Chapter 7: The Person Her Mother Trusted Most
Nia had never seen her grandmother look so frightened.
Evelyn Carter was the woman who could silence an entire room with one look. She had raised three children, buried a husband, survived financial hardship, and somehow managed to keep smiling through every difficult season.
But now she stood on the balcony with tears running down her cheeks.
And she was looking at the brass key in Nia's hand as though it were something dangerous.
"Grandma," Nia whispered.
"Who was it?""
Evelyn didn't answer.
Richard Bellamy lowered his phone.
"Adrian said someone Camille trusted ordered the forgery.""
Evelyn closed her eyes.
"Please don't make me say it.""
Nia stepped closer.
"Was it someone from Mom's studio?""
Her grandmother nodded.
"Yes.""
"Who?""
Evelyn looked at her granddaughter.
Then she whispered a name.
"Margaret Ellis.""
Nia frowned.
"Who's Margaret?""
Richard's expression changed.
"Camille's business partner.""
Evelyn nodded slowly.
"She was more than a business partner. Margaret was your mother's closest friend. They met in design school. They started their first little fashion studio together.""
Nia remembered hearing the name once or twice.
Her mother had an old photograph of two young women standing outside a small building. One was Camille. The other was a woman with short brown hair and a bright smile.
Nia had always assumed she was one of her mother's classmates.
"Why would she betray Mom?""
Evelyn looked toward the ballroom.
"Because she wanted what your mother had.""
Richard shook his head.
"Margaret was supposed to be the one who introduced Camille to the Bellamy company. She arranged the first meeting.""
"And she forged Mom's signature?""
"According to Adrian, yes.""
Nia felt sick.
Her mother had lost her career because of someone she considered family.
"Where is Margaret now?""
Richard hesitated.
"She works as a senior executive at Bellamy Fashion Group.""
Nia stared at him.
"She's still working for your company?""
Richard nodded.
"She became one of our most successful executives.""
Evelyn let out a bitter laugh.
"Of course she did. She built her entire career on Camille's work.""
Nia looked down at her dress.
The golden flowers suddenly seemed heavier.
"Then we need to find Adrian.""
Richard nodded.
"I'll call him again.""
He tried.
No answer.
He tried a second time.
Still nothing.
Evelyn grabbed Nia's hand.
"We're going to that old studio.""
Richard looked surprised.
"Mrs. Carter, you don't understand. Margaret may already know we're looking for her.""
"Then she can look us in the eyes while we ask her what she did to my daughter.""
Nia squeezed her grandmother's fingers.
"I'm coming with you.""
Evelyn looked down at her.
"Baby, this could get ugly.""
"Mom kept those designs for me. I'm not letting anyone take them again.""
Richard watched the two of them.
Finally, he nodded.
"Then we go together.""
Twenty-five minutes later, they arrived at Mercer Street.
The old building stood between a closed bookstore and a small restaurant. Its windows were dusty, and a faded sign above the entrance still carried the name of the original fashion studio.
*CARTER & ELLIS DESIGN HOUSE.*
Nia stopped walking.
She stared at the sign.
"Grandma...""
Evelyn looked up.
"Your mother loved this place.""
"Why did she leave it?""
"She didn't want to share a business with someone who had betrayed her.""
Richard unlocked the main entrance using an old access card.
The elevator wasn't working, so they climbed two flights of stairs.
At the top, a heavy wooden door stood slightly open.
Inside, the studio looked untouched.
Old dress forms stood near the windows. Rolls of fabric were stacked against the walls. A dusty sewing machine sat on a large cutting table.
Nia stepped inside.
The smell of old fabric and wood filled her nose.
She ran her fingers across the table.
"Mom worked here?""
Evelyn nodded.
"She spent almost every day here before you were born.""
Nia noticed something hanging on the wall.
A framed photograph.
Her mother stood beside Margaret Ellis, both laughing as they held up a long white dress.
Nia approached it.
"That's her.""
Richard looked at the picture.
"Yes.""
Evelyn's expression darkened.
"She used to call Camille her sister.""
Nia looked around.
Then she noticed a small wooden cabinet beneath the cutting table.
It had a brass lock.
She pulled out the key her grandmother had given her.
It fit.
The cabinet opened with a soft click.
Inside were several folders, fabric samples, and a small black box.
Nia lifted the box.
It contained a collection of handwritten notes.
She recognized her mother's handwriting immediately.
One note read:
Margaret says the contract is ready. She promises everything is protected.
Another:
Richard has agreed to the original partnership terms. I need to stop worrying.
Then she found a note dated two days before the false contract appeared.
Something is wrong. Margaret has been avoiding me. Richard says he never approved the changes. I don't know who to trust anymore.
Nia's eyes moved to the final note.
It was dated three weeks later.
I found the signature page. It isn't mine.
Evelyn leaned over her shoulder.
"Oh, Camille.""
Nia opened the black box further.
At the bottom lay a small cassette recorder and an envelope.
The envelope contained a photograph of a document.
A contract.
The original partnership agreement.
It clearly stated that Camille Carter retained ownership of all original designs and would receive a forty-percent share of the collection's profits.
Nia's heart raced.
"Grandma! Look!""
Evelyn studied the document.
"That's it.""
