Chapter 7: The Video My Husband Never Wanted Me to See
For several seconds after Lauren's call ended, I couldn't move.
The message on my phone remained illuminated.
Don't let Harrison watch the video alone. He is the person Robert was most afraid of.
I read it again.
Then I looked at my son.
Harrison was standing beside his father's desk, holding the photograph of Lily. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes were fixed on the USB drive in his hand.
"Mom, what did Lauren say?""
I slipped my phone into my pocket.
"She wants us to watch the recording.""
"Then let's watch it.""
"She specifically told me not to let you watch it alone.""
His expression hardened.
"What does that mean?""
"I don't know.""
He laughed bitterly.
"First, Sloan steals money. Then Ethan claims Dad had another daughter. Now some woman I've barely met is telling you I'm dangerous?""
"Nobody said you're dangerous.""
"She literally said Dad was afraid of me!""
His voice echoed through the office.
I reached for his arm.
"Harrison, please. We need to understand what's happening.""
He pulled away.
"Then stop treating me like a child.""
I looked at the man standing before me.
For years, I had defended him whenever Robert complained about his impulsive decisions. I had told his father that Harrison was young, that he needed time, that he would eventually become more careful.
Now I wondered whether I had protected him too much.
Ethan cleared his throat.
"The recording is probably on the drive. Robert used to encrypt everything.""
Harrison turned toward him.
"You said you couldn't access it.""
"I couldn't.""
"Then how do you know it's a recording?""
Ethan hesitated.
"Because I helped him set up the security system.""
I looked at him sharply.
"You helped Robert?""
"Yes. Years ago.""
Harrison inserted the USB drive into the office computer.
A folder appeared.
There were twelve files.
Eleven were labeled with dates.
The final one was named:
*FOR MARGARET AND HARRISON ONLY.*
Harrison moved the cursor toward it.
"Open it," I said.
He clicked.
A password prompt appeared.
Harrison leaned back.
"Great. Now what?""
I remembered something Robert used to say.
Whenever he forgot a password, he'd use the date of our wedding.
I typed the numbers.
The screen flashed red.
Wrong password.
I tried Harrison's birthday.
Wrong password.
Then I remembered the little brass plaque Robert had placed on his desk.
It carried the date of the first house he had ever designed.
I entered that date.
The folder opened.
Inside was a single video file.
Harrison double-clicked it.
The screen flickered.
And there he was.
Robert.
Sitting in his office, wearing the blue sweater I had given him for Christmas.
He looked thinner than I remembered, but his eyes were clear.
He was looking directly into the camera.
"Margaret," he began, "if you're watching this, then I wasn't able to fix everything before I left you.""
My throat tightened.
Harrison pulled a chair closer.
Robert continued.
"First, I need you to know that I never intended to hide Lily from you forever. I made a terrible decision years ago, and I spent the rest of my life trying to make sure that decision didn't hurt the people I loved.""
I covered my mouth.
Robert paused.
"Claire Bennett and I had a relationship before you and I married. We were young. I believed we would eventually build a life together, but circumstances changed. When Claire told me she was pregnant, I had already met you.""
I felt tears slipping down my cheeks.
"I made a choice," Robert continued.
"I chose the life I wanted with you. I supported Claire financially, and I visited Lily when I could. I told myself that keeping the two parts of my life separate was protecting everyone.""
He lowered his eyes.
"It wasn't.""
Harrison stared at the screen.
Robert looked back into the camera.
"Margaret, I know this will hurt you. I am sorry. You deserved the truth.""
I wanted to reach through the screen and demand why he hadn't told me.
Why he had let me spend thirty-nine years believing our marriage contained no such secret.
But the recording continued.
"When Lily was twenty-one, she discovered the truth. She contacted me. She didn't ask for money. She wanted to know why I had stayed away for so long.""
Robert smiled sadly.
"I brought her into my office. We spoke for hours. I told her about Harrison, about you, and about the family I had built.""
He paused.
"She wanted to meet you. I was afraid. I asked her to give me time.""
