Chapter 11 - MargaretMargaret refused to talk.
She sat across from me in Samantha's office.
No makeup.
No jewelry.
No arrogance.
For the first time, she looked like an ordinary woman.
“You're my mother.”
She stared at the floor.
“Yes.”
“Why did you abandon me?”
Her lips trembled.
“I didn't.”
“Everyone told me you died.”
“I had to disappear.”
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
I laughed bitterly.
“You protected me by letting me grow up believing I had no mother?”
She cried.
But I wasn't ready to forgive her.
Not even close.
“What happened?”
She finally told me.
My biological father had been involved with the Voss family.
He wanted control of Evelyn's shares.
When he discovered Evelyn had placed them in a trust for me, he tried to take me.
Margaret ran.
She changed her name.
She married Harold.
She raised Derek.
And she spent years secretly watching me.
“Then why did you treat me like that?”
Her face collapsed.
“Because Derek had to believe I hated you.”
“Why?”
“Because if he knew who you were, he would have killed you.”
I stared.
“You're telling me your cruelty protected me?”
She nodded.
“Eleanor had people everywhere.”
“Then why did you steal my money?”
Margaret looked away.
“I didn't.”
“Eighteen thousand dollars?”
“I borrowed it.”
“For what?”
“To keep Eleanor from finding you.”
I couldn't believe her.
“So all of this…”
“Yes.”
“Was fake?”
“Not all of it.”
That hurt.
She looked at me.
“Derek became corrupt.”
“And you knew?”
“I knew he was trying to gain control.”
“Then why didn't you stop him?”
“Because I needed him to lead Eleanor to you.”
I stood up.
“You used my marriage as bait.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
I walked toward the window.
The world outside looked exactly the same.
But nothing in my life was the same anymore.
Then Margaret said,
“There is one thing I never told Evelyn.”
I turned.
“What?”
“Your father is alive.”
I stopped breathing.
“What?”
“He was never killed.”
“Where is he?”
Margaret hesitated.
“Eleanor has him.”
My phone rang.
Samantha answered it.
Her face changed.
She hung up.
“What?”
“The courthouse.”
“What happened?”
She whispered,
“Someone just submitted documents claiming you are mentally incompetent.”
I stared.
“Who?”
“Your father.”
May you like
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“And he is requesting control of your trust.”
