Chapter 2 - The Fake WillThe document in Dad's hands was a copy of his will.
At least, that's what it appeared to be.
I stepped beside him.
He scanned the first page.
Then the second.
Then he laughed.
Not loudly.
Just once.
A dry, humorless sound.
“This is terrible.”
Serena's face tightened.
“What?”
Dad held up the document.
“My lawyer's name is spelled incorrectly.”
The man in the suit immediately looked nervous.
Dad continued.
“My middle name is missing.”
He turned another page.
“And whoever prepared this doesn't know that I changed attorneys three years ago.”
Julian stepped forward.
“Dad, stop.”
Dad looked at him.
“You knew this was fake.”
“No.”
“Then why are you sweating?”
Julian wiped his forehead.
Serena stepped between them.
“This isn't fake.”
Dad looked at her.
“Then call my attorney.”
She froze.
“Now.”
“I don't have his number.”
“You've had it for eleven years.”
“I lost it.”
Dad pulled out his phone.
He dialed.
A moment later, a familiar voice answered.
“Marcus?”
“Elliot, I'm at the house.”
Silence.
Then:
“Are you safe?”
Dad looked at Serena.
“Yes.”
“For now.”
Elliot's voice became serious.
“Do not sign anything.”
Dad's eyes narrowed.
“I wasn't planning to.”
“Good.”
“Elliot, someone is presenting a forged will.”
“I know.”
Dad went completely still.
“You know?”
“I received a copy yesterday.”
“From whom?”
Elliot hesitated.
“Serena.”
Serena's face collapsed.
Dad closed his eyes.
For several seconds, he didn't speak.
Then he asked:
“What did she tell you?”
“That you had suffered a medical emergency and wanted to update your estate immediately.”
Dad looked at me.
Then back at Serena.
“I never contacted you.”
“I know.”
Elliot's voice came through the speaker.
“And Marcus, there's something else.”
“What?”
“The account connected to your family foundation was accessed yesterday.”
Dad's face hardened.
“How much?”
“Four hundred and eighty thousand dollars.”
My stomach dropped.
“Transferred where?” Dad asked.
“Three separate accounts.”
“Whose?”
“That's what I'm trying to determine.”
Julian suddenly moved toward the door.
Dad noticed.
“Stay.”
Julian stopped.
Dad looked at him.
“Where are you going?”
“I need air.”
“You can breathe right there.”
Julian's face turned red.
Serena started crying.
“Dad, please.”
Dad looked at her.
“You lied about my death.”
“I was scared.”
“You forged my will.”
“I didn't!”
“You brought a lawyer into my house.”
“I was trying to protect the family.”
“From what?”
She couldn't answer.
Dad walked toward the man in the suit.
“You have five minutes to tell me who hired you.”
The man swallowed.
“I was contacted by Julian.”
Julian shouted:
“That's a lie!”
The lawyer flinched.
Dad didn't.
“Who paid you?”
The man looked at Julian.
Then Serena.
Finally, he whispered:
“An offshore account.”
Dad frowned.
“What name?”
The lawyer hesitated.
“Vance Holdings.”
Dad's face changed.
Vance Holdings was a company my grandfather had created decades earlier.
A company Dad had always said was dormant.
Or so I thought.
Dad looked at me.
“Clara.”
“Yes?”
“Do you remember Grandpa's old warehouse?”
“Outside Richmond?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because that's where your grandfather kept the original company records.”
I stared at him.
“What does that have to do with this?”
Dad lowered his voice.
“Everything.”
Then the lawyer's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
His face went pale.
Dad noticed.
“Answer it.”
“I can't.”
“Answer it.”
The lawyer pressed the button.
A distorted voice came through.
“Get out of the house.”
Everyone froze.
The voice continued.
“Now.”
Then the call ended.
Dad slowly turned toward me.
“Lock the doors.”
I did.
For the first time, I realized this was no longer a family argument.
May you like
Someone was trying to erase my father's identity.
And they had already started.
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