Chapter 6: The Woman Who Stole Their Childhood
Victoria Bennett didn't look like someone who had destroyed another family's life.
She wore a pearl necklace, perfectly polished shoes, and a cream-colored suit that appeared to have been tailored specifically for her.
Her hair was styled neatly.
Her makeup was flawless.
She looked like the kind of woman who donated large sums to charity and expected her photograph to appear beside the announcement.
But Daniel couldn't stop staring at her.
“You stole my mother's money?””
Victoria glanced at him.
“That's an emotional way to describe a complicated financial arrangement.””
“My mother was working two jobs.””
Victoria removed her gloves.
“Many people work two jobs.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Because you kept her money?””
Richard moved between them.
“Victoria, answer the question.””
She sighed.
“Arthur made the original decisions. I simply maintained the accounts after he died.””
Richard looked at her.
“You knew Grace was trying to contact us.””
“Of course.””
“And you ignored her letters?””
Victoria gave a small shrug.
“They were inconvenient.””
Daniel's hands curled into fists.
“My mother begged you for help.””
Victoria looked directly at him.
“Your mother should have accepted that the agreement was no longer active.””
“Who canceled it?””
Victoria didn't answer.
Richard opened the notebook.
“Arthur transferred the trust funds into private accounts. You continued those transfers for six years.””
Victoria's expression remained calm.
“Those funds belonged to the Bennett family.””
“They belonged to two children.””
“Charlotte had everything she needed.””
Richard's voice sharpened.
“That wasn't the agreement.””
Victoria looked toward the doorway.
“Perhaps we should discuss this without the boy.””
Daniel laughed once.
“I'm the reason we're having this conversation.””
Victoria turned toward him.
“You're Grace's son. I know exactly who you are.””
“Then you know my mother died believing she had failed to protect me.””
Victoria's expression barely changed.
“That's unfortunate.””
Richard slammed the notebook onto the desk.
“Enough!””
The sound echoed through the music room.
Victoria looked at him.
“You're becoming emotional.””
“I'm becoming aware of what you've done.””
She walked toward the piano.
“Richard, let's not pretend you were innocent. You signed the original documents. You approved the account transfers.””
Richard froze.
Daniel turned toward him.
“You signed them?””
Richard looked down.
“I signed documents Arthur gave me. I believed they were routine administrative approvals.””
Victoria smiled.
“There you are. The truth.””
Daniel took a step back.
“So you both knew?””
Richard immediately shook his head.
“No. I didn't know where the money was going.””
“But you signed.””
“Yes.””
“And my mother suffered.””
Richard had no defense.
He looked at the floor.
“I am sorry.””
Daniel's eyes filled.
“Sorry doesn't give her back those years.””
“No,” Richard whispered.
“It doesn't.””
Charlotte arrived twenty minutes later.
Margaret had brought her from the estate after Richard called.
She entered the music room and immediately sensed the tension.
“What's happening?””
Victoria's expression changed instantly.
“Charlotte, sweetheart.””
Charlotte looked at her.
“Why are you here?””
Victoria approached her wheelchair.
“To make sure everything is all right.””
Charlotte leaned away slightly.
“I'm fine.””
Victoria glanced at Daniel.
“Unfortunately, some people have taken advantage of your kindness.””
Daniel shook his head.
“Don't talk about me like I'm not here.””
Victoria ignored him.
“Charlotte, you must understand that the boy's family has a complicated history with ours.””
Charlotte looked at Richard.
“Is that true?””
Richard nodded.
“His mother and your mother were close.””
“Then why didn't I know?””
Victoria interrupted.
“Because some friendships are better left in the past.””
Charlotte's face tightened.
“My mother didn't think so.””
Victoria's smile faded.
Richard held up the letter.
“Evelyn left instructions. She wanted Daniel included in the trust.””
Victoria laughed.
“Evelyn was sick when she wrote that.””
Charlotte looked at her sharply.
“Don't say that.””
Victoria sighed.
“I'm only being realistic.””
“No,” Charlotte said.
“You're being mean.””
The room fell silent.
Victoria stared at the little girl.
For a moment, she seemed genuinely surprised.
Then she crouched.
“Charlotte, I've always wanted what was best for you.””
“Then why did you hide my mother's letters?””
Victoria's face changed.
Richard looked up.
“What letters?””
Charlotte pointed toward the photograph on the piano.
“I found a box in my mother's old bedroom last month. It had letters from Grace.””
Daniel turned sharply.
“You found letters?””
