Chapter 7 - Charles's First Lie)
Charles locked the documents inside his car.
He kept the keys in his pocket.
Vanessa watched him from the kitchen window.
No one spoke during dinner.
After Lily went to bed, Emma found Charles on the porch.
"Tell me."
He did not pretend not to understand.
"Olivia had another problem."
"What?"
"Matthew Reed."
"Lily's father."
Charles nodded.
"He was not a good man."
"What did he do?"
"He controlled Olivia. He disappeared when she became pregnant, then came back after Lily was born."
"Why?"
"Money, mostly."
"What money?"
Charles looked surprised.
"You don't know."
"No."
He sighed.
"Your grandmother Eleanor had established a trust for every grandchild. Education, medical expenses, certain living costs."
Emma frowned.
"Lily had money?"
"Not money she could access. A managed trust."
"How much?"
"Enough to matter to the wrong people."
"Did Matthew know?"
"Eventually."
"And Vanessa?"
"Of course."
Emma sat beside him.
"Did she take Lily for money?"
"I don't believe that."
"You didn't believe she forged Olivia's signature either."
Charles looked down.
"Fair."
Emma waited.
"Matthew came back after Olivia finished treatment," Charles continued. "He demanded access to Lily. Olivia wanted nothing to do with him."
"So?"
"Vanessa told Olivia that if she continued challenging the adoption, Vanessa would support Matthew's custody claim."
Emma stared at him.
"Why would Matthew get custody?"
"He wouldn't necessarily. But Olivia was terrified."
"Because he abused her?"
Charles nodded once.
"Did Vanessa know?"
"Yes."
Emma felt disgust.
"So she threatened to hand Lily to an abusive father unless Olivia disappeared."
"I don't know exactly what she said."
"Stop doing that."
"What?"
"Making everything smaller."
Charles looked at her.
"You know enough to know what happened."
He closed his eyes.
"Yes."
"Then say it."
"Vanessa frightened Olivia away."
"How?"
"She told Olivia she had copies of messages from when Olivia was sick. Things that could make her look unstable. She also claimed Matthew had witnesses who would say Olivia used drugs."
"Did she?"
"No."
"Vanessa knew it was false."
"Yes."
"And you?"
"I found out later."
"How much later?"
"A year."
Emma stood.
"A year?"
"Emma."
"You knew for five years."
"I kept thinking I could fix it quietly."
"How?"
"I tried to make Vanessa let Olivia visit."
"And?"
"She refused."
"So you did nothing."
"I sent Olivia money."
Emma stared at him.
Charles seemed ashamed.
"She returned it."
"Good."
"I know."
Emma paced the porch.
"Why didn't Olivia go back to court?"
"She had no money left. She was afraid of Matthew. And she believed I would testify against her."
"Would you have?"
Charles did not answer quickly enough.
Emma's anger rose again.
"You would have."
"At the time, yes."
"Why?"
"Because I still believed Vanessa was the safer parent."
"Even after you knew she lied?"
"I had not seen what you're seeing now."
"Lily's been living here."
"I know."
"You live here."
His face tightened.
"I know."
"How could you not see it?"
"I saw pieces."
"Then you chose not to put them together."
Charles looked out into the yard.
"Yes."
The honesty disarmed her.
He continued.
"That is the part I cannot forgive myself for."
Emma's anger remained.
But beneath it she saw something else.
Not innocence.
Not redemption.
Regret.
Real regret.
"Why does Lily sleep here instead of Vanessa's house?"
Emma asked.
Charles rubbed his hands together.
"Vanessa sold her house two years ago."
"Why?"
"Debt."
"What happened to the trust?"
Charles looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
"If Vanessa was Lily's guardian, she could request money for Lily's expenses, right?"
"Yes."
"How much has she taken?"
"I don't know."
Emma laughed softly.
"Of course you don't."
Charles stood.
"Tomorrow I will."
He walked inside.
For the first time, Emma believed he might actually do something.
The following morning he called his lawyer.
Then the bank managing the trust.
By lunchtime, his expression had changed.
Emma found him at the dining table surrounded by printed statements.
"What?"
He looked up.
"Vanessa has requested reimbursements for private school tuition."
"Lily goes to public school."
"I know."
"How much?"
"Thirty two thousand dollars over three years."
Emma stared at him.
"What else?"
"Medical therapy."
"Lily doesn't have therapy."
"Apparently she was billed for it."
"How much?"
"Almost eighteen thousand."
Emma sat down.
"Grandpa."
He turned another page.
"There are clothing allowances. Childcare. Travel."
"Travel where?"
"New York. Florida. California."
"Lily told me she's never been on a plane."
Charles's jaw tightened.
The front door opened.
Vanessa entered.
She saw the papers.
"What are those?"
Charles stood.
"Trust statements."
Vanessa put down her purse.
"Why?"
"You tell me."
She looked at Emma.
Then Charles.
"These are reimbursements."
"For what?"
"Lily."
"She has never attended St. Catherine's Academy."
Vanessa shrugged.
"She was registered."
"She never went."
"I changed my mind."
"Then why did you claim tuition?"
Vanessa's face remained calm.
"Administrative error."
"For three years?"
"Are you accusing me of something?"
Charles stared at her.
"I'm asking."
Vanessa walked closer.
"You have no idea how expensive raising a child is."
"Then show me the receipts."
"I don't answer to Emma."
"I'm asking."
Vanessa's eyes changed.
Charles had crossed another line.
She moved close enough that Emma could see the muscles tighten in her jaw.
"You want to reopen everything?"
Charles did not move.
"Yes."
Vanessa whispered, "Then don't complain when you lose Lily too."
Charles went pale.
Emma stepped forward.
"What does that mean?"
Vanessa picked up the trust statements.
Charles grabbed them back.
For several seconds father and daughter stared at each other.
Then Lily appeared on the stairs.
"Grandpa?"
Vanessa immediately turned.
Her voice softened unnaturally.
"Sweetheart, go upstairs."
Lily stayed where she was.
Vanessa looked at Charles.
"You have a decision to make."
"No," Emma said.
Vanessa ignored her.
"If Olivia comes back, everything changes."
Charles answered quietly.
"Maybe it should."
Vanessa smiled.
"You think she'll forgive you?"
Charles looked at Lily.
"No."
Vanessa's smile widened.
"Then maybe you should ask yourself what a man with nothing left to lose is capable of."
She walked upstairs.
Emma turned to Charles.
"Who?"
May you like
His face was white.
"Matthew."
