Chapter 5: The Original
Nobody spoke while Isaiah listened.
The ballroom had stopped feeling like a wedding reception.
It felt like a courtroom without a judge.
Isaiah walked toward the windows.
"Say that again.""
The attorney's voice was low.
"Your grandfather's original document does not leave the house to you.""
Isaiah stared through the glass.
Outside, sunlight washed over the parking lot.
Guests moved beyond the ballroom windows, unaware of the disaster inside.
"Who gets it?""
"Evelyn.""
Isaiah's eyes closed.
"Grandma?""
"Yes.""
He turned.
Evelyn was watching him.
She already knew.
Isaiah lowered the phone.
"You knew.""
Evelyn nodded.
"Yes.""
Brielle whispered,
"So the house was never his.""
Isaiah looked at her.
"Not according to the original.""
Brielle's expression changed.
"Then why did you think it was?""
He looked at the altered document.
"I was told Grandpa left it to me.""
"By who?""
Isaiah looked down at the paper.
He didn't answer.
Brielle took another step.
"Isaiah.""
He looked up.
"How did you know?""
She swallowed.
"Your grandfather told me.""
Isaiah stared.
"My grandfather died before we met.""
"I know.""
"Then how could he tell you?""
Brielle said nothing.
Evelyn stood.
"Brielle.""
"What?""
"Tell him.""
Brielle's eyes filled.
"Tell him what?""
"The truth.""
Isaiah looked between them.
"Someone start talking.""
Evelyn slowly walked toward the center of the room.
Her hands were shaking.
"I met Brielle before you did.""
Isaiah's face tightened.
"When?""
"Three years ago.""
He looked at Brielle.
"Three years?""
She nodded.
"I was working at the community center.""
Evelyn continued.
"Brielle volunteered there.""
Isaiah remembered.
Brielle had once told him she had spent time helping elderly residents.
He had admired her for it.
"You told me you volunteered because you loved helping people.""
"I did.""
"Then why didn't you tell me you knew Grandma?""
"I didn't know she was your grandmother.""
Isaiah looked at Evelyn.
"Did you know who she was?""
"Not at first.""
Brielle's voice cracked.
"She knew eventually.""
Isaiah waited.
Evelyn took a breath.
"Your grandfather had started asking questions about Brielle's family.""
Isaiah frowned.
"Why?""
"Because he recognized her last name.""
Brielle's face went pale.
"What did he know?""
Evelyn looked at her.
"He knew your mother.""
Silence.
Isaiah turned toward Brielle.
"Your mother?""
Brielle nodded slowly.
"What about her?""
Evelyn answered.
"She worked for your grandfather.""
Isaiah's brow furrowed.
"Doing what?""
"Managing some of his properties.""
Brielle's voice was barely audible.
"She was his assistant.""
Isaiah stared at her.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I didn't think it mattered.""
"You keep saying that.""
"I was scared.""
"Of what?""
"Of losing you.""
Isaiah gave a bitter laugh.
"You've spent all afternoon making sure you lost me.""
Brielle flinched.
"I know.""
Evelyn stepped closer.
"Your grandfather fired her.""
"Why?""
"Money.""
Brielle closed her eyes.
Isaiah looked at her.
"Did she steal from him?""
Brielle shook her head.
"No.""
Evelyn's voice was quiet.
"She was accused of stealing.""
"Was she?""
"No.""
Isaiah looked confused.
"Then what happened?""
Evelyn glanced toward the photograph.
"Your grandfather discovered someone had been moving money through one of his property accounts.""
Isaiah's stomach tightened.
"Who?""
Evelyn didn't answer.
Brielle did.
"My mother.""
Isaiah looked at her.
"You just said she didn't steal.""
"She didn't.""
"Then what happened?""
Brielle wiped her eyes.
"She took the money.""
Isaiah stared.
"That sounds like stealing.""
"She took it because someone was threatening her.""
"Who?""
Brielle shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Evelyn looked toward the floor.
"I do.""
Isaiah turned.
"Grandma?""
She hesitated.
"The person threatening her was your grandfather.""
Isaiah's face went blank.
"What?""
Evelyn's eyes filled.
"He discovered she knew something about him.""
"About what?""
She shook her head.
"That's not my story to tell.""
Isaiah's voice sharpened.
"It became my story when you put my name on that document.""
Evelyn looked at him.
"I never put your name on it.""
Isaiah froze.
"What?""
"The altered agreement.""
She pointed toward the paper.
"I didn't make that.""
The attorney's words echoed in Isaiah's mind.
The original was altered.
