Chapter 6: The Woman Who Wanted Her Mother's Legacy
Nia didn't move.
Vanessa stood outside the storage unit, wearing a cream-colored coat and oversized sunglasses.
Brianna was beside her, holding her phone.
Neither woman looked surprised to see the boxes.
Vanessa removed her sunglasses.
"Give me the sketchbook.""
Nia tightened her grip on the box.
"No.""
Vanessa stepped inside.
"Don't make this difficult.""
Zoe moved between them.
"You're not touching anything.""
Vanessa glanced at her.
"This is a family matter.""
"No," Zoe replied.
"This is evidence.""
Brianna rolled her eyes.
"Can everyone stop acting like we're in a crime documentary?""
Nia looked directly at Vanessa.
"How did you know about this place?""
Vanessa ignored the question.
"That sketchbook belongs to me.""
Nia almost laughed.
"My mother wrote my name inside it.""
"Your mother was confused.""
"Stop saying that.""
Vanessa's jaw tightened.
"You have no idea what you're dealing with.""
"Then explain it.""
Vanessa looked toward the dresses.
For a moment, her expression softened.
She walked toward the nearest garment and gently touched the fabric.
"She kept them.""
Nia watched her.
"You knew they were here?""
"I suspected.""
"Then why didn't you look?""
"Because Evelyn was very good at hiding things.""
Nia stepped forward.
"Why did you steal her designs?""
Vanessa turned.
"I didn't steal anything.""
"I read the emails.""
Vanessa's expression changed.
"What emails?""
"The ones between you and Richard.""
Brianna looked at her mother.
"Mom?""
Vanessa quickly recovered.
"Those documents are out of context.""
"Richard told you to make sure Mom never found the original papers.""
"Your mother misunderstood the arrangement.""
"She wrote that she never authorized the transfer.""
Vanessa raised her voice.
"Your mother was not an easy woman to work with!""
The words echoed through the storage unit.
Nia went still.
Vanessa continued.
"She was talented, yes. But she was stubborn, selfish, and completely incapable of understanding how the industry worked.""
Nia's eyes filled.
"She trusted you.""
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"Trust doesn't pay bills.""
Zoe raised her phone.
"Are you admitting you transferred the collection without permission?""
Vanessa noticed the camera.
"Turn that off.""
"No.""
Vanessa reached for the phone.
Zoe stepped back.
"Don't touch me.""
Brianna moved toward the dresses.
"Mom, can we just take the sketchbook and leave?""
Nia blocked her.
"You're not taking anything.""
Brianna looked at her.
"You're acting like this belongs to you.""
"It does.""
"You have no proof.""
Nia opened the folder and showed her the registration.
"Read it.""
Brianna glanced at the document.
Her expression changed.
Vanessa snatched it from Nia.
"That registration is incomplete.""
"Margaret has the original.""
Vanessa froze.
Nia continued.
"She also has the original partnership agreement.""
For several seconds, Vanessa said nothing.
Then she looked at Brianna.
"We're leaving.""
Brianna frowned.
"What? Why?""
"Now.""
But as Vanessa turned, her phone rang.
She answered immediately.
"Richard?""
Nia froze.
Vanessa walked toward the doorway.
"No, she found the storage unit.""
A pause.
"I know.""
Another pause.
"No. The dresses are still here.""
Nia exchanged a look with Zoe.
Vanessa turned away from them.
"I'll handle it.""
She ended the call.
Nia stepped forward.
"Who was that?""
Vanessa looked at her.
"Nobody you need to worry about.""
"Richard?""
Vanessa's eyes narrowed.
"Stay out of this.""
Then she walked away with Brianna.
Nia waited until their car disappeared.
Only then did she let out the breath she had been holding.
Zoe lowered her phone.
"We have to call Margaret.""
Nia nodded.
But before she could reach for her own phone, another notification appeared.
An email.
From the Young American Couture Competition.
