Chapter 2 - THE DEADLINE DIANE WOULDN’T EXPLAIN
“Nothing,” Grant said.
Diane’s shoulders dropped almost imperceptibly.
Not relief.
Something closer to calculation.
Grant gathered every loose page on the table, including the two halves Diane had torn.
“Until I understand what this is, there will be no discretionary distribution from Richard’s trust.”
Eliza turned on him.
“So she wins?”
“No.”
“You just said you’re freezing my money.”
“I’m freezing the trust administration because someone walked into my office with a document bearing a forged version of my firm’s seal.”
Grant looked at Diane.
“That protects Eliza, too.”
Diane pulled her purse toward herself.
“Eliza doesn’t need protecting from me.”
Eliza laughed once.
It came out harsher than she intended.
Diane gave her the familiar look—the one that had followed Eliza from childhood through college applications, a broken engagement at twenty-seven, and the nine months she had spent caring for Richard while cancer stripped weight from his body.
Too emotional.
Too reactive.
Too much.
During those months, Eliza had left her communications job in Washington and moved back to Richmond. Richard had insisted he would reimburse her after the sale of a commercial property.
The sale never closed before he died.
Her savings were almost gone.
Diane knew that.
“You told me Dad wanted me to come home,” Eliza said.
“He did.”
“You told me the business could cover my expenses.”
“For a while.”
“You knew I was burning through everything I had.”
Diane’s eyes flicked toward the windows.
“That was your choice.”
Grant stepped between them verbally before Eliza could answer.
“What exactly are you claiming this petition proves?”
Diane zipped her purse.
“That Richard had concerns about Eliza’s judgment.”
“A guardianship petition would not change his trust.”
“He intended to change it.”
“Did he?”
Diane hesitated.
“I’m saying he reconsidered.”
Grant tapped the page.
“You’re saying a dead client reconsidered based on a document my firm did not create.”
Diane stood.
“Be very careful, Grant.”
“I am.”
Something white protruded from the outside pocket of her purse.
Eliza saw the blue Piedmont Commonwealth Bank logo and a stamped date.
AUGUST 28.
Today.
Diane shoved the envelope deeper into the pocket.
Grant saw it too.
“What happens today?” he asked.
“Nothing that concerns you.”
“You asked how much money had been distributed.”
Diane lifted her chin.
“I asked a simple question.”
“And you came here carrying a false legal document.”
Diane headed toward the door.
Eliza moved into her path.
“Mom.”
Diane stopped.
“What happens today?”
For one second Eliza saw something beneath the polished contempt.
Fear.
Then it disappeared.
“You always thought your father chose you because you were stronger than me.”
Diane stepped around her.
“He chose you because he knew you were easier to guilt.”
The door closed behind her.
Eliza remained standing.
Grant looked again at the bank envelope he had seen.
Then he opened Richard’s trust file on his laptop.
“There’s something else you need to know.”
Eliza sat down slowly.
Grant found the amendment Richard had signed six weeks before his death.
“Your father didn’t only remove Diane as successor trustee.”
He turned the screen toward her.
“He added a restriction specifically preventing trust funds from being used to satisfy Bennett Architectural Millwork’s outstanding debt.”
May you like
Eliza read the sentence twice.
She had never known the company had outstanding debt.
