I see you. I see how much you carry.
If the illusion ever breaks, call Victor Hayes. He will know what to do.
With respect,
Margaret.
I cried then, not for Ryan, but because the woman I had thought barely noticed me had seen everything.
The next morning, I brought the letter to Victor. He read it and smiled faintly.
“This proves the clause was intentional,” he said. “She was protecting you.”
Then he handed me a folder.
“Margaret also hired a private investigator eight months before she died. She suspected Ryan was pressuring her about the estate, hiding financial trouble, and having an affair.”
Inside were photos, bank records, and a highlighted investigator’s note.
Subject stated to Ms. Brianna Cole that marital dissolution would begin immediately after estate distribution.
It was never sudden. Ryan had planned my discard like a business transaction.
“Freeze it,” I told Victor. “All of it.”
