Chapter 4 - Serena’s Missing WillBy noon, Adrien no longer believed Serena’s death had been an accident.
Belief, however, was not proof.
Thomas reminded him of that repeatedly.
So did Evelyn.
“The facts have survived three years,” she told him over the phone. “Give them another day.”
Adrien stood inside Serena’s old office at the Valente estate.
Nothing had changed.
Not really.
The shelves still held her law books.
A framed photograph showed Serena at twenty-four, standing outside Northwestern University with her graduation gown open and her diploma raised above her head.
Adrien stood beside her in the photograph.
He remembered that afternoon.
Serena had asked whether he was proud of her.
He had said, “Obviously.”
She punched his arm and told him obviously was not the same thing as saying it.
Adrien touched the frame.
“I was proud of you.”
The room did not answer.
Vivian entered.
“We found the archive case Andrew removed.”
“Where?”
“His office.”
“Contents?”
“Empty.”
Adrien turned.
“What had been inside?”
“We’re reconstructing the inventory.”
A voice came from the doorway.
“Looking for something?”
Damian.
Adrien’s cousin leaned casually against the frame.
Forty years old.
Expensive suit.
Perfect tie.
The face of a man who had been welcomed into this house since childhood.
Adrien did not react.
“Why would I be?”
Damian smiled.
“Because half the staff says Vivian has been digging through records since dawn.”
“Vivian works for me.”
“Of course.”
Damian entered the room.
His eyes moved over Serena’s belongings.
“Three years and you still keep this place like a shrine.”
Adrien watched him carefully.
“You object?”
“No.”
Damian picked up a silver picture frame.
“I loved her too.”
Adrien felt rage rise inside him.
Evelyn’s words returned.
Go as Serena’s brother.
Find the truth.
He kept his voice calm.
“Did you?”
Damian looked at him.
“What kind of question is that?”
“One with an easy answer.”
Damian put the frame down.
“Of course I loved Serena.”
“Good.”
Adrien walked past him.
“Then you won’t mind when I reopen the investigation into her death.”
For the first time, Damian’s expression changed.
Only slightly.
But Adrien saw it.
“Why would you do that?”
“Because grief makes people ask old questions.”
Damian watched him.
“You should be careful with that.”
“Why?”
“You might hear answers you don’t like.”
Adrien smiled without warmth.
“I’m beginning to.”
He left Damian standing inside Serena’s office.
That afternoon, Thomas arrived with another discovery.
Serena’s will.
Or rather, two versions of it.
They gathered in Thomas’s office again.
Evelyn sat beside Lily.
Adrien stood by the window.
Thomas placed the first will on the table.
“This is the version entered into probate after Serena’s death.”
It divided personal property among family members and left the majority of Serena’s independent assets to a foundation.
Nothing unusual.
Then Thomas placed a second document beside it.
“This is a codicil executed approximately seven months before she died.”
Adrien read the first page.
Serena had left specific gifts.
Her jewelry collection to a women’s legal aid organization.
Her law books to Northwestern.
Her collection of ridiculous vintage movie posters to Adrien.
He almost laughed.
Then he reached Evelyn’s name.
To Evelyn Carter, whose loyalty to my family has exceeded the loyalty of many who share my blood, I leave $500,000 and all rights to my interest in the Lake Geneva cottage.
Evelyn stopped breathing.
“No.”
Adrien continued reading.
To my goddaughter, Lily Rose Carter, I leave the trust previously established in her name and my personal jewelry not otherwise designated, including the diamond watch given to me by my father.
Evelyn’s face went white.
“The watch.”
Thomas nodded.
“It was never stolen.”
Adrien looked at Evelyn.
“Serena left it to Lily.”
That meant Damian had accused Evelyn of stealing the very object Serena legally intended for Evelyn’s daughter.
Cruelty had become almost mathematical.
Evelyn covered her face.
Adrien moved toward her, then stopped.
She did not need him to rescue her grief either.
Lily looked confused.
“Why is Mommy crying?”
Evelyn pulled her daughter into her arms.
“Because Aunt Rena loved you very much.”
“I know.”
The simplicity of the answer broke something in the room.
Thomas cleared his throat.
“There is a problem.”
Adrien looked at him.
“This codicil was never submitted.”
“Why not?”
“I did not possess the executed original.”
“Who did?”
“According to Serena’s records, it was placed in the family archive.”
Everyone understood who controlled that archive.
Damian.
Thomas produced another page.
“And this document appeared after her death.”
A revocation.
