“Let me finish, because the moment they accept that inheritance, the codicil is officially activated. Their acceptance triggers a mandatory investigation that allows all this evidence to be presented to the prosecution.”
I finally understood the genius of my father’s final play.
“He made them believe they had won just so they would incriminate themselves by signing the papers.”
Suddenly, there was a sharp knock on the office door and my brother Jesse walked in. He looked exhausted and guilty as he carried a leather folder into the room.
“I came because there is one more thing you both need to hear before the meeting tomorrow.”
He sat down and played an audio recording from his phone that filled the room with Misty’s cold voice.
“When the old man dies, you will declare that he was senile, and Simon will fight for the house while Cassandra is left with nothing.”
Then I heard Simon’s voice, sounding familiar yet completely unrecognizable in its cruelty.
“Cassandra never deserved any of this because she only got ahead by being Harrison’s daughter.”
My throat tightened as Jesse turned off the recording and opened his folder.
“This is the worst part of it all,” he said quietly.
He showed me bank statements from my father’s company showing dozens of hidden payments.
“Misty has been stealing from the company for years, even before your divorce happened. Her relationship with Simon was never an accident; she used him to get into the family so she could take everything.”
I stared at the papers and realized this wasn’t just about greed or money.
“It was a hunt,” I whispered, “and tomorrow they are walking straight into a trap.”
Part 3
The morning of the will reading was unusually hot for a spring day in Phoenix. I put on a simple navy dress and tied my hair back, seeing my father’s quiet firmness reflected in my own eyes in the mirror.
At nine o’clock sharp, I entered the law office where Brenda was already arranging documents on a large walnut desk. We could hear a loud commotion coming from the hallway before the meeting even started.
“Misty actually brought a camera crew,” Jesse muttered as he walked in behind me. “She is currently practicing her victory speech in front of a mirror out there.”
Brenda closed her portfolio with a small, knowing smile.
“Let them record everything, as it will make for a very interesting video later.”