Chapter 4 - Shadows of the Past
After the police left and the remaining relatives scattered in shame, I walked over to Lily. I placed my arms around her, holding her tightly as she cried into my chest. The heavy, dark cloud that had hovered over our family for years was finally beginning to lift.
"Dad," she sobbed softly. "Why does Grandma hate us so much?"
We sat inside the deep blue Mustang, the rich scent of new leather surrounding us, while I told her the truth I had tried to shield her from for years.
When my father was alive, he saw through my mother's favoritism. Evelyn had always doted on Denise, showering her with praise while treating me as an afterthought. When Lily was born, my father saw the exact same pattern repeating between Lily and Denise's daughter, Brianna. To protect Lily's future, my father secretly set aside a portion of his life savings into a trust dedicated solely to Lily's higher education.
"Your grandfather knew what she was capable of," I explained, running a hand over the steering wheel. "He knew that if he left everything to your grandmother, Denise would take it all. That's why he made me the co-trustee of your account."
"So she tried to steal it before I turned eighteen today," Lily realized, wiping her cheeks.
"She thought I wouldn't check the balance until late fall when tuition was due," I said. "She thought by then, the money would be gone, the Jeep would belong to Brianna, and you'd be forced to take out massive student loans or settle for scraps."
I smiled at her, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "What she didn't know was that I spent the last three years taking on extra consulting contracts, saving every single penny to buy you this Mustang cash. I didn't touch a single dime of your grandfather's trust. And now, Arthur Vance is going to make sure every cent she stole is returned to you."
Lily looked at the keys in her hand, then out at the open road ahead. A soft, genuine smile broke across her face. "Can we drive, Dad? Away from here?"
May you like
"Push the button," I told her.
She pressed the ignition, and the Mustang's V8 engine roared to life with a deep, powerful rumble that shattered the remaining silence of the driveway.
