Chapter 8: The Woman Who Had Been Protecting Us
I read the court filing twice.
Then I looked at Daniel.
"You want to have Mom declared incompetent?""
Daniel pulled out a chair.
"She's been making irrational decisions.""
My mother stood behind the sofa.
"How dare you?""
Daniel didn't even look at her.
"Mom, sit down.""
"No!""
Her voice cracked.
"I am not a child, Daniel.""
Robert adjusted his tie.
"Mrs. Reed, please understand that this is a protective legal measure.""
I picked up the document.
"Protective?""
Robert nodded.
"Your mother has been involved in several financial transactions that raise concerns.""
I looked at him.
"Transactions arranged by my brother?""
He remained silent.
I dropped the paper onto the table.
"Get out of my house.""
Daniel leaned forward.
"Marcus, you're making a serious mistake.""
"No. I'm finally correcting one.""
Robert closed his briefcase.
Daniel remained seated.
"Do you even know what you're dealing with?""
I laughed.
"Apparently, my entire family.""
He looked at Nia.
"Tell him.""
Nia stood frozen near the staircase.
"Tell me what?"" I demanded.
Daniel sighed.
"Tell him why you agreed to transfer the property.""
Nia began crying.
I looked at her.
"Answer him.""
She shook her head.
"I didn't want to.""
Daniel slammed his palm onto the table.
"Don't lie!""
My mother stepped forward.
"Don't you shout at her in this house!""
Daniel turned toward her.
"Mom, you've done enough damage.""
I moved between them.
"Don't speak to her like that.""
He stood.
For a moment, we were face-to-face.
We were almost the same height.
We had the same eyes.
The same jawline.
But I had never felt more distant from my brother.
"Daniel," I said quietly, "what are you trying to get?""
He stared at me.
"The property.""
"Why?""
"Because it's mine.""
I shook my head.
"Half of it is mine.""
"Father promised me the whole thing.""
"That's not what the documents say.""
Daniel laughed.
"Those documents can be changed.""
Robert immediately looked up.
"Daniel.""
My brother ignored him.
"Marcus, you have a successful business. You have a house. You have everything. I just want what's rightfully mine.""
I pointed toward the front door.
"Then take your half through the proper legal process. Stop forging signatures. Stop stealing from my company. Stop using my mother.""
Daniel's expression hardened.
"You think you're better than me because you built a business?""
"No. I think I'm different because I didn't have to destroy my family to do it.""
His face turned red.
Nia suddenly spoke.
"Daniel, please. Stop.""
He spun toward her.
"You stay out of this.""
She stepped backward.
I watched the exchange carefully.
There was something different about Nia's expression now.
She wasn't just frightened.
She looked angry.
"Don't speak to me like that," she said.
Daniel laughed.
"After everything I've done for you?""
Nia shook her head.
"You didn't do anything for me. You used me.""
He pointed toward her.
"Be careful.""
I stepped forward.
"Don't threaten my wife.""
Daniel turned to me.
"Your wife?""
He laughed again.
"Marcus, do you still think this is about love?""
I stared at him.
"What does that mean?""
He looked at Robert.
The lawyer closed his briefcase.
"I think we've said enough for tonight.""
But Daniel wasn't finished.
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small black notebook.
He placed it on the table.
"Do you recognize this?""
I looked at it.
"No.""
"Your father's.""
My mother gasped.
Daniel opened the notebook.
Inside were handwritten entries, dates, and several names.
He turned to a page near the middle.
"Your father kept records of everything. Every debt. Every loan. Every property transaction.""
I leaned forward.
"Why are you showing me this?""
Daniel pointed to a line.
It was dated three days before our father's death.
The entry read:
Daniel — £45,000 outstanding. Final warning issued.
I looked up.
"Your debt?""
Daniel closed the notebook.
"Yes.""
My mother started crying.
"Your father tried to help you.""
Daniel ignored her.
"He also tried to control me.""
"Because you were stealing money!""
