Chapter 8 - Melissa’s Inheritance
Melissa was waiting in the kitchen when Evelyn returned.
She stood beside the island preparing tea, as if she belonged there.
Daniel sat at the table with his head in his hands.
Claire stood near the windows.
The atmosphere told Evelyn something had happened.
“What is she doing here?” Evelyn asked.
Melissa set down the teapot.
“Daniel asked me to come.”
Daniel looked up.
“I found the messages.”
“What messages?”
“On Melissa’s old phone.”
Melissa crossed her arms.
“You stole my property.”
“You left it connected to the shared cloud account.”
Claire addressed Evelyn.
“Daniel found correspondence between Melissa and Bellweather.”
Evelyn placed Rose’s box on the table.
“How long?”
Daniel’s eyes were red.
“Almost two years.”
Melissa remained calm.
“They contacted me because my mother had information about the trust.”
“Helena Vale,” Evelyn said.
Melissa’s composure broke.
“How do you know that name?”
Evelyn showed her the photograph.
Melissa stared at it.
“My mother said that picture had been destroyed.”
“Why?”
“Because Margaret destroyed our family.”
Evelyn stepped closer.
“Margaret was her sister.”
“Her older sister. The favorite. The one everyone protected.”
“What happened between them?”
Melissa looked at Daniel, but he turned away.
She realized he would not save her.
“My grandfather owned a small farm near Lewes,” she said. “When he died, Margaret inherited most of it because she had cared for him. My mother received almost nothing. Then Margaret became pregnant by a wealthy married man and disappeared.”
“Thomas.”
“Yes.”
“How did Helena obtain the Ashbourne pendant?”
“It belonged to Margaret. My mother took it after Margaret died.”
“Why did you wear it?”
“I liked it.”
Rose’s notebook lay between them.
“You knew Rose was Thomas’s daughter when you married Daniel.”
Melissa did not answer.
Daniel stood.
“Tell her.”
Melissa’s eyes filled with anger.
“I suspected.”
“You knew,” Daniel said.
“I knew there were rumors. My mother said Margaret’s child might have a claim to a wealthy estate. She never told me which estate until after our engagement.”
Daniel looked physically ill.
“You married me because of the farm.”
“I married you because I loved you.”
“And stayed because you thought my sister owned part of Ashbourne?”
“Both things can be true.”
Daniel pushed his chair away.
Melissa turned to Evelyn.
“My mother believed Margaret stole everything from her. Their father’s farm. Thomas’s protection. The trust payments. Even after Margaret died, Rose continued receiving opportunities while my mother struggled.”
“The trust payments stopped fourteen years ago,” Evelyn said.
“No, they did not.”
Rose’s records suggested the opposite.
“Who received them?”
Melissa looked toward the windows.
“My mother.”
Daniel stared at her.
“She stole Rose’s money?”
“She believed it belonged to her. After Margaret became ill, Helena gained access to her accounts. When Thomas died, a trust administrator contacted the family. My mother told them Rose had changed her name and requested that payments be redirected.”
“Fraud,” Claire said.
Melissa’s voice sharpened.
“My mother was desperate.”
“Desperation explains a crime,” Claire replied. “It does not erase it.”
Evelyn felt the shape of the conspiracy becoming clearer.
“Bellweather discovered the false payments.”
Melissa nodded.
“They contacted my mother three years ago. They promised not to prosecute her if she helped locate trust documents.”
“And you?”
“After my mother died, I inherited her files and her obligation.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“Obligation?”
“They had evidence that could send me to prison too. Some redirected payments entered an account in my name when I was younger.”
“You could have told me.”
“I was afraid.”
“So you helped them destroy my family instead.”
“I tried to control the damage.”
“By persuading me to sell Ashbourne?”
“Bellweather said a clean sale would settle every claim. They promised we would keep enough money to start again.”
Evelyn looked at the leather handbag near Melissa’s chair.
“Have you been removing documents from the house?”
Melissa said nothing.
“Did you enter Thomas’s study?”
“Yes.”
“Did you start the barn fire?”
“No.”
“Did Bellweather?”
“I don’t know.”
Daniel moved toward her.
“Did you tell them Mother and Claire were in the cellar?”
“No.”
The fear in her voice appeared real.
Claire opened her laptop.
“Where is Rose?”
Melissa’s face changed.
“I don’t know.”
“You searched for her.”
“Bellweather ordered me to.”
“Did you find her?”
“No.”
Evelyn placed Rose’s notebook in front of Melissa.
“She found you.”
Melissa stared at her own name on the page.
“She must have discovered my mother’s records.”
“Did she contact you?”
Melissa shook her head.
“Then why was she investigating you?”
“I don’t know.”
Daniel walked toward the door.
Melissa reached for him.
“Please.”
He stepped away from her touch.
“You knew I had a sister.”
“I wasn’t certain.”
“You knew enough to use her existence.”
“I was trying to protect us.”
“There is no us.”
He left the kitchen.
Melissa closed her eyes.
For several seconds, no one spoke.
Then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen and went pale.
Claire noticed.
“Answer it.”
Melissa did not move.
The phone continued ringing.
Evelyn picked it up.
The caller identification showed no number.
She answered and activated the speaker.
A distorted male voice filled the kitchen.
“Mrs. Ashbourne has something that does not belong to her.”
Evelyn spoke.
“You mean Rose’s notebook?”
Silence.
Then the voice said, “Bring it to the northern chapel before midnight.”
“What happens if I refuse?”
“We release evidence proving Daniel ordered the cider barn fire.”
Daniel, standing unseen in the hallway, heard every word.
He stepped back into the kitchen.
“That’s a lie.”
The voice continued.
“Come alone, Evelyn. Or your son will spend the rest of his life explaining why accelerant was purchased using his account.”
The call ended.
Daniel looked at Melissa.
May you like
“What did they do in my name?”
Melissa whispered, “More than you know.”