I looked at Harrison.
His eyes were wet.
Then Robert's expression changed.
"Now, about the money.""
The room seemed to tighten around us.
"Someone has been using Harrison's business authorization to move money out of the property accounts. At first, I suspected Ethan. Then I discovered that the transfers were being coordinated through a company registered under Sloan's name.""
Harrison whispered, "Oh God.""
Robert continued.
"However, I made a mistake when I assumed Sloan was the person controlling everything.""
I leaned forward.
"Who was it, Robert?""
The video couldn't hear me.
He continued.
"The person who has been directing the operation is someone I trusted with our estate records. Someone who knows exactly where every document is kept and how to make a fraudulent transaction appear legitimate.""
He leaned closer to the camera.
"Daniel Mercer.""
Harrison stood so quickly that his chair fell backward.
"No.""
Robert continued.
"Daniel was the first person I confronted. He denied everything. But I obtained copies of emails proving that he had been communicating with Ethan and Sloan for months.""
Ethan looked down.
I turned toward him.
"You knew.""
He shook his head.
"I knew Daniel was involved, but I didn't know Robert had proof.""
On the screen, Robert lifted a document.
"This is the original trust agreement. The building belongs to Margaret and Harrison equally through the family trust. No one can sell, transfer, or mortgage it without both of their approval.""
He paused.
"Any document claiming otherwise is fraudulent.""
Then he looked directly into the camera.
"But there's one thing I need Harrison to understand.""
My son slowly sat down.
Robert's voice softened.
"Harrison, you were the easiest person for them to manipulate because you wanted to prove yourself. You wanted to become a successful businessman without relying on your father's name.""
Harrison's lips trembled.
"They used that ambition against you.""
Robert continued.
"I discovered that you had unknowingly signed an authorization that gave Ethan access to several business accounts. I tried to stop the transfers before the money disappeared.""
The screen flickered briefly.
Then Robert said something that made my blood run cold.
"But Harrison, you also signed something else.""
My son leaned toward the monitor.
"What?""
Robert's face grew serious.
"Three months before I died, you signed a document allowing Daniel to act as your legal representative in matters involving the commercial property. You told me it was temporary. You said you understood what you were signing.""
Harrison shook his head.
"I don't remember that.""
Robert continued.
"That document was used to authorize the first transfer. I don't believe you understood what you were signing, but the signature is yours.""
Harrison covered his face.
Robert looked down.
"I have tried to protect you from the consequences, but I cannot do that forever.""
Then he reached toward the camera.
"There is another copy of the original agreement. It is not in this office. Claire has it.""
The screen went black for a moment.
When the image returned, Robert was holding a small photograph.
It was the same photograph of Lily we had found in the cash box.
"Margaret, if you can find it in your heart, please meet her. She is innocent in all of this.""
His voice broke.
"She is my daughter, and I failed her.""
I began crying.
Robert looked directly at the camera one final time.
"And Harrison...""
He paused.
"Don't let Sloan convince you that she did this alone.""
The recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
Then Harrison slowly turned toward Ethan.
"Who else was involved?""
Ethan looked at the floor.
"I told you. Daniel was controlling the operation.""
"That's not what Dad said.""
Ethan swallowed.
"There's something you need to understand.""
He reached into his jacket and pulled out his phone.
"I have another recording.""
Before he could show it to us, headlights swept across the office windows.
A black SUV pulled into the parking lot.
The driver's door opened.
A woman stepped out.
Lauren.
She rushed through the entrance, carrying a thick manila envelope.
"Don't move!"" she shouted.
Harrison turned.
"Lauren?""
She looked at the open computer screen.
Then at Ethan.
Her face went pale.
"You're here.""
Ethan took a step backward.
Lauren tightened her grip on the envelope.
"I knew you'd come looking for the drive.""
Harrison frowned.
"What is going on?""
Lauren looked directly at him.
Then she said something that none of us expected.
"Ethan isn't the only person who forged your signature.""
May you like
She placed the envelope on the desk.
"Your wife did it, too.""