Someone had changed the inheritance terms.
Isaiah looked at Brielle.
"You knew about the altered document.""
Brielle shook her head.
"No.""
"Did you?""
"No.""
"Then how did you know about the house?""
"Because someone showed me the document.""
"Who?""
She hesitated.
Isaiah's voice dropped.
"Who showed you?""
Brielle whispered,
"My mother.""
Isaiah looked toward the attorney on the phone.
"Can you still hear me?""
"Yes.""
"Who altered the document?""
The attorney hesitated.
"We don't know yet.""
"Do you know when?""
"About eighteen months ago.""
Isaiah's blood ran cold.
He looked at Brielle.
They had started dating twenty months ago.
Brielle saw the realization in his face.
"Isaiah...""
"She knew about the house before we dated.""
"Yes.""
"You knew about the document before we dated.""
"Yes.""
"And you never told me.""
"I was afraid.""
"Afraid of what?""
She cried silently.
"That you'd never look at me the same way.""
"You were right.""
Her shoulders shook.
Isaiah looked at Evelyn.
"Why did Grandpa leave the house to you?""
Evelyn took a long breath.
"Because he knew what the house represented.""
"What?""
"Evidence.""
The word hit Isaiah like a physical blow.
He looked toward the family photograph.
"Evidence of what?""
Evelyn walked to a nearby chair and sat.
Her hands folded in her lap.
"Your grandfather built that house with money nobody knew about.""
Isaiah stared.
"Money from where?""
"From his first business.""
"What was wrong with it?""
"Nothing.""
Evelyn paused.
"At least, that's what everyone believed.""
She looked at him.
"Your grandfather was not the man you thought he was.""
Isaiah's throat tightened.
"What did he do?""
Evelyn shook her head.
"I promised him I wouldn't tell you unless I had no choice.""
"He's dead.""
"I know.""
"So you don't owe him anything.""
Evelyn looked toward the cake wreckage.
"Maybe not.""
She reached into the pocket of her lilac dress.
She pulled out a small brass key.
Isaiah stared.
"What is that?""
"The key to your grandfather's study.""
"You still have it?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because he told me that one day you'd need to see what was inside.""
Isaiah took a step toward her.
"When?""
"The night before he died.""
The ballroom seemed to tilt.
"What did he say?""
Evelyn looked directly at him.
"He said, 'If Isaiah ever marries someone who knows about the house, give him the key.''"
Isaiah's face went cold.
Everyone looked at Brielle.
She whispered,
"I didn't know about that.""
Evelyn stood.
"I believe you.""
Isaiah looked at his grandmother.
"Why didn't you give me the key?""
"Because you never asked.""
"I didn't know to ask.""
"I know.""
"Then why today?""
Evelyn looked toward the wedding ring sitting on the cake table.
"Because today proved he was right.""
Brielle stepped forward.
"Right about what?""
Evelyn's eyes met hers.
"That someday, someone would try to make Isaiah choose between love and the truth.""
Brielle shook her head.
"You think I did this?""
"I think you know more than you've told him.""
"I don't.""
"Then open your purse.""
Brielle stiffened.
"What?""
"Open your purse.""
Isaiah looked at her.
"Brielle.""
She stepped backward.
"Why?""
Evelyn pointed at the white envelope Brielle had left on a nearby chair.
"Because I saw what you put inside it.""
Brielle's face drained of color.
Isaiah walked toward the purse.
"What is she talking about?""
Brielle grabbed it.
"Nothing.""
"Then show me.""
"No.""
"Brielle.""
She clutched the purse against her chest.
"I said no.""
Isaiah stopped.
The room went silent again.
Evelyn's voice was barely above a whisper.
"Isaiah, ask her about the photograph.""
He looked at Brielle.
"What photograph?""
Brielle didn't move.
Evelyn continued.
"The one your grandfather took the night your mother came to the house.""
Isaiah's heart hammered.
"Brielle?""
Brielle slowly opened her purse.
She pulled out a photograph.
She stared at it.
Then handed it to him.
Isaiah took it.
The image showed his grandfather standing outside the house.
Beside him was Brielle's mother.
And behind them, barely visible through the doorway, was a teenage boy.
Isaiah leaned closer.
He recognized the face.
His own father.
But there was something written across the bottom of the photograph.
A date.
And beneath it, four words.
*HE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED.*
Isaiah looked up.
"Who wrote this?""
Brielle's eyes filled.
"My mother.""
"Where is she now?""
Brielle looked toward the ballroom doors.
May you like
Then she whispered,
"She's here.""