Richard leaned closer.
"This could change everything.""
Nia looked at the photograph.
"Why did Mom keep this instead of giving it to the lawyers?""
Evelyn took the cassette recorder.
"Perhaps she had something else.""
She pressed the play button.
Static filled the room.
Then a woman's voice emerged.
It was Camille.
Nia's knees almost gave way.
"Mom...""
The recording continued.
"Margaret, I know you changed the agreement. I know about the signature. I have the original document, and I'm giving you one chance to explain.""
A second voice answered.
Margaret.
"You don't understand what you're doing, Camille.""
"Then explain it.""
"You were never going to let me have anything.""
"That isn't true.""
"You got all the attention. You got the clients. You got Richard's interest. I was always standing behind you.""
"Margaret, we built this together.""
"Exactly. Together. But every time someone praised the collection, they said your name.""
Camille's voice became quieter.
"I offered you half the studio.""
"I didn't want half.""
A pause.
Then Margaret spoke again.
"I wanted what you had.""
The recording ended with a loud click.
Nobody moved.
Nia wiped her cheeks.
Her mother had known.
She had known exactly who betrayed her.
Then a slow clap sounded from the doorway.
Everyone turned.
A woman stood there wearing a tailored black suit.
Her hair was shorter now, but Nia recognized her from the photograph.
Margaret Ellis.
She smiled.
"Well," she said.
"I suppose some secrets really do refuse to stay buried.""
Richard stepped forward.
"Margaret.""
She looked at him.
"Richard. I should have known you'd be involved.""
Evelyn moved in front of Nia.
"How dare you?""
Margaret laughed.
"Still protecting Camille's little legacy, Evelyn?""
"She trusted you.""
"And that was her mistake.""
Nia stepped forward.
"Why did you do it?""
Margaret looked down at the girl.
For a moment, her expression softened.
Then she shrugged.
"Because your mother was talented. And I was tired of being invisible.""
"So you stole her work?""
"I made a business decision.""
"You made her lose everything!""
Margaret's smile disappeared.
"Your mother chose to walk away.""
"Because you lied!""
Margaret looked toward the table.
Her eyes landed on the cassette recorder.
Then she reached inside her handbag.
"Give me that.""
Nia stepped backward.
"No.""
Margaret took another step.
Richard moved between them.
"Don't even think about it.""
Margaret's face hardened.
"You have no authority over me anymore.""
"Perhaps not. But the recording proves what you did.""
Margaret laughed.
"That recording proves nothing. It's twenty years old, and nobody can establish when it was made.""
She looked directly at Nia.
"Do you know what happens to people who challenge the Bellamy family?""
Nia didn't answer.
Margaret continued.
"They get buried in paperwork. They lose their money. They lose their reputation. And eventually, they learn to stop fighting.""
Evelyn stepped forward.
"Camille never stopped fighting.""
Margaret's eyes narrowed.
"Camille died without getting what she wanted.""
The words struck Nia like a slap.
Richard grabbed Margaret's arm.
"Get out.""
Margaret pulled away.
Then she smiled.
"You should be more careful, Richard. I still have the original signature page.""
Nia froze.
Adrian had claimed to possess it.
Margaret continued.
"And unlike that little recording, the document I have is worth millions.""
She walked toward the door.
Before leaving, she turned back.
"Oh, and Nia?""
The girl looked up.
"That dress you're wearing? It's beautiful. But it won't save you.""
Then Margaret disappeared down the stairs.
Richard immediately pulled out his phone.
"We need legal counsel.""
Evelyn looked at the recording.
"We also need Adrian.""
Nia stood beside the cutting table.
Her mother had spent years trying to prove the truth.
Now she finally had evidence.
But Margaret had just admitted that the original signature page was still out there.
And as Nia picked up the photograph of the original agreement, she noticed something written in tiny letters at the bottom.
A reference number.
And beside it, a name she had never seen before.
*THE HAWTHORNE TRUST.*
That night, Nia returned to her grandmother's house.
She placed the gown carefully on a padded hanger and hung it beside her mother's old photographs.
Evelyn made her a cup of warm milk.
Nia sat at the kitchen table, staring at the reference number.
"What is the Hawthorne Trust?""
Evelyn looked over.
For the first time that evening, she seemed confused.
"I don't know.""
Nia turned the paper toward her.
"Do you think it's another company?""
Evelyn studied the writing.
Then she looked toward the hallway.
"Your mother once mentioned a family friend who helped her financially after the studio closed.""
"Who?""
Evelyn hesitated.
"An elderly woman named Eleanor Hawthorne.""
Nia's eyes widened.
"Eleanor Hayes?""
Her grandmother shook her head.
"No. Eleanor Hawthorne. She was someone else.""
Nia looked at the paper again.
The name seemed strangely familiar.
Then her phone rang.
An unknown number.
She answered cautiously.
"Hello?""
A woman's voice spoke.
"Nia Carter?""
"Yes.""
"My name is Eleanor Hawthorne.""
Nia stood up.
The woman continued.
"I've been waiting twenty years for Camille's daughter to find that contract.""
May you like
Then she said something that made Nia drop into her chair.
"Your mother didn't just leave you a dress design, sweetheart. She left you an entire fashion company.""