*APPLICATION STATUS: UNDER REVIEW.*
Nia opened it.
The message was brief.
Dear Nia Carter,
We have received a formal complaint alleging that your submitted design contains unauthorized elements from a previously registered collection.
Your application has been temporarily suspended pending an ownership review.
Nia stared at the screen.
"They're trying to disqualify me.""
Zoe read the email.
"How can they do that?""
"They probably filed a complaint.""
"Vanessa?""
Nia nodded.
The timing was too perfect.
Her stepmother had found out that the original collection still existed.
Now someone was attempting to prevent Nia from presenting her own work.
Nia called Margaret.
The older woman answered immediately.
"I was just about to call you.""
"Did you receive a complaint?""
A pause.
"Yes.""
"Someone says my design is stolen.""
Margaret sighed.
"Vanessa contacted the competition committee this morning. She claims your design is based on intellectual property owned by Reed Meridian.""
Nia closed her eyes.
"That's impossible.""
"I know. But the committee has to investigate.""
"What happens now?""
"They've given us forty-eight hours to submit supporting documentation.""
Nia looked at the original dresses.
"Then I'll give them everything.""
"Good. Bring the storage documents and the voice recording. I'll arrange a legal review.""
Nia hesitated.
"Margaret?""
"Yes?""
"Why did my mother hide the dresses instead of taking the case to court?""
Margaret was silent.
Then she answered carefully.
"Because someone threatened to expose something about your father.""
Nia froze.
"What?""
"I don't know the details. Evelyn only told me that Richard had information he could use against Daniel.""
Nia looked toward Zoe.
"Do you know what it was?""
"No. But I remember Evelyn saying she would rather lose the collection than risk your family being destroyed.""
Nia lowered the phone.
Her mother had sacrificed her career to protect her family.
And the people she had protected had allowed Vanessa to walk into their home.
That evening, Nia returned home with the documents hidden inside her backpack.
Daniel was waiting in the kitchen.
His face looked exhausted.
"Did you find the dresses?""
Nia nodded.
"All five.""
He closed his eyes.
"Thank God.""
"Vanessa came there.""
Daniel's expression tightened.
"I know.""
"She called Richard.""
He pulled out a chair.
"Then we need to talk.""
Nia sat opposite him.
"What is Richard threatening you with?""
Daniel stared at the table.
For several seconds, he didn't speak.
Then he reached into a drawer and removed a small envelope.
"I should have told you this years ago.""
Nia opened it.
Inside was a photograph of Daniel standing beside Richard Reed.
They were outside a courthouse.
On the back, someone had written:
Agreement signed. Everything is settled.
Nia looked up.
"What agreement?""
Daniel took a deep breath.
"Before I married Vanessa, Richard contacted me. He said Evelyn had left behind financial obligations connected to the collection.""
"That's not true.""
"I know that now.""
"Did you pay him?""
Daniel nodded.
"Thirty thousand dollars.""
Nia stared.
"Where did you get that kind of money?""
"I took out a loan against the house.""
"Why?""
"Richard said he would make the debt disappear if I signed a confidentiality agreement.""
Nia felt sick.
"What did the agreement say?""
Daniel looked away.
"That I would never discuss the Bluebird Collection or the dispute involving Evelyn.""
"Why would you sign that?""
"He threatened to involve you.""
Nia gripped the envelope.
"What did he say?""
Daniel's voice became barely audible.
"He said that if I didn't cooperate, he would challenge your mother's estate and make sure you inherited nothing.""
Nia stared at him.
Her mother had died.
Her father had been frightened.
And Richard had used their grief to force Daniel into silence.
"Did Mom know?""
Daniel shook his head.
"She died before I signed it.""
Nia slowly stood.
"All these years, you've been paying Richard?""
Daniel nodded.
"Until last year.""
"How much?""
"More than the original amount.""
Nia walked to the window.
Outside, Brianna's car pulled into the driveway.
Vanessa stepped out, carrying shopping bags.
