Chapter 15 - THE MONEY NOBODY TOLD ME ABOUT
I had heard my parents mention a trust only once.
It was years earlier, after my grandfather died.
My father said the estate was complicated.
My mother said there was nothing I needed to worry about.
I believed them.
I had four young children and a marriage I thought was stable.
I never asked another question.
Now Rebecca was sitting across from me with a document that appeared to connect Ryan to my family's finances.
The draft referred to a potential restructuring of trust-held assets.
My name appeared in an attachment.
So did Lauren's.
And my father's.
But the signature page was blank.
Rebecca studied the paperwork.
"First, this doesn't prove any transaction occurred."
I nodded.
"Then why does Ryan have it?"
"That's something we need to establish."
Lauren stared at the table.
"He told me he was helping Dad."
My stomach tightened.
"Helping with what?"
"Business planning."
"Why?"
She shrugged helplessly.
"Because Dad trusted him."
I almost laughed.
My father had spent my entire marriage praising Ryan.
Responsible.
Ambitious.
Successful.
The kind of man who could be trusted with money and decisions.
Apparently, my father had never noticed that trust was exactly what Ryan exploited.
Rebecca made copies.
Then she contacted an attorney experienced in trusts and estates.
Two days later, we learned the trust was real.
It had been created by my grandfather.
Its terms involved distributions to descendants under certain conditions.
But the complete trust agreement was not yet available to me.
I stared at Rebecca.
"Was I supposed to know?"
"That depends on the trust provisions and your legal interest."
"Did my father control it?"
"He appears to have served in an administrative capacity."
My stomach twisted.
"Could Ryan have taken money from it?"
"We don't know."
I closed my eyes.
Another possibility.
Another unanswered question.
That evening, my father called.
His voice was furious.
"Why are you hiring lawyers to investigate our family?"
I sat at my kitchen table.
"Because nobody will answer my questions."
"Those matters are private."
"My name is on the documents."
"You don't understand them."
"Then help me understand."
He was silent.
I continued.
"Did Ryan have anything to do with the trust?"
My father inhaled sharply.
"Ryan helped with some paperwork."
"What paperwork?"
"Administrative matters."
"Did you pay him?"
Another silence.
"That's irrelevant."
"No, Dad."
My voice hardened.
"It's becoming very relevant."
He snapped, "Your husband was the only person in this family who understood the responsibility involved."
I stared at the wall.
"Then why did he lie to all of us?"
My father didn't answer.
I looked down at the copies spread before me.
"Was Lauren's wedding connected to the trust?"
He swore.
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Then tell me why Ryan had this proposal."
My father's voice dropped.
"Annie, listen carefully."
I held my breath.
"You need to stop digging."
"Why?"
"Because your grandfather left instructions that were never meant to be questioned."
My pulse quickened.
"What instructions?"
He hesitated.
Then said, "Your inheritance was supposed to remain protected until certain information about your family was resolved."
I felt cold.
"What information?"
My father exhaled.
May you like
"Your mother knows."
Then he ended the call.
