Chapter 3 - The Son Who Wanted His Mother’s HousePhilip kept reading.
His hands shook so badly that the paper rattled.
Nathan remained silent.
I stood across from them, unable to look away.
Finally, Philip whispered.
“She knew.”
Nathan nodded.
“She knew everything.”
“What?”
Philip swallowed.
“She knew about the transfers.”
I sat down.
Ada had never told me.
Not once.
Nathan took the letter.
“May I read it aloud?”
Philip didn't answer.
Nathan began.
“Philip,
I loved you before I ever held you.
I defended you when your father wanted to send you away.
I paid your tuition when you failed your first year of college.
I gave you money when your business failed.
I gave you another chance when you lied to me.
And I forgave you more times than you will ever know.
But forgiveness does not require me to surrender everything I own.”
Philip closed his eyes.
Nathan continued.
“I know about Northline Renovations.
I know you used my money without permission.
I know you told yourself you would repay me.
I know you never did.”
Philip looked toward the floor.
Nathan continued.
“I also know about Helen.”
My heart stopped.
The next sentence made my eyes burn.
“She did not manipulate me.”
Nathan looked directly at Philip.
“She gave me something you stopped giving me years ago.
Company.”
Silence filled the room.
Nathan continued reading.
“She paid my water bill because she saw a problem and solved it without humiliating me.
She never asked for money.
Never asked for my house.
Never asked about my will.
In fact, she repeatedly refused anything I offered.”
Philip looked at me.
“Is that true?”
“Yes.”
Ada had tried to give me money once.
I refused.
She tried to leave me her antique dining table.
I refused.
She once offered to pay for my car repair.
I refused.
I had never wanted anything from her.
I simply loved her.
Nathan kept reading.
“If Philip accuses Helen of manipulating me, remember this:
Helen never knew what I planned to leave her.
I deliberately kept her unaware because I wanted her kindness to remain pure.”
Philip's face crumpled.
For a moment, he looked like a little boy.
Then the anger returned.
“She wasn't family.”
I stared at him.
“She was family to your mother.”
Nathan folded the letter.
“There is more.”
He removed another document.
“This is the revised will.”
Philip stood.
“What did she leave her?”
Nathan looked at me.
“The house.”
I froze.
Philip's eyes widened.
“The house?”
Nathan nodded.
“And the majority of her liquid assets.”
“How much?”
“Approximately $640,000.”
Philip stared at me.
“No.”
“There are also several charitable donations.”
“To what?”
Nathan looked down.
“A senior assistance foundation.”
Philip laughed bitterly.
“So she gave everything to a stranger?”
Nathan shook his head.
“No.”
He pointed toward me.
“She gave it to the person she trusted.”
Philip stepped toward me.
“You stole my inheritance.”
I stood.
“No.”
“You stole my mother's house.”
“No.”
“She wouldn't have done this if you hadn't poisoned her against me.”
I finally lost my patience.
“Your mother didn't need me to tell her what you did.”
He went silent.
Nathan stepped between us.
“Mr. Holloway, you need to understand something.”
Philip looked at him.
“What?”
“This will is extremely difficult to challenge.”
“Why?”
“Because your mother anticipated exactly this.”
Nathan opened another folder.
“She hired an independent attorney.”
Another document.
“She obtained a capacity assessment.”
Another.
“She recorded a video statement.”
Philip's face went pale.
“A video?”
Nathan nodded.
“She specifically stated that she was making these decisions voluntarily.”
“Let me see it.”
Nathan opened his laptop.
Ada appeared on the screen.
She was sitting in her kitchen.
Wearing her blue cardigan.
Her silver hair neatly brushed.
Her favorite coffee mug beside her.
I felt tears immediately.
“Hello, Philip,” she said.
Philip froze.
Ada looked straight into the camera.
“If you're watching this, I'm probably gone.”
Philip covered his mouth.
Ada smiled sadly.
“I know you're angry.”
She paused.
“But anger doesn't make you right.”
Philip sat down.
Ada continued.
“You're going to think Helen stole something from you.”
She shook her head.
“She didn't.”
“She gave me six years of kindness without asking for anything.”
“I gave you everything I could.”
Her eyes softened.
“But you started believing that everything I owned belonged to you.”
Philip's eyes filled with tears.
Ada leaned closer to the camera.
“You didn't lose my house because of Helen.”
“You lost it because you forgot that I was still your mother.”
The video ended.
Nobody spoke.
Finally, Philip whispered.
“Why didn't she tell me?”
I looked at him.
“Maybe she spent years trying.”
He looked up.
And for the first time, I saw something beneath his anger.
Regret.
Then Nathan's phone rang.
He answered.
His expression immediately changed.
“What's wrong?”
He listened.
Then slowly looked at Philip.
“We have another problem.”
“What?”
Nathan lowered the phone.
“Someone has filed a claim against the estate.”
Philip frowned.
“Who?”
Nathan's voice was quiet.
“Northline Renovations.”
Philip went completely still.
May you like
Because the person suing Ada's estate...
Was his own company.
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