
"What reason?""
Eleanor was quiet for several seconds.
Then she answered.
"Because your mother wanted to make sure that if anyone ever tried to steal Nia's inheritance, Richard would have the power to stop them.""
I felt a strange mixture of relief and confusion.
My father wasn't trying to take my mother's company.
He had been given part of it to protect me.
But Eleanor wasn't finished.
"There's one more thing, Nia.""
"What?""
"The emergency board meeting is tomorrow morning.""
I looked at the clock.
It was already late.
"Can we stop it?""
"Yes. But only if I attend in person with the original shareholder agreement.""
"Where are you?""
Eleanor gave me an address.
Then she added:
"And Nia, don't tell Daniel I'm coming.""
The call ended.
I looked at my father.
For the first time in weeks, he smiled.
"We can stop them.""
But just as he reached for his jacket, Patricia called.
Her voice was shaking.
"Richard, I need you to listen.""
"What happened?""
"Daniel has already arrived at the company headquarters.""
"Why?""
Patricia paused.
"Because he's calling an emergency meeting right now.""
I looked at my father.
"That's impossible. The meeting is tomorrow.""
Patricia lowered her voice.
"He has produced a new agreement. And according to the document, he has already acquired enough voting rights to remove Nia as beneficiary.""
My father stared at me.
May you like
Then Patricia said the words that made my heart stop.
"The board has voted. Nia's inheritance has been transferred.""