Serena supposedly cancelled the codicil twelve days before the crash.
Adrien barely had to examine the signature.
Black ink.
Forgery.
Again.
Thomas continued.
“We now have a pattern.”
He counted quietly.
“Forged employment termination. Forged property authorizations. Forged trust revocation. Forged testamentary documents.”
Vivian added, “And financial transfers benefiting Damian and Andrew.”
Evelyn looked at Adrien.
“What happens now?”
“We stop guessing,” Adrien said.
Thomas nodded.
“I’ve arranged for forensic document examination.”
“And police?”
“Certain investigators have been briefed.”
“Certain?”
Thomas looked at him meaningfully.
“One member of the original investigation may have been compromised. We proceed carefully.”
Lily tugged Adrien’s coat.
He looked down.
“Are you police?”
“No.”
“Are you a lawyer?”
“No.”
“A baker?”
Evelyn covered a laugh with her hand.
Adrien looked offended.
“Apparently.”
Lily smiled.
Then she held up Snow.
“Can Snow have cake tonight?”
Adrien crouched.
“Snow does not eat cake.”
“You don’t know that.”
He considered this.
“Fair.”
Lily nodded, satisfied.
It was absurd.
Three days earlier, Adrien had believed his life consisted of businesses, obligations, old grief, and power.
Now a four-year-old girl was negotiating dessert rights for a stuffed rabbit in the middle of an investigation into murder and fraud.
And somehow the ridiculousness made him breathe more easily.
That evening, Evelyn stood in the townhouse kitchen while Adrien washed two mugs.
She watched him.
“You don’t look like someone who washes dishes.”
“I contain multitudes.”
She laughed.
A real laugh.
Small.
Unexpected.
Adrien looked at her.
For a second, she looked like the woman he remembered from Serena’s kitchen.
Younger.
Warmer.
Not constantly braced for impact.
Then she noticed him staring.
The moment disappeared.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re bad at nothing.”
“So Serena told me.”
Silence followed.
Then Evelyn said, “She worried about you.”
Adrien stopped washing.
“Why?”
“She thought you were lonely.”
“I wasn’t.”
Evelyn gave him a look.
“You lived alone in a house with eighteen bedrooms.”
“I had staff.”
“That is possibly the saddest answer you could have given.”
He almost smiled.
Evelyn leaned against the counter carefully.
“She said you mistook being needed for being loved.”
That hurt.
Because it sounded like Serena.
“Did she say anything nice about me?”
“She said you once drove three hours because she called you crying after somebody broke her heart.”
“I threatened him.”
“I know.”
“She told you that?”
“She said you were emotionally incompetent but reliable.”
Adrien laughed.
It surprised both of them.
Then Evelyn’s phone buzzed.
She looked down.
The color left her face.
Adrien noticed immediately.
“What?”
She turned the screen.
A photograph.
Lily leaving her old daycare building two weeks earlier.
Taken from across the street.
Below it was a message.
Serena should have minded her business. So should you.
Adrien’s face changed.
Evelyn whispered, “They know where she goes.”
“Not anymore.”
“Adrien—”
“They know where she used to go.”
He took the phone but did not delete the message.
“Thomas needs this.”
Evelyn began pacing.
“I should take Lily somewhere else.”
“No.”
“What if—”
“Running without a plan makes you easier to isolate.”
She looked at him.
“I can’t lose her.”
The words came out broken.
Adrien softened.
“You won’t.”
“You cannot promise that.”
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“But I can promise you won’t face this alone.”
Evelyn’s eyes filled.
Before she could answer, Adrien’s phone rang.
Vivian.
“We caught Andrew accessing the archive system,” she said.
“When?”
“Ten minutes ago.”
“What was he searching?”
“Serena’s codicil.”
Adrien looked at Evelyn.
“Does he know we have it?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Good.”
Adrien’s mind moved quickly.
“Let him keep thinking it’s missing.”
Vivian understood.
“You want to see what he does.”
“Yes.”
“Damian too?”
“Especially Damian.”
Adrien ended the call.
Evelyn stared at him.
“What are you planning?”
“Nothing violent.”
“That qualification was concerning.”
“I’m giving Damian information.”
“What information?”
“That Serena’s evidence disappeared.”
Evelyn frowned.
“But it didn’t.”
“No.”
Adrien looked toward the room where Lily slept.
“Damian has spent three years destroying evidence.”
May you like
His voice became cold.
“Tomorrow, we let him believe he has one last thing to destroy.”
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