Chapter 4 - The Traitor in the Family
The betrayal cut deeper than a jagged knife, leaving me completely breathless and dizzy.
My own flesh and blood had actively conspired with an abusive monster to steal my daughter's life.
"Evelyn hasn't spoken to me in years because we had a massive falling out over our father's will," I told Marcus, my voice trembling.
"She always felt entitled to the Lawson Trust, even though my husband specifically left it entirely to Emily."
Marcus aggressively rubbed his temples, already calculating our next legal maneuver.
"If Evelyn stamped that fake deed, she is an active accomplice to massive wire fraud and attempted murder," Marcus stated grimly.
Vance aggressively tapped his keyboard, running a comprehensive background check on my estranged sister.
"Evelyn never actually moved to Europe," Vance revealed, pulling up a recent domestic surveillance photo.
"She has been living in a luxury downtown apartment just ten miles away from here, funded entirely by Daniel's credit cards."
The pieces of this sick, twisted puzzle were finally coming together.
Daniel and Patricia hadn't just accidentally stumbled into a controlling marriage.
They had specifically targeted Emily from the very beginning, working directly with my jealous, greedy sister.
"I am going to Evelyn's apartment right now to drag the truth out of her," I declared, grabbing my heavy winter coat.
Marcus firmly grabbed my arm, stopping me from making a massive, emotional mistake.
"You cannot confront her without wearing a wire, Rebecca," he warned me seriously.
"We need undeniable, recorded proof that she knowingly notarized a forged signature to completely invalidate the house sale."
Vance quickly handed me a tiny, sophisticated digital microphone hidden cleverly inside a fake pearl button.
I pinned it carefully to my coat, ensuring the battery was fully charged and recording directly to Vance's encrypted server.
I drove my SUV through the dark, snowy streets of the city, my knuckles completely white on the steering wheel.
I parked across the street from Evelyn's luxurious high-rise building, taking a deep, steadying breath.
I confidently bypassed the sleeping front desk concierge and rode the sleek elevator up to the penthouse floor.
I pounded my fist aggressively on the heavy oak door of apartment 402.
A few seconds later, the door slowly creaked open, revealing my sister wearing an expensive silk robe.
Evelyn's arrogant smile instantly vanished the exact second she saw my furious face.
"Hello, Evelyn," I said coldly, pushing past her into the opulent, incredibly expensive apartment.
"You really thought you could help murder your own niece and get away with her inheritance?"
Evelyn quickly recovered her composure, crossing her arms defensively with a cruel sneer.
"I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about, Rebecca," she lied smoothly.
I pulled a printed copy of the forged deed from my pocket and threw it aggressively onto her glass coffee table.
"Your official notary stamp is right there on a forged document, which makes you an accessory to a federal crime."
Evelyn laughed darkly, completely unbothered by the severe, terrifying legal threat.
"You can't prove I knew it was forged," she taunted maliciously.
"Daniel brought Emily to my office, and she signed it willingly right in front of my own two eyes."
I smirked, knowing she had just walked directly into my carefully laid trap.
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"That is incredibly interesting, Evelyn," I replied, pointing to the tiny date printed at the top of the contract.
"Because on the exact date you claim Emily signed this paper in your office, she was admitted to the hospital on a ventilator."