"I was borrowing it!""
"Without permission!""
Daniel stepped closer.
"You have no idea what Father was like behind closed doors.""
I stared at him.
"Then tell me.""
He looked toward the window.
"Father knew about my debts. He knew I was in trouble. He promised to help me.""
"Then why didn't he?""
"Because he changed his mind.""
Daniel's voice cracked.
"He said I had to face the consequences. He said he would protect you from me.""
I felt something tighten in my chest.
My father had known.
He had known Daniel was in trouble.
And he had tried to protect me.
Daniel continued.
"That night, I went to see him. We argued. He became upset. He collapsed.""
My mother covered her mouth.
I stared at him.
"What happened after he collapsed?""
Daniel looked down.
"I panicked.""
"What does that mean?""
"I called for help.""
"Immediately?""
He hesitated.
My blood turned cold.
"Daniel. Did you call for help immediately?""
He closed his eyes.
"No.""
My mother let out a broken cry.
"Daniel!""
He began speaking quickly.
"I didn't know what to do. He was barely conscious. I thought he was having another episode. I thought if I called the ambulance, the police would ask about the money.""
I felt sick.
"How long?""
Daniel looked at me.
"How long before you called?""
He whispered:
"Twenty-seven minutes.""
The room fell silent.
Twenty-seven minutes.
My father might have been alive.
He might have been saved.
And my brother had spent twenty-seven minutes worrying about himself.
I stepped backward.
"You're telling me you watched him die?""
"I didn't know he was dying!""
"You waited twenty-seven minutes!""
Daniel began crying.
"I was scared!""
My mother slapped him.
The sound echoed through the living room.
"You let your father die!""
Daniel stumbled backward.
"Mom—"
"Don't call me that!""
She pointed toward the door.
"Get out!""
Robert stepped forward.
"Everyone needs to remain calm.""
I turned toward him.
"Did you know about this?""
His expression changed.
"I was not involved in the events surrounding Mr. Reed's death.""
"But you knew Daniel was hiding something.""
Robert looked at Daniel.
That was enough.
I reached for my phone.
Daniel immediately raised his hands.
"Marcus, don't.""
I looked at him.
"Don't what?""
"Don't destroy everything.""
I stared at him.
"You did that fifteen years ago.""
I called the police.
Daniel didn't try to stop me.
He simply stood there, looking at the floor.
But while I was giving the operator our address, Nia quietly walked toward the staircase.
I noticed.
"Nia?""
She stopped.
"Where are you going?""
She turned.
"I need to get something.""
"What?""
She looked toward Daniel.
Then back at me.
"The truth.""
She climbed the stairs.
A few minutes later, she returned holding a small metal box.
I recognized it.
It had been in our bedroom closet for years.
I had always assumed it contained old photographs.
Nia placed it on the coffee table.
"Daniel told me to keep this hidden.""
My brother's face changed.
"What are you doing?""
Nia opened the box.
Inside were photographs, printed emails, and a small USB drive.
She removed a folded letter.
"Marcus, I should have told you this a long time ago.""
I took the letter.
It was written by my father.
The date was the day before he died.
I read the first few lines.
Then I reached a sentence that made me stop.
If Daniel comes to me again, I will have no choice but to report what he has done.
I looked up.
"What did he do?""
Nia wiped her cheeks.
"He didn't just borrow money.""
She glanced at Daniel.
"He stole something from your father before he died.""
Daniel lunged toward the table.
I grabbed his arm.
"Don't.""
He struggled.
"Give me that box!""
Nia stepped behind me.
"Marcus, there's a recording.""
I looked at the USB drive.
"A recording of what?""
She swallowed.
"Your father and Daniel arguing. It was made the night your father died.""
I stared at her.
"Where did you get it?""
"Daniel gave it to me.""
"Why?""
"Because he wanted me to destroy it.""
I looked at my brother.
For the first time that evening, he looked genuinely terrified.
May you like
Then Nia said:
"But I made a copy.""
