Chapter 4 - LUCAS DIDN’T APOLOGIZE FOR THE RIGHT THING
Lucas called that evening.
Not to apologize for filming Elena.
To complain that I had revoked his access to the rental account.
I had done that an hour earlier.
“Why can’t I get into Bennett Residential?”
“Because I removed you.”
Silence.
“You can’t just do that.”
“I’m the managing member.”
“Elena told you to.”
There it was immediately.
“Do not put this on my wife.”
“I knew it.”
“What?”
“She’s turning you against everyone.”
I laughed.
“You recorded Mom pulling her hair.”
“Mom lost her temper.”
“You said she was teaching gratitude.”
Lucas went quiet.
I continued.
“You shoved a phone in my pregnant wife’s face while she was being humiliated.”
“I did not shove anything in her face.”
The precision of guilty people.
“Why were you recording?”
“So she couldn’t lie about what happened.”
I actually stopped.
“You thought Elena would lie?”
“She always makes Mom look insane.”
“Lucas.”
“You’re never home.”
That sentence landed.
Not because it excused him.
Because it was true.
“What do you think happens here when you’re gone?” he demanded.
“I’m learning.”
“No, you’re taking Elena’s side because she cries.”
“What side is there to pulling a pregnant woman’s hair?”
“She called Mom a thief.”
“Was she wrong?”
Silence.
Then:
“You froze my account access over that?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Cedar & Ash.”
Lucas stopped breathing for half a second.
I heard it.
“What about it?”
“Three hundred seventy-six thousand dollars.”
“Those are reconciliations.”
“For what?”
“Family property.”
“Which property?”
He hesitated.
“Various.”
“Try again.”
“Daniel—”
“Where did the money go?”
His voice hardened.
“You don’t understand the structure.”
“I own the account it left.”
“That doesn’t mean you understand the structure.”
I almost admired the arrogance.
“You categorized one hundred forty-two thousand dollars as Elena Design Expenses.”
“That was Mom.”
I went still.
“What?”
“Mom wanted household allocations separated.”
“Mom created the categories?”
“Some.”
“Why?”
“You’ll have to ask her.”
“Did you know she was telling Elena that Elena spent the money?”
Silence.
“Lucas.”
“I knew they were arguing.”
“That wasn’t the question.”
He breathed out.
“Yes.”
“Did you correct Mom?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Elena does spend money.”
I laughed.
“How much of the hundred forty-two thousand did she spend?”
No answer.
“Eighteen thousand six hundred.”
Silence.
I continued.
“You knew.”
“I knew the reporting wasn’t literal.”
“Reporting that puts my wife’s name on money sent to your LLC is pretty literal.”
He became angry.
“Do you want to know why everyone is sick of Elena?”
I felt my chest tighten.
“No. I want to know where my money went.”
“To keep things together.”
“What things?”
Lucas said nothing.
Then:
“Dad’s things.”
That phrase changed his voice.
Not smug.
Defensive.
“What does that mean?”
“I can’t explain this over the phone.”
“You have thirty seconds.”
“Mom needed help.”
“With what?”
Silence.
“Her condo?”
“No.”
“Living expenses?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
He finally said:
“The estate.”
I stared.
“What estate?”
“Our house.”
I looked at Elena.
She had heard through the speaker.
Her face changed.
“The mansion?”
“Yes.”
“That house doesn’t have a mortgage.”
Lucas said nothing.
“Dad paid it off.”
Still nothing.
“Lucas.”
His voice came quietly.
“Not exactly.”
I stood.
“What did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“Then what?”
“Mom will explain.”
That sentence ended the call.
Not because he hung up.
May you like
Because I did.
For the first time in my life, I was afraid of finding out what my father had left behind.
Related Stories
