Chapter 9: The Mother Behind The Monster
I didn’t believe Derek at first.
That was the strange thing.
After everything he had done, after every lie, I still hesitated.
Not because I trusted him.
Because I had learned something painful.
People who betray you can still tell the truth sometimes.
And sometimes the truth is even worse.
We met at a coffee shop two days later.
Not because I wanted to.
Because I needed answers.
Derek arrived early.
He looked like a man who had aged ten years.
Good.
A part of me hated that I thought that.
But pain had changed me.
“I found these,” he said.
He placed a folder on the table.
I didn’t touch it.
“What is it?””
“Documents from my business.””
I looked at him.
“Why are you showing me?””
“Because I finally understand what happened.””
He opened the folder.
“My company didn’t fail because of bad investments.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“I thought I made mistakes.””
He swallowed.
“But my mother moved money.””
I stared.
“She what?””
“She convinced me to transfer control of some accounts to her while I was struggling.””
My stomach tightened.
“Why?””
“I don’t know.””
“Derek.””
He looked down.
“Because she wanted leverage.””
I sat back.
The pieces began falling into place.
Gloria didn’t just manipulate him.
She created a situation where he needed her.
Then she controlled the solution.
“She destroyed your business?””
“Yes.””
“And then convinced you to sell my house to save it?””
His silence answered.
I looked away.
For the first time, I saw something beyond anger.
I saw how broken Derek was.
But broken people can still break others.
“What did she tell you?””
He rubbed his face.
“That if I didn’t fix things, I would lose everything.””
“You believed her.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
He looked at me.
“Because she has always made me feel like I’m nothing without her.””
That sentence stayed with me.
Because I knew exactly what kind of person Gloria was.
She didn’t need to scream.
She controlled people by making them feel small.
Derek looked at the table.
“She knew about your father’s trust.””
“How?””
“She had access to some of my old emails.””
My eyes narrowed.
“She searched your emails?””
“Yes.””
“And you’re just telling me this now?””
His face fell.
“I was ashamed.””
I shook my head.
“Everyone in this story keeps using shame as an excuse.””
He looked at me.
“I know.””
For once, he didn’t defend himself.
He just accepted it.
That was new.
Later that evening, Martin called.
“Naomi, we found something.””
I immediately knew it wasn’t good.
“What?””
“Gloria’s attorney contacted the buyer.””
“Why?””
“To convince him the sale should continue.””
I stood.
“She’s still trying?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Martin hesitated.
“She claims Derek had authority because you intended to add him to the property ownership after marriage.””
I laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because it was absurd.
“I never said that.””
“I know.””
“Can she prove it?””
“No.””
“Then why does she keep trying?””
Martin’s voice became serious.
“Because desperate people stop looking for legal solutions.””
A pause.
“They start looking for pressure points.””
That night, I returned home and found a letter taped to my door.
No name.
No return address.
Just my name.
I opened it.
Inside was one sentence.
*“You think you know your father’s secrets. You don’t.””*
My heart raced.
At the bottom was a signature.
Not Gloria.
Not Derek.
Someone else.
Someone I had never considered.
I called Martin immediately.
He answered.
“Naomi?””
“I got a letter.””
I read it to him.
Silence.
Then:
“Send me a picture.””
I did.
A few seconds later, he called back.
His voice was different.
Not worried.
Shocked.
“Naomi.””
“What?””
“That signature.””
I looked at the paper.
“What about it?””
“That person should not be alive.””
The room went cold.
“What did you say?””
Martin took a breath.
“Your father told me this person was gone years ago.””
I looked at the name again.
The ink blurred.
Because the person who had written the letter was someone connected to my father’s past.
Someone who knew the house.
Someone who knew the trust.
Someone who knew exactly how to destroy everything my father built.
Martin whispered:
“Naomi, you need to leave your house tonight.””
I froze.
“Why?””
“Because if I’m right…”
May you like
A pause.
“Your husband and his mother were never the biggest threat.””