Brianna followed, laughing at something on her phone.
Nia turned back.
"Did Vanessa know?""
Daniel looked at her.
"She arranged the agreement.""
Nia felt her stomach twist.
"So she stole Mom's collection, married into our family, and then helped Richard threaten you.""
Daniel didn't deny it.
A few minutes later, Vanessa entered the kitchen.
She stopped when she saw the envelope.
"What are you doing with that?""
Daniel stood.
"We're finished keeping secrets.""
Vanessa placed her shopping bags on the counter.
"Daniel, don't.""
Nia looked at her.
"Did you know Richard was threatening my father?""
Vanessa sighed.
"You don't understand the situation.""
"Then explain it.""
"Richard and I had financial problems. Your mother was difficult, and the entire project was falling apart.""
"Mom was pregnant.""
"Exactly! She was going to leave the industry anyway.""
Nia stepped closer.
"That didn't give you the right to take her work.""
Vanessa's voice sharpened.
"Your mother had no idea how business worked.""
"She had a signed partnership agreement.""
"That agreement was never completed.""
"Margaret has the original.""
Vanessa went silent.
Daniel looked at her.
"Is it true?""
She shook her head.
"You're believing a dead woman's accusations over your own wife?""
Daniel's expression hardened.
"Answer me.""
Vanessa looked at him.
Then she said something that made Nia's blood run cold.
"Do you really think I married you because I loved you?""
Silence.
Daniel stared at her.
Vanessa's eyes were shining with anger.
"I married you because Evelyn left something behind that Richard never found.""
Nia stopped breathing.
"What?""
Vanessa looked directly at her.
"The original ownership certificate.""
Nia clutched her backpack.
Vanessa continued.
"I spent years searching this house. I checked every drawer, every box, every old photograph. I knew Evelyn had hidden it somewhere.""
Nia's voice was barely audible.
"And you never found it.""
Vanessa smiled.
"Not until now.""
She pointed toward Nia's backpack.
"Give it to me.""
Nia stepped back.
Daniel moved between them.
"You're not touching her.""
Vanessa looked at him with contempt.
"Move, Daniel.""
"No.""
Brianna appeared in the doorway.
"Mom, what's happening?""
Vanessa ignored her.
"That certificate belongs to Richard.""
Nia shook her head.
"No. It belongs to my mother.""
Vanessa's expression turned vicious.
"You have no idea what that certificate proves.""
Nia slowly opened her backpack.
She removed the old wooden box.
Then she took out the cream envelope Margaret had sent.
Vanessa's face changed immediately.
"Where did you get that?""
Nia held it tightly.
"From Mom's belongings.""
Vanessa stepped forward.
Daniel blocked her again.
Nia looked at the envelope.
She hadn't opened it yet.
It had been sealed with a small blue wax emblem.
A butterfly.
And on the front, in her mother's handwriting, were the words:
The original ownership certificate. Do not open until you know who is truly responsible.
Nia looked up.
Vanessa was trembling.
Not with anger.
With fear.
Then the doorbell rang.
Daniel turned toward the hallway.
"I'll get it.""
He opened the front door.
A tall man in a charcoal suit stood outside, holding a leather briefcase.
Nia recognized him from the photographs in the storage unit.
Richard Reed.
Vanessa's former husband.
He stepped inside without waiting for an invitation.
His eyes immediately landed on the envelope in Nia's hands.
Then he smiled.
"Well," he said quietly.
"Looks like Evelyn's daughter finally found what her mother was hiding.""
He placed his briefcase on the dining table.
"But before you open that envelope, there's something you should know.""
He looked directly at Daniel.
"Your father isn't the man who told the biggest lie in this family.""
Nia's fingers tightened around the envelope.
Richard opened his briefcase.
And removed a photograph of a baby.
A baby wearing a tiny blue ribbon.
On the back were two words.
May you like
*Evelyn's daughter.*
And beneath them was a date that made Nia's entire world stop.
