Chapter Fifteen

The picture that Emily received on her cellphone just went ahead to prove that somebody was earnestly expecting her to discover her father's old house.

Emily glared again at the picture and saw how her husband's mother was standing calmly and it made her wonder. “How on earth did she find that house?” Sophia asked. “Your guess is as good as mine.’’  Emiiy responded. “Damian grabbed the mobile phone from her and asked “When was the last time you visited that house?” 

That question brought back memories to Emiiy. Memories she had spent years trying to forget. That was the house where Emiiy grew up with her parents. She hasn't been to that house since the tragic death of her parents. She thought the house had been destroyed. “She ignored that question.”

“What is Margaret doing there?” He asked again. Emily didn't have that answer. Her mobile phone beeped again as yet another message was sent to her from the same anonymous sender. The message said “Do not think of going to that house.” Sophia turned and looked at Emiiy and asked what the message said. Emiiy still could not process the words to say, so she showed her the message instead.

Damian became very upset at this point because it was evident that someone was monitoring their every move. But the big question is “how are they able to do it?”

Damian stared at the picture again and said “it is a bad idea to go there tonight.” “Are you changing your mind?” Emily asked as her heart beat faster. “We are definitely going to go there but not tonight.” Damian drove in a steady pace, Sophia was sitting quietly while Emiiy was looking out of the window. She looked at the big picture and realized that this is bigger than Ryan.  It involves her mom and dad, her mother in law, Victor Knight, her trust, Damian's father and everything else in between. But she has not completely figured out how they are all connected.

___

By the following morning, Emiiy and Sophia went to a small cafe to have breakfast. A big brown folder was between them as they sat across from each other. 

Sophia opened the brown folder and said “by the way, I looked at the records of the house, and it still belongs to your father.”

“And by the way, somebody tried to move the estate seven years ago. An attorney at Carter Holdings was the one who filed the request.” Sophia said as she pulled out another document. “Do you know which attorney made the request?” Emily asked as her hands clutched the cup on the table.

“Who was it? Ryan or Margaret?” 

“It was not Ryan,” she said as she showed her the signature. It clearly was Margaret's own. Emiiy was shocked. She did not believe that Ryan's mother would go as low as this. 

“Why would she do this to me?” She questioned Sophia as she looked at the signature. Then it dawned on her. “What if Margaret did not want total ownership of the house? Maybe she just needed to lay her hands on what is inside the house.”

Sophia asked her what she meant as she looked up. “Do you think she will go through all this stress just because she needs something inside the house?” Sophia said as she closed the brown folder.

Emiiy's cellphone buzzed. She looked at it from where she was sitting, because she had kept it on the table next to Sophia's own, it was Ryan. She hesitated before she finally answered.

“Hello Emily,” he uttered with a shaky voice.” “Good morning, Ryan. Have you been discharged?” Emiiy said. He told Emily that he needed to see him. She doesn't think it is a good idea, so she said no. He pleaded with her but Emily kept quiet. “I need to tell you something. Something I ought to have told you before now.” Ryan said it in hush a tone

“What is it?” She demanded because she hated to be kept in the dark.

“I uncovered the identity of the person who stole your trust fund.”

“Out with it already. I am all ears.” She said as she was eager to know who it was. “It was my mother who did it.” He said, after a moment of hesitation. “Margaret? Why on earth would THE HIGH AND MIGHTY MARGARET CARTER steal from me?” She asked. “I have no idea why she would do that.” He said. Ryan told her to come and see her. That's all he can tell her over the phone. He went ahead and gave her the name of the hospital, and instructed her not to bring anyone along with her. Emiiy was not happy about the instruction. “Why did you insist I come alone?” She asked with a frown on her face. “I don't want my mother to suspect that I have told you about her involvement in the disappearance of your money.” He said and ended the call. 

Before Emily could even put her phone back on the table, Sophia got up and insisted on accompanying her to the hospital. “ I am not going to let you go alone.” She insisted.

___

After about two hours, Sophia and Emily got to the hospital. It was not just two of them. They also had someone from Damian's team watching them from a very short distance.

When Emily entered the hospital room, he saw Ryan lying on the bed tired, with a few bandages here and there. None of them said anything for a moment. Shortly after that, Ryan brought out an external memory device that was tucked in his pillow. “This is everything I have uncovered about your trust. This flash also confirmed that your mother and father did not just die from a car crash.” As soon as he said that, Emiiy almost collapsed. Sophia rushed quickly and held her.

“That crash was caused by someone.” He said.

“Who could that someone be? What are you saying Ryan?” Just as Ryan wanted to utter a name, every light in the hospital went out and there was total black out. The electrical department of the hospital did their best to restore the power but they could not restore it immediately. So they had to turn on the emergency lights. Suddenly Ryan went into a panic and started saying ”They found me.” Sophia asked him what he meant? She was trying to calm him down. And all of a sudden, a man with his face covered with a mask burst in through the door and took the flash drive from Ryan's hand.