Across from him was an older man I immediately recognized.
James Brooks.
My grandfather.
Alive.
Healthy.
Angry.
My father leaned forward.
“You’re making a mistake.”
My grandfather shook his head.
“No, Daniel. The mistake was trusting you.”
“You can’t leave everything to that boy.”
“He is my grandson.”
“He doesn’t know anything about business.”
“He doesn’t need to.”
My father slammed his fist onto the table.
“He’s weak.”
My grandfather smiled sadly.
“No. He’s unspoiled.”
My father’s expression darkened.
“You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“I know exactly what I’m doing.”
My grandfather leaned forward.
“And when I die, Nathan will receive everything.”
My father’s expression changed.
“Then I’ll make sure he never knows.”
The video ended.
I couldn’t breathe.
Richard took the phone from my hand.
“That conversation was recorded six weeks before your father threw you out.”
I stared down at the ground.
My father had known.
He’d known the entire time.
He knew my grandfather was alive. He knew about the inheritance.
He knew the letters had been sent.
And when I turned eighteen, he took my savings and threw me out onto the street.
Not because I was an adult.
Not because he wanted me to learn independence.
Because he needed me gone before the estate could locate me.
I looked at Richard.
“What happens now?”
He smiled for the first time.
“Now you have thirty days.”
“To do what?”
