Chapter 9: The Living Will
The courthouse was almost empty when they arrived.
Adrian walked through the marble hallway with Jasmine beside him.
Monique followed.
Marcus and Rebecca stayed several steps behind.
Nobody spoke.
At the end of the corridor, a clerk stood waiting.
“Mr. Cole?””
Adrian nodded.
“I need to see the petition.””
The clerk handed him a folder.
He opened it.
The first page contained his father's name.
*Samuel Cole.*
Underneath it was a legal declaration dated fifteen years earlier.
Adrian's hands began shaking.
“He was dead before this was filed.””
The clerk nodded.
“We know.””
“Then who filed it?””
“His estate attorney.””
“Who?””
The clerk looked at Rebecca.
She stepped forward.
“Me.””
Adrian stared.
“You filed this?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because my mother found it.””
She pointed to the folder.
“Your father's final instructions.””
Adrian opened the next page.
It wasn't a will.
It was a declaration.
Samuel Cole had anticipated the possibility that his son might become involved with Jasmine's trust.
He had written that if Adrian ever became Jasmine's guardian, the trust could not be transferred, sold, borrowed against, or accessed by anyone except Jasmine.
Adrian looked up.
“That means Darren couldn't touch it.””
Rebecca nodded.
“Not legally.””
“Then how did he?””
“Fraud.””
Adrian turned another page.
There was a list of transactions.
Every fraudulent transfer.
Every forged signature.
Every shell company.
Every payment.
The evidence was overwhelming.
But then Adrian saw something else.
His own name.
Not as a victim.
As a beneficiary.
He stared.
“What is this?””
Rebecca answered quietly.
“Your father left you something.””
“I thought everything went to Jasmine.””
“Almost everything.””
She pointed to the bottom of the page.
“He left you the controlling interest in the company.””
Adrian frowned.
“What company?””
Rebecca looked at Monique.
“The company your father and Jasmine's grandfather built together.””
Monique covered her mouth.
Adrian stared at her.
“You knew.””
“I suspected.””
“You've known all this time?””
“No.””
“Then when did you find out?””
“Three years ago.””
Adrian's voice hardened.
“Three years?””
Monique cried.
“I didn't know what to do.””
Jasmine stepped between them.
“Stop.””
Both turned.
Jasmine looked at her mother.
“You don't get to decide what he deserves to know anymore.””
Monique nodded.
“You're right.””
Jasmine looked at Adrian.
“Open everything.””
Adrian looked down at the documents.
He continued reading.
His father had written a final letter.
It began:
*Adrian,*
*If you've reached this page, then you finally know the truth about Jasmine.*
Adrian stopped.
His eyes burned.
He kept reading.
*I chose you because you were the only man I knew who could love a child without asking what she could give you.*
Adrian closed his eyes.
Jasmine began crying beside him.
The letter continued.
*Her grandfather trusted money. Marcus trusted courage. Monique trusted fear. But I trusted you.*
Adrian whispered, “Why didn't he tell me?””
Rebecca answered.
“He died before he could.””
Adrian looked at the date.
It was the week before Adrian met Monique.
His father had known.
He had known Jasmine existed.
He had known what was coming.
And he had died without telling his son.
Adrian turned the page.
The final paragraph made him stop.
*If Marcus returns, listen to him. He was not your enemy.*
Adrian looked at Marcus.
Marcus's eyes were wet.
Adrian held out the letter.
Marcus read it.
His jaw tightened.
“He knew.””
Adrian nodded.
“He knew everything.””
Marcus looked down.
“I wish he had told me too.””
A courthouse door opened.
An attorney entered.
He carried another folder.
“Mr. Cole?””
“Yes.””
“There's one final matter.””
“What?””
The attorney handed him a document.
“This was recovered from a safety deposit box.””
Adrian opened it.
It was a photograph.
His father.
Jasmine's grandfather.
Marcus.
Monique.
Darren.
And a woman Adrian didn't recognize.
Everyone was standing around a conference table.
On the table sat a sealed envelope.
Adrian turned the photograph over.
On the back, his father's handwriting read:
*The original agreement.*
Adrian looked at Rebecca.
“Where is the envelope?””
She shook her head.
“We haven't found it.””
Darren's voice suddenly came from behind them.
“Because I have it.””
Everyone turned.
Two officers escorted Darren into the hallway.
He had been released temporarily for the hearing.
His wrists were cuffed.
But he was smiling.
Adrian stepped forward.
“Where is it?””
Darren looked at Jasmine.
“Ask your mother.””
Jasmine turned.
“Mom?””
Monique stared at Darren.
“You don't have it.””
Darren smiled.
“I gave it to you.””
“No.””
“You signed for it.””
Monique shook her head.
“I never saw it.””
Darren looked at Adrian.
“She did.””
Adrian turned toward Monique.
“What is he talking about?””
Monique began crying.
“I don't remember.””
Darren laughed.
“Of course you don't.””
Marcus moved toward him.
“What did you do?””
Darren's smile disappeared.
“I gave Monique one choice.””
“What choice?””
“She could protect Jasmine.””
Marcus stared.
“How?””
Darren looked at Adrian.
“By making sure Adrian never learned who his father really was.””
Adrian froze.
“What does that mean?””
Darren leaned closer.
“Your father wasn't just Jasmine's guardian.””
He smiled.
“He was her grandfather's partner.””
Adrian stared.
“That makes no sense.””
Darren shook his head.
“It does when you know the truth.””
Jasmine stepped forward.
“What truth?””
Darren looked at her.
“Your grandfather wasn't your biological grandfather.””
Silence.
Monique's face collapsed.
Adrian stared at her.
Jasmine whispered, “Mom?””
Monique couldn't speak.
Marcus looked at her.
“Tell her.””
Monique shook her head.
“Please.””
Jasmine's voice trembled.
“Tell me.””
Monique finally raised her eyes.
“You were adopted.””
Jasmine stopped breathing.
Adrian's eyes widened.
Marcus looked stunned.
Darren smiled.
“And the man you just called your real father?””
He looked at Marcus.
“He isn't your biological father either.””
Jasmine staggered backward.
“No.””
Darren's expression became almost triumphant.
“The DNA records are in the original agreement.””
Adrian looked at Rebecca.
“Find it.””
Rebecca nodded.
“I will.””
Jasmine stood trembling in the middle of the courthouse.
She looked at Monique.
Then Marcus.
Then Adrian.
Her voice was barely audible.
“Then who am I?””
Nobody answered.
Until the courthouse doors opened again.
A woman stepped inside.
She carried a sealed envelope.
She looked at Jasmine.
Then at Adrian.
And said:
“I know.””
May you like
She walked toward them.
“And I've been waiting twenty-two years to tell you.””