Chapter 5: The Will My Father Tried to Bury
The hospital smelled of disinfectant, stale coffee, and rain-soaked clothing.
I sat between two hospital beds while Elena slept.
Ava had fallen asleep beside her mother, holding one of Elena's hands.
Lily was in the next bed.
She had refused to let go of her stuffed rabbit.
Every few minutes, she opened her eyes to make sure Elena was still there.
I couldn't blame her.
For seven years, she had been told that her mother was someone she could never see.
For fourteen months, Elena had been trapped beneath my home.
And my father had somehow managed to keep all of us separated.
I looked at Lily.
“Are you comfortable?””
She nodded.
“Can I ask you something?””
“Of course.””
“Did you know who I was?””
She shook her head.
“Mommy showed me your picture.””
I leaned forward.
“When?””
“Every birthday.””
My chest tightened.
“What did she tell you?””
“That you liked pancakes and that you were funny.””
I smiled sadly.
“I'm not sure I'm funny.””
Lily considered this.
“Mommy said you were.””
Then she looked at the photograph on my phone.
It was a picture of Elena and me on our honeymoon.
“That's you.””
“Yes.””
“You look younger.””
“I was younger.””
She studied the photograph.
“Were you looking for us?””
I swallowed.
“Every single day.””
She nodded, apparently satisfied.
Then she turned toward the wall.
“Okay.””
That one word hurt more than any accusation.
She was only seven.
And she had already learned not to expect too much from adults.
A nurse entered carrying a clipboard.
“Mr. Reynolds, your wife is awake.””
I immediately stood.
Elena was looking toward the doorway.
“Marcus?””
“I'm here.””
She tried to sit up.
I gently helped her.
“How are you feeling?””
“Like I've been buried alive.””
I squeezed her hand.
“I am so sorry.””
She frowned.
“Why are you apologizing?””
“Because I should have known something was wrong.””
“Marcus, you searched for me.””
“But I stopped.””
“You didn't stop because you stopped loving me. You stopped because everyone convinced you I was dead.””
I looked down.
She touched my cheek.
“Don't punish yourself for what Richard did.””
I sat beside her.
“Tell me everything.””
Elena glanced toward the sleeping girls.
“Not in front of them.””
I nodded.
A few minutes later, Daniel arrived.
He carried a thick leather folder.
“Marcus, we need to talk.””
I looked at Elena.
She nodded.
Daniel closed the hospital room door.
“I've been reviewing the property records and the company's original incorporation documents.””
“What did you find?””
He opened the folder.
“Your grandmother, Catherine Reynolds, established a private family trust before her disappearance.””
Elena slowly sat straighter.
“Did you find the amendment?””
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.””
He removed a document sealed in a transparent protective sleeve.
“The trust was structured so that its controlling shares would pass to Catherine's first surviving granddaughter.””
I frowned.
“Lily.””
“Correct.””
Daniel turned the document toward me.
“Richard was appointed temporary custodian while the beneficiary was a minor. However, he had no right to transfer, sell, or pledge the shares.””
I scanned the page.
The trust controlled thirty-eight percent of Reynolds Holdings.
A controlling block when combined with the voting shares held by the other family beneficiaries.
I looked up.
“How much is that worth?””
“Approximately four hundred million dollars at current valuation.””
Elena closed her eyes.
“That was what Richard wanted.””
Daniel nodded.
“He appears to have been diverting company money to cover loans secured against assets he had no authority to use.””
I rubbed my forehead.
“Why didn't he just leave Lily alone?””
Daniel turned another page.
“Because if Lily was declared legally dead, the trust could potentially be challenged and the shares redirected under a different succession arrangement. Richard had been preparing a petition for that exact purpose.””
Elena shook her head.
“He wanted her declared dead.””
Daniel nodded.
“And he needed the mother to disappear because she could testify that Lily was alive.””
I stared at the documents.
My father had stolen his granddaughter's inheritance.
Then he had imprisoned her.
And when Elena discovered the truth, he had imprisoned her too.
