Chapter 3 - Derek Claimed My Grandfather Had Hidden a Dark Secret About My Family, but the Financial Records Proved My Husband Had Been Stealing From Me Long Before Our Son Was BornDerek's accusation changed the atmosphere.
For the first time, I wondered whether he'd been lying about everything.
Maybe my grandfather really was hiding something.
Maybe this mansion wasn't simply a gift.
I confronted Grandpa.
“Why didn't you tell me about the trust?”
“Because your mother asked me not to.”
“My mother?”
He nodded.
“She worried you would become a target.”
“Target of whom?”
“My enemies.”
I stared.
“What kind of enemies?”
Grandpa sat down.
For the first time, I saw something beyond anger in his eyes.
Fear.
“You know what I do.”
“I know you're wealthy.”
He gave a short laugh.
“No.”
I looked at him.
“I know what your mother told you.”
He paused.
“I'm not just a businessman.”
I felt cold.
He opened a drawer.
Inside were photographs.
Men.
Weapons.
Buildings.
Newspapers.
My grandfather standing beside people I recognized from old crime reports.
He was one of the most feared Mafia bosses on the East Coast.
I didn't speak.
He continued.
“I built an empire before you were born.”
“And Mom?”
“She hated it.”
“Then why did she stay?”
“Because she loved me.”
I looked away.
“Why keep me out of it?”
“Because I wanted you to have a different life.”
“What about Derek?”
Grandpa's expression hardened.
“That's why I investigated him.”
I froze.
“When?”
“Before your wedding.”
“Then why didn't you stop me?”
“Because your mother asked me not to interfere.”
“She trusted him.”
“She trusted you to choose correctly.”
I laughed bitterly.
“I didn't.”
Grandpa shook his head.
“You chose based on what you were told.”
Then he showed me something.
A bank statement.
From two years before my marriage.
Derek had already been receiving money from a company connected to Lorraine.
The relationship had started before we married.
The deception was older than I realized.
I asked:
“Why didn't anyone tell me?”
“Because he hid it well.”
I stared at the records.
Another document.
A life insurance policy.
My name.
Caleb's name.
Derek's name.
The beneficiary had been changed.
Not to Derek.
To Lorraine.
I felt sick.
“Why would he do that?”
Grandpa looked at me.
“Because he planned for you to die.”
My knees almost gave out.
Derek shook his head.
“No.”
Grandpa looked at him.
“You altered the policy.”
“I didn't.”
“You used a digital authorization.”
“I was helping her.”
“You planned everything.”
Derek suddenly looked at me.
“Evelyn, listen.”
“No.”
He stepped forward.
“Your grandfather isn't telling you everything.”
“Maybe not.”
I looked at him.
“But you're still a liar.”
He stopped.
I asked:
“How much did you steal?”
He lowered his eyes.
“Not that much.”
Grandpa laughed.
“Twenty-eight million dollars worth of your future.”
Derek had no answer.
Then Caleb ran into the room.
“Mommy!”
He held a toy car.
“Grandpa said this is my room.”
I knelt.
“Yes.”
“Can I sleep here?”
“Yes.”
He hugged me.
I looked over his shoulder.
Derek watched.
And I realized something.
He hadn't only stolen from me.
He had stolen from Caleb.
Our son's childhood.
His safety.
His home.
May you like
His trust.
That was the part I could never forgive.
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