Two days later, Mr. Bennett contacted me.
He had completed an initial examination of the documents.
He wanted to arrange a meeting with Elora and all three children.
I wasn't sure I wanted to attend.
But the original papers had been discovered in my property.
And my name appeared in the agreement.
I agreed.
The meeting was scheduled for the following Monday.
Elora arrived first.
She looked nervous.
I sat beside her.
She held her handbag tightly in her lap.
Shane arrived ten minutes later.
He avoided looking directly at me.
Melissa came with a folder.
Daniel arrived last.
Nobody seemed happy to be there.
Mr. Bennett greeted everyone.
He explained that his role was to examine the documents and clarify what could reasonably be established from them.
He also made it clear that he wasn't there to accuse anyone.
That was important.
There had already been enough suspicion.
He placed three folders on the table.
Then he showed them the original agreement.
Shane leaned forward.
Melissa began reading.
Daniel looked toward his mother.
Mr. Bennett explained that the later copy contained wording that was not present in the earlier original.
However, he cautioned that the legal effect of the difference required further examination.
Shane immediately spoke.
"That copy was provided to us years ago."
Mr. Bennett nodded.
"Yes. We understand that."
"Nobody changed anything deliberately."
I looked at him.
He sounded defensive.
Mr. Bennett remained calm.
"We are not making that allegation."
Melissa picked up the original.
"This says the arrangement wasn't complete."
"That's one possible interpretation of the wording," he replied. "We need to examine the surrounding evidence."
Elora remained silent.
Then Mr. Bennett placed Arthur's handwritten letter on the table.
He explained that the letter appeared to have been written by Arthur and that its authenticity would need appropriate confirmation.
Shane stared at it.
"Where did you find that?"
I answered.
"Inside the cabinet."
He looked at me.
I didn't look away.
Mr. Bennett then brought out the sealed envelope.
All three children became quiet.
Their names were clearly visible.
He explained that the envelope had been discovered inside the same cabinet.
It was still sealed.
Shane rubbed his forehead.
Melissa covered her mouth.
Daniel leaned back.
Mr. Bennett asked whether they wanted the letter opened.
Elora looked at her children.
Then she nodded.
"Yes."
Mr. Bennett carefully opened the envelope.
Inside were several handwritten pages.
He examined the first page.
Then he began reading.
Arthur explained that he had deliberately kept the original property agreement separate from the copies distributed among the family.
He wanted his children to understand that the arrangement involved responsibilities as well as rights.
He also wanted Elora to have access to the original documents.
The letter explained that the family had agreed to certain conditions before any final transfer or division could take place.
Those conditions had to be acknowledged.
And the original agreement had to remain available.
Shane looked increasingly uncomfortable.
Melissa began crying quietly.
Daniel stared at the table.
Mr. Bennett continued.
Arthur had also written that he did not want his wife pressured into signing anything she did not understand.
He wanted all three children to receive the same information.
He wanted disagreements settled openly.
Not through private conversations or incomplete copies.
Then Mr. Bennett reached the final page.
He stopped.
He looked at me.
Then he looked at Elora.
There was another paragraph.
It mentioned Claire.
My stomach tightened.
Arthur had written that if I still owned the house, I should be informed that the historical records had been preserved there.
He had also written that my ownership of the property should be respected.
The documents did not automatically give the family ownership of my house.
Mr. Bennett emphasized that point.
I felt a wave of relief.
For days, I had worried that the discovery might somehow threaten my home.
It didn't appear to.
But there was more.
Arthur had asked that the original documents be reviewed with an independent solicitor if his children ever disagreed about their meaning.
That was exactly what was happening.
I looked at Elora.
She was crying silently.
Mr. Bennett finished reading.
Nobody spoke.
Finally, Melissa turned toward Shane.
"Why didn't you tell us about the original letter?"
Shane looked at the table.
"I thought it had been lost."
"But you knew it existed."
He didn't answer.
Daniel finally spoke.
"Did Dad really want us to wait before dividing everything?"
Mr. Bennett explained that the letter clearly referred to conditions that needed to be examined before any final decisions.
He would not make a definitive legal judgment during the meeting.
But the original papers needed to be considered alongside the later copies.
Shane rubbed his face.
"I never wanted Mom to lose anything."
Elora looked at him.
"Then why did you keep telling me everything was settled?"
He opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Melissa began crying harder.
Daniel looked at his mother.
"I'm sorry."
Elora shook her head.
"I don't need apologies today. I need honesty."
That sentence stayed with me.
For years, Elora had been trying to keep her family together.
And now, sitting around a solicitor's table, she was finally asking them to stop pretending everything was fine.
The meeting ended without any final legal decision.
Mr. Bennett arranged for further verification.
The original documents would remain safely preserved.
Copies would be provided to the appropriate parties.
And nobody would be asked to sign anything until the legal position was clear.
As we left, Shane approached me.
"Claire?"
I stopped.
He looked tired.
"I owe you an apology."
I waited.
"For calling and telling you not to get involved."
I nodded.
"You should have trusted the process."
He looked down.
"You're right."
It wasn't enough to repair what had happened between us.
But it was the first honest thing he had said to me in years.
I left without saying anything more.
Outside, Elora was waiting beside the entrance.
She reached for my hand.
I let her hold it.
Neither of us spoke.
Click here to continue reading: PART 16: I Finally Understood Why Elora Had Chosen Me, but Her Confession About the Four Weeks Changed the Way I Remembered Her Goodbye
I Thought My Marriage Was the Only Thing My Ex-Husband’s Family Had Taken From Me, Until His Mother Needed My Help
Part 15 of 20