Charlotte nodded.
“I wanted to show Mr. Whitmore, but Victoria told me they were old and didn't matter.””
Richard stared at Victoria.
“You knew?””
Victoria straightened.
“I didn't want Charlotte confused.””
Daniel's voice trembled.
“My mother wrote to Evelyn?””
“Many times,” Charlotte said.
“Did you read them?””
Charlotte nodded.
“One letter said Grace wanted to visit me. Another said she had a little boy who liked music.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
That was him.
His mother had wanted him to meet Charlotte.
She had wanted them to grow up together.
And someone had stolen that possibility.
“Where are those letters?”” he asked.
Victoria picked up her handbag.
“They're private family documents.””
Richard stepped toward her.
“Give them to us.””
“No.””
“Victoria.””
She looked at him coldly.
“You should be careful, Richard. I know what happened the night Evelyn died.””
Richard stopped.
Charlotte looked between them.
“What does that mean?””
Victoria glanced at Daniel.
Then at Richard.
“Ask him why he wasn't there when Evelyn called for help.””
Richard's face drained.
Daniel stared at him.
“What?””
Richard's mouth opened.
No words came out.
Victoria continued.
“Your mother was trying to contact him that night too, Daniel. She had discovered something about the trust.””
Daniel's heart began racing.
“My mother?””
Victoria nodded.
“Grace called the estate. She said she had evidence. She wanted to speak to Evelyn.””
Richard looked furious.
“Stop.””
“But you weren't here,” Victoria said.
“You were at a business meeting.””
Daniel turned toward Richard.
“Did my mother call you?””
Richard looked down.
“I received a message.””
“Did you answer?””
“No.””
“Why?””
Richard's eyes filled.
“Because I didn't know it was urgent.””
Victoria smiled.
“Convenient.””
Charlotte's hands trembled.
“Did my mother die because nobody helped her?””
Richard immediately turned toward her.
“No, sweetheart. That's not what happened.””
“Then what happened?””
Richard looked at the floor.
“Evelyn had a medical emergency. The ambulance arrived, but—”
He stopped.
Charlotte's voice became louder.
“But what?””
Richard swallowed.
“She had been trying to reach Grace. She wanted her there.””
Daniel felt his chest tighten.
His mother had spent years trying to reach this family.
And even on the night Evelyn died, she had been trying.
Victoria reached for her handbag.
“This conversation is finished.””
But Daniel noticed something sticking out of its side pocket.
A small white envelope.
The same handwriting as the letters.
His mother's handwriting.
“Wait.””
Victoria turned.
“What?””
Daniel pointed.
“That envelope.””
Victoria looked down.
For a fraction of a second, panic crossed her face.
Then she pulled the bag behind her.
“It's nothing.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“It's my mother's handwriting.””
Richard looked at the envelope.
“Victoria, give it to him.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
Charlotte moved closer.
“Why are you keeping it?””
Victoria looked at the girl.
“Because you don't understand what it contains.””
Charlotte's voice became quiet.
“Then let us understand.””
Victoria clutched the bag.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Richard reached into his jacket and took out his phone.
“I'm calling the family attorney.””
Victoria laughed.
“Go ahead.””
He dialed.
But before the call connected, Victoria said something that made him stop.
“Do that, Richard, and I'll release the recording.””
“What recording?””
Victoria looked at Daniel.
“The one Grace made before she died.””
Daniel felt his knees weaken.
His mother had recorded something?
Victoria slowly removed the envelope.
Inside was a small memory card.
She held it between two fingers.
“Your mother left this with me,” she said.
“She wanted the truth exposed.””
Daniel stared at her.
“Then why didn't you give it to us?””
Victoria's expression became cold.
“Because the recording doesn't only expose what I did.””
She looked at Richard.
“It exposes what he did too.””
Richard went completely still.
Charlotte reached for Daniel's hand.
“What's on it?””
Victoria looked at both children.
Then she smiled without warmth.
“Everything.””
She placed the memory card on the piano.
And just as Richard reached for it, she added one final sentence.
“But before you listen, Daniel, you should know something about your father.””
Daniel froze.
“My father?””
Victoria nodded.
“Your mother didn't raise you alone because your father abandoned you.””
She looked directly into his eyes.
“Your father was a member of this family.””
Daniel stared at Richard.
Richard's face had become ghostly white.
May you like
And Charlotte, still holding Daniel's hand, whispered the question nobody in the room wanted to answer.
“Mr. Whitmore... who is Daniel's father?””
