Chapter 4 - THE SECRET MY MOTHER BURIED:
My mother had always hated talking about my father.
Whenever I mentioned him, she changed the subject.
Whenever I asked about the divorce, she said:
“He wasn't stable.”
Whenever I asked why he left, she said:
“He chose business over us.”
Now I discovered someone had been paying her twelve million dollars.
To keep him away.
I drove home that night.
My mother was waiting in the kitchen.
She looked at me.
One glance.
She knew.
“You found out.”
“Yes.”
She closed her eyes.
“About the money?”
“Everything.”
She sat down.
“I wanted to protect you.”
I laughed bitterly.
“That sentence is becoming a family tradition.”
She didn't defend herself.
“Your father wasn't who you thought he was.”
“Then tell me.”
She looked toward the window.
“He found out the Bennett family was planning to take control of your trust.”
“What trust?”
“Your grandmother's.”
My stomach tightened.
“What does it have to do with Tyler?”
“He married you because they needed access.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
My mother handed me a file.
The marriage agreement.
I had never seen the complete version.
There was a page attached.
A post-marital property clause.
If the marriage ended after five years, Tyler would receive a percentage of my inherited assets.
My signature wasn't there.
But his was.
So was Denise's.
And another signature.
Gregory Stone.
“This was never filed,” Rachel said when she saw it.
“No.”
“Because your father stopped it.”
I stared.
“He knew.”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't he tell me?”
“Because he was trying to protect you without starting a war.”
I shook my head.
“He still let me marry Tyler.”
My mother began crying.
“He thought Tyler loved you.”
“And now?”
“I don't know.”
I sat across from her.
“You knew Denise was using me.”
“Yes.”
“You knew she was opening companies in my name.”
“I knew she was asking questions.”
“You knew she wanted the inheritance.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you stop her?”
My mother looked at me.
“Because your father was alive.”
I froze.
“What?”
“He never died.”
I stared.
“My father is dead.”
“No.”
“He died when I was twelve.”
“That was the story.”
I couldn't breathe.
“Where is he?”
“I don't know.”
“Then why have you been paying people?”
“To keep him away.”
“From me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He has his own reasons.”
“What reasons?”
She finally said:
“He wanted your inheritance too.”
Silence.
The man I had spent my life grieving.
My father.
The man who supposedly abandoned us.
Maybe he hadn't.
Maybe he had been waiting.
Maybe he had been trying to manipulate the trust from outside.
I stood.
“Where is he?”
My mother shook her head.
“I won't tell you.”
“I deserve the truth.”
“You deserve to live.”
Then the front door opened.
Tyler.
He stood in the hallway.
He had heard everything.
“You're telling her about Dad?”
My mother froze.
Tyler looked at me.
“Your father is alive.”
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“Since when?”
“Since before we married.”
My chest tightened.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He looked ashamed.
“He contacted me.”
“About what?”
“You.”
I stared.
“He told me to marry you.”
Silence.
My world shifted.
Tyler continued:
“He said if I did, he'd make sure you were safe.”
“Safe from what?”
“From him.”
I shook my head.
“That's insane.”
“I know.”
“Then why did you do it?”
“Because I was twenty-seven and stupid.”
“And Denise?”
“She knew.”
“Gregory?”
“They knew.”
I stared at my husband.
Eight years of marriage.
And both of us had been pieces on someone else's board.
“Why did you push me into the pool?”
Tyler looked down.
“I didn't.”
“You did.”
“Yes.”
He swallowed.
“I wanted to scare you.”
“That isn't an excuse.”
“No.”
His eyes filled.
“I know.”
Then Rachel called.
“Olivia.”
“What?”
“Your father's account is active.”
My blood went cold.
“Where?”
“Newport Beach.”
A location.
A house.
And one final piece of information.
May you like
The mortgage application for my new property—
had been filed by my father.
