Chapter 5 - THE BROKEN WILL
That night, I went into Rachel’s study. I had avoided it since her death. The room remained exactly as she left it—books stacked neatly, her desk organized, a half-finished glass of water that had evaporated months ago.
Clara stood in the doorway.
“Rachel kept a copy of her will in the wall safe,” she said softly. “She told me. In case anything happened to the lawyer too.”
“Too?” I turned sharply. “What happened to the lawyer?”
“Mr. Hale.” Clara’s voice wavered. “He died three weeks ago. Car accident. Right after Vanessa posted bail.”
My stomach dropped. Everything connected. Every loose end being tied up.
I found the safe behind the bookshelf. Entered the code Rachel had made me memorize long ago. The door swung open. Inside sat the original will. And beside it… a second envelope. Sealed. Marked TO BE OPENED ONLY IF I DIE UNEXPECTEDLY.
My hands shook as I broke the seal.
It was Rachel’s handwriting. Dated two days before her death. A supplementary letter, handwritten, attached to the will.
I read aloud, my voice trembling:
*If you are reading this, then I am gone. And I did not die of natural causes. I was murdered. By Julian. And the woman he sent to destroy us—Vanessa—was his tool from the very beginning. Julian found out I had changed the will. That Lily inherits everything. That he gets nothing. He swore he would take it all anyway. He will try to make Lily seem unstable. Or sick. Or worse. Watch the bear. Watch Clara. Watch everyone. And if you find this letter… go to the second safe deposit box. At the main branch. Key is hidden where we carved our initials. There is proof. Names. Dates. Everything. I love you both. Protect our girl.*
The letter slipped from my fingers. I stared at Clara, unable to speak.
“Rachel didn’t just die of illness,” I whispered. “She was killed.”
Clara covered her mouth, tears spilling over.
“I suspected,” she said. “The symptoms… they didn’t match. But the doctor said—”
“The doctor could have been paid off,” I finished. “Julian had the means. The motive. And now he has Vanessa doing his dirty work.”
I stood up, every muscle coiled tight.
“We need that evidence. Tomorrow morning. Bank. Main branch. Before they realize Rachel told us.”
Clara nodded. But her eyes were wide. Uncertain.
“Adrian… if Julian killed Rachel over a will… he will not hesitate to kill you too. Or Lily.”
“Then we stay one step ahead.” I folded the letter carefully into my pocket. “Rachel hid this for us. She gave us a fighting chance. We cannot waste it.”
I walked to the window. Looked out at the dark garden. Somewhere out there, Julian was waiting. He thought he had erased every trace. He thought Rachel had taken her secrets to the grave.
May you like
He was wrong.
She had left us a map. And tomorrow… we were going to finish what she started.