But something still didn't make sense.
“Why did he need Vanessa?””
Elena looked toward the door.
“Vanessa was the person who helped him get access to our home.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“She worked for Richard before you met her. She was the one who introduced herself to me at a charity event.””
I stared at her.
“You knew Vanessa?””
Elena nodded.
“She asked too many questions about our marriage. About the company. About Catherine's estate.””
Daniel looked up.
“Did you tell Marcus?””
“I tried. But Richard had already begun telling him that I was becoming paranoid.””
I remembered those months.
The arguments.
The late-night phone calls.
Elena insisting that someone was following her.
I had thought she was stressed.
I had suggested therapy.
God, how wrong I had been.
Elena continued.
“On the night of the accident, Richard arranged for me to meet him at the marina. He claimed he had documents proving Lily's whereabouts.””
I stared at her.
“And then?””
“He had people waiting. They took me from the yacht and moved me to a private facility.””
“Who was driving?””
Elena hesitated.
“Vanessa.””
I stood.
“She was involved from the beginning?””
Elena nodded.
“She was there when they took me. She knew I was alive.””
I felt a wave of anger rise through my chest.
“And she spent eleven months sleeping in our house.””
Elena looked down.
“I know.””
I paced across the room.
“She held my daughter's hand. She helped plan the funeral anniversary dinner. She listened to me talk about how much I missed you.””
Elena's eyes filled.
“Marcus…”
I stopped.
“What?””
“Don't let anger make you careless. Vanessa wasn't the only person involved.””
I turned.
“Who else?””
Elena looked toward Daniel.
He placed another document on the table.
“There's an unusual transfer in the original trust records. It was authorized using a signature that appears to belong to Catherine Reynolds.””
I frowned.
“Catherine died when I was a baby.””
Daniel nodded.
“That's what the public records say.””
Elena slowly reached into her hospital bag.
She removed a folded piece of paper.
“I found this in the chamber.””
I opened it.
The paper was old and yellowed.
At the top was a handwritten message.
If my son ever learns what happened to me, tell him the truth.
Below it was a name.
*Catherine Reynolds.*
And beneath the name, a date.
Three weeks before the boating accident.
I looked at Elena.
“Where did you get this?””
“It was hidden inside a loose panel beneath the bed.””
Daniel examined the paper.
“There's more.””
He turned it over.
On the back was a handwritten address and a telephone number.
Then a sentence that made my blood run cold.
*Richard was not my only child.*
I stared at the words.
“What does that mean?””
Elena whispered, “Catherine had another son.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Who?””
Before she could answer, my phone rang.
The caller ID displayed a private number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A man's voice came through.
“Marcus Reynolds?””
“Who is this?””
“My name is Thomas Hale. I was your father's private physician for thirty years.””
I straightened.
“What do you want?””
“I need to meet you.””
“Why?””
There was a long silence.
Then he said:
“Because your father has been lying about Catherine's death.””
I looked at Elena.
She had heard enough to understand.
“Where are you?”” I asked.
“I'm at the old Reynolds estate.””
“Why are you calling now?””
His voice trembled.
“Because I just received a photograph of your wife leaving the hospital.””
My blood ran cold.
“What?””
“Someone is watching your family.””
I moved toward the window.
“Who sent you the photograph?””
“I don't know.””
Then the doctor whispered something that made my hands go numb.
“But there's something worse. Catherine isn't the only person Richard has been hiding.””
The call ended.
I immediately called back.
The number was disconnected.
Daniel took my phone.
“Marcus, we need to secure the hospital.””
Elena grabbed my hand.
“Don't go anywhere alone.””
I looked at her.
“I'm not leaving you.””
She shook her head.
“Marcus, you don't understand. Thomas was the last person who saw Catherine alive.””
I frowned.
“Then why does he say my father lied about her death?””
Elena looked toward Lily's bed.
Then she whispered:
“Because Catherine didn't die in a car accident.””
I waited.
May you like
Elena's voice broke.
“She was buried alive.””
