Chapter 5 - The Woman Leah TrustedEmily returned to the mansion the next morning with Ava asleep against her shoulder.
Darius met them at the door.
Rex appeared from the hallway.
The moment Ava saw him, she reached down.
"Rex."
The dog came carefully, as if he understood she was fragile.
Ava pressed both hands into his fur.
Darius watched.
Nia watched from the staircase.
She said nothing.
Darius had locked her tablet inside his office safe.
He had not tried to break into it.
Not yet.
Emily carried Ava to the nursery.
Nia started after them.
Darius blocked her path.
"Not now."
Her face hardened.
"She's my stepdaughter."
"Then give her space."
"You believe Emily over your wife."
"I believe Ava is afraid of you."
Nia looked toward the nursery door.
"Emily taught her to be."
That afternoon, Darius asked Emily to sit with him in Leah's old library.
Few people entered the room anymore.
Leah's books still occupied the shelves.
A photograph of her stood on the fireplace.
Leah had been fair-skinned and red-haired, the same strawberry shade Ava inherited. Darius had met her when Ava was three months old. Ava's biological father had relinquished parental rights before her birth. Darius later adopted her legally.
He had never called himself her adoptive father.
He was simply Dad.
Emily had known Leah before Darius did.
She had helped Leah through a difficult postpartum recovery and remained the family's private nurse afterward.
"Did Leah ever distrust Nia?" Darius asked.
Emily stared at him.
"Nia wasn't around when Leah died."
"I know. I'm asking whether Leah ever talked about people using Ava."
Emily's expression shifted.
"Why?"
"Answer me."
"Leah was terrified wealth would make Ava a target."
Darius looked toward the photograph.
"What did she do about it?"
"You know about the trust."
"I know she left Ava money."
"More than money."
Darius frowned.
Emily continued.
"Leah once told me she made sure nobody could treat Ava as a shortcut to the estate."
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know. She never gave me details."
Darius stood.
Leah's estate attorney was Grace Holloway.
He had not spoken to her in nearly a year.
Before he could call, Ava appeared in the doorway.
Rex stood behind her.
She had changed into pajamas.
Darius smiled.
"Hey, baby."
Ava walked to him.
He lifted her.
She rested her head against his shoulder.
"Pool bad."
His throat tightened.
"The pool isn't bad."
"Nia bad."
Darius closed his eyes.
Emily looked away.
Ava touched his neck tattoo, something she did whenever she wanted his attention.
"Daddy mad Rex."
"I was."
"Rex good."
"Yes."
"Don't hurt Rex."
Darius hugged her tighter.
"I won't."
It was the easiest promise he had made in twenty-four hours.
And the one that hurt most.
The next morning Grace Holloway arrived at the mansion carrying a leather folder.
She was in her sixties, silver-haired, precise, and visibly unhappy about being there.
Darius told her what happened.
She listened without interrupting.
When he finished, Grace asked only one question.
"Does Nia know the terms of Leah's trust?"
Darius frowned.
"I don't think so."
Grace opened the folder.
"She does."
Darius stared at her.
Grace slid a document across the table.
"Four months ago, Nia requested a certified copy of the trust provisions governing Ava's inheritance."
Darius looked down.
Nia's signature was on the request.
His own electronic authorization appeared beneath it.
Darius felt cold.
"I never approved this."
Grace's eyes narrowed.
"Then we have a much larger problem."
She turned several pages.
"If Ava dies before the age specified in Leah's trust, the restricted assets do not remain restricted."
Darius looked up.
"Where do they go?"
Grace answered quietly.
"To you."
May you like
And upstairs, unnoticed by either of them, Nia stood behind the partially open door.
Listening.
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