Chapter 5 - The Business Ethan Never Knew
Ethan felt something inside him go cold.
“What business?”
Lauren did not answer.
Robert did.
“Pierce Residential Ventures.”
Ethan had never heard the name.
Lauren closed her eyes.
“It was supposed to be temporary.”
“What was?”
She exhaled.
“My brother and I started buying distressed properties.”
Ethan stared.
“With what money?”
Silence.
Margaret looked toward the envelope.
Robert removed bank statements.
Ethan recognized the account.
Their joint savings.
Large withdrawals stretched across two years.
$40,000.
$75,000.
$110,000.
He had believed the money was being moved into short-term investments.
Lauren had told him their financial adviser recommended it.
There had been no adviser.
Ethan whispered, “You took our savings.”
Lauren’s voice broke.
“I invested it.”
“You lied about where it went.”
“I was going to put it back.”
“How much did you lose?”
She looked at Jason’s company name.
“Most of it.”
Ethan sat on the porch step.
His mother did not say I told you so.
That somehow made it worse.
Lauren continued.
“One project collapsed. Then another. Jason said the market would turn.”
“So you tried to borrow against Mom’s house.”
“I thought the house was yours.”
“No.”
“You thought it was too!”
Ethan looked up.
“Yes. But I didn’t forge anything.”
Lauren flinched.
Then Margaret handed Ethan one more document.
A letter written by his father.
David Morgan.
Dated nine years earlier.
Ethan recognized the handwriting immediately.
Son,
If you ever read this, it means your mother finally had reason to use the trust the way I intended.
Ethan stared at Margaret.
“What reason?”
She answered.
“The same reason your father created it.”
Lauren looked confused.
Robert did not.
Ethan’s voice dropped.
“What did Dad know?”
May you like
Margaret’s eyes filled.
“That one day, you might marry someone who saw this house before she saw you.”
