I barely slept that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I remembered Shane's voice.
He had sounded nervous.
Not angry exactly.
Nervous.
And that bothered me more than anything else.
The following morning, I received a message from Elora.
She wanted to speak with me in person.
I agreed, but I asked her to wait until the solicitor had finished reviewing the documents.
She replied with three words.
"Thank you, Claire."
I put my phone down.
Then I went to work.
Around lunchtime, Patricia called.
"Have you spoken to Elora?"
"Only by message."
"Well, something happened this morning."
I stopped walking.
"What?"
"Melissa and Daniel visited her."
I felt my stomach tighten.
"How do you know?"
"Elora called me afterward. She sounded terribly upset."
I leaned against the office wall.
"Did she tell them about the documents?"
"Apparently, they already knew something was happening."
I closed my eyes.
I wondered how much Shane had told them.
Patricia continued.
"She said they wanted to know whether she had found the original papers."
I looked at the clock.
"Did she tell them?"
"No. She said she hadn't spoken to anyone about the details."
I didn't know whether that was true.
But I hoped it was.
When I returned home that evening, there was a car parked outside my house.
I recognized it.
Melissa's.
I hadn't seen her in several years.
She was sitting in the driver's seat.
A man stood beside the passenger door.
Daniel.
My former brother-in-law.
I stopped at the end of the driveway.
Neither of them looked particularly pleased to see me.
I took a breath and walked toward them.
"Hello, Melissa."
She gave me a brief smile.
"Claire."
Daniel nodded.
"Can we talk?"
I unlocked the front door.
"If it's about the documents, we can talk in the living room."
They exchanged a look.
Then followed me inside.
I didn't offer coffee.
I didn't want this to become a friendly family visit.
Melissa sat on the sofa.
Daniel remained standing.
Melissa spoke first.
"Mom told us you found something in the house."
I looked at her.
"Your mother told me quite a lot of things."
She frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"It means I'm still trying to understand why she stayed with me."
Daniel crossed his arms.
"She needed help."
"That was what she told me."
He looked uncomfortable.
Melissa leaned forward.
"Claire, we aren't here to argue."
"Good."
"We just want to make sure nothing is being misunderstood."
I nodded toward the dining table.
The shoebox was still there.
"I found documents belonging to your father. They're being examined by a solicitor."
Daniel glanced at the box.
"Have you opened everything?"
"Some things."
"Which things?"
I looked directly at him.
"Why?"
He hesitated.
Melissa interrupted.
"We're his children. We have a right to know what's in there."
I understood that.
But I also understood that the papers had been hidden for years.
And I wasn't going to hand them over simply because someone demanded them.
"Your solicitor can contact mine."
Melissa's expression changed.
"Why do you need a solicitor?"
"Because these are legal documents."
Daniel finally sat down.
"Claire, this is a private family matter."
I almost smiled.
"Then why was it hidden inside my house?"
Neither answered.
I went to the dining table and picked up a photograph of the agreement.
I didn't hand over the original.
I showed them the page.
Melissa studied it.
Her eyes moved toward the signature.
Then she looked at Daniel.
I noticed the exchange.
It was quick.
But it was there.
"Have you seen this before?" I asked.
Melissa shook her head.
Daniel looked away.
I repeated the question.
"Daniel?"
He finally answered.
"I've seen something similar."
"Where?"
"In the paperwork Mom was given."
I placed the photograph down.
"Then you know there are differences."
Melissa turned toward him.
"What differences?"
He didn't answer.
I looked at her.
"Your father kept an original agreement. The copy your family has been using appears to contain different wording."
Melissa's face became pale.
"What wording?"
"I don't know the full legal meaning yet."
Daniel stood.
"That's enough."
I stared at him.
"What?"
"We shouldn't be discussing this here."
I felt my anger rise.
"You came to my house."
He picked up his jacket.
Melissa remained seated.
"Daniel, wait."
He shook his head.
"Let's go."
But Melissa didn't move.
She looked at me.
"Did Mom tell you why she was so interested in this house?"
I nodded.
"She told me some of it."
Melissa lowered her voice.
"Then she hasn't told you everything."
I felt my chest tighten.
"What hasn't she told me?"
Melissa glanced toward Daniel.
He looked furious.
"Melissa, we're leaving."
She ignored him.
"Mom knew about this house long before you bought it."
I stared at her.
"How long?"
"Years."
I remembered Helen's conversation.
Elora had visited the property before I purchased it.
Melissa continued.
"She and Dad used to talk about the place. He had plans for it."
"What kind of plans?"
She shook her head.
"I don't know everything."
Daniel finally interrupted.
"You're making this worse."
Melissa stood.
"Maybe someone should have told Claire the truth before she was dragged into it."
They left.
I watched through the front window as their car disappeared down the street.
Then I sat down.
My hands were shaking.
A few minutes later, my phone rang.
It was Elora.
I answered.
"Your children were here."
She sighed.
"I know."
"Melissa told me you knew about this property long before I bought it."
Silence.
Then Elora said:
"That's true."
I closed my eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was going to."
"When?"
She didn't answer.
I looked at the shoebox.
"Elora, I need you to understand something. I cannot keep discovering pieces of your story from other people."
"I know, sweetheart."
"Then tell me everything."
She began crying.
And for the first time, I heard her admit that the secret wasn't only about Arthur's documents.
It was also about a promise she had made to him.
A promise she had never fulfilled.
Click here to continue reading: PART 14: Elora Finally Admitted What Her Husband Had Asked Her to Protect, and I Realized Why She Had Chosen My House Instead of Her Children’s Homes
I Thought My Marriage Was the Only Thing My Ex-Husband’s Family Had Taken From Me, Until His Mother Needed My Help
Part 13 of 20
