Chapter 3: The Name on the Phone
The name on Mia’s phone haunted me.
Robert Vale.
My hands went cold.
Because Robert Vale had been my wife’s attorney.
And he had died six years earlier.
I knew because I attended his funeral.
I had stood beside his daughter.
I had offered my condolences.
So why was his name appearing on Mia’s phone?
“Mia,” I said slowly.
She looked at me.
“Who was that?””
“No one.””
Daniel laughed once.
A painful, empty sound.
“No one?””
He pointed toward the phone.
“You just got a call from a dead man.””
Everyone froze.
Mia’s face changed.
She realized she had made a mistake.
Claire moved closer.
“What is happening?””
Mia looked at Daniel.
Then at me.
Then she whispered:
“You weren’t supposed to find this yet.””
“Find what?””
She didn’t answer.
Instead, she walked upstairs.
Daniel followed.
“Mia, stop.””
She kept moving.
I followed them.
My heart was pounding.
Because suddenly the accusation against me felt like a distraction.
A performance.
Something designed to make everyone look away.
When we reached my bedroom, Mia stopped.
The door was locked.
I frowned.
“My bedroom has never been locked.””
She looked at me.
“I know.””
That sentence disturbed me.
“You know?””
Daniel noticed too.
“How would you know that?””
Mia didn’t answer.
She reached into her purse.
Pulled out a key.
And inserted it into my lock.
I felt something inside me break.
“What is that?””
She opened the door.
My bedroom was exactly how I left it.
Except for one thing.
Margaret’s jewelry box was open.
I rushed forward.
“No.””
Inside were the few pieces of jewelry I had saved.
Her wedding ring.
Her necklace.
A bracelet she wore every Christmas.
The box was empty.
Daniel stared.
“Mia?””
She didn’t speak.
I turned toward her.
“You stole from my wife?””
“No.””
“Then where are they?””
She looked away.
And that was when Daniel saw something on the desk.
A folder.
He opened it.
Inside were documents.
Property papers.
Bank statements.
Copies of my will.
My blood ran cold.
“These are private.””
Mia said nothing.
Daniel looked through them.
“Why do you have this?””
The silence was the answer.
Claire came into the room.
“Dad…”
I sat down on the edge of the bed.
For the first time that night, I felt old.
Not weak.
Not helpless.
Just tired.
Because the person trying to destroy me had been inside my home.
Eating at my table.
Smiling at my grandchildren.
Mia finally spoke.
“I didn’t want it to happen this way.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Then how did you want it to happen?””
She stared at him.
“I wanted your father to sign everything peacefully.””
“Sign what?””
She looked at the papers.
“The new estate agreement.””
I laughed quietly.
“My estate?””
“Yes.””
The room became silent.
Daniel’s expression changed.
“You were planning to take Dad’s house?””
Mia looked defensive.
“It belongs in the family.””
“It belongs to him.””
“He won’t live forever.””
Nobody spoke.
Those words were worse than the accusation.
Because they revealed exactly what she thought.
I wasn’t a father.
I wasn’t a person.
I was an asset.
Then my phone rang.
I looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A man’s voice spoke.
“Thomas Harrison?””
“Yes?””
“You need to listen carefully.””
I stood up.
“Who is this?””
The voice lowered.
“Your daughter-in-law is not working alone.””
My blood froze.
“What?””
Then he said the one thing I never expected.
“The person who helped Mia plan this was someone you trust.””
May you like
The call ended.
And immediately, Daniel’s phone started ringing.
