“Sophie, come sit beside me.”
The little girl slowly walked toward her father.
Victoria remained standing nearby, watching them.
Richard lowered his voice.
“Tell me everything Grandma said.”
Sophie climbed onto the chair beside him.
“She told me you would forget how she helped you when you were little.”
Richard stared at his daughter.
“How did she help me?”
“You got sick when you were a boy.”
Richard's eyes narrowed.
He remembered being sick as a child, but the memory was vague.
Sophie continued.
“Grandma said your feet hurt all the time. She used to put warm water in a bowl and wash them.”
Richard looked down.
The room suddenly felt colder.
“She told you to do the same for me?”
Sophie nodded.
“She said when you were sad, helping your feet made you feel safe.”
Richard's eyes became wet.
He remembered something.
A little boy sitting beside his mother.
A silver bowl.
Warm water.
His mother's hands.
For years, he had forgotten those moments completely.
“Why didn't you tell me this before?”
Sophie looked frightened.
“Mommy said you would think I was annoying.”
Richard turned toward Victoria.
“Did you say that?”
Victoria crossed her arms.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“From my daughter?”
“From unnecessary emotional pressure.”
Richard shook his head.
“She is seven years old.”
“Exactly.”
Mrs. Green stepped forward.
“Mr. Hayes, there's something else.”
Victoria immediately snapped.
“Stay out of this.”
Richard looked at the housekeeper.
“Tell me.”
Mrs. Green hesitated.
“Your mother left something for Sophie.”
Richard stared at her.
“What?”
“A letter.”
Victoria's face went pale.
Richard noticed.
“Where is it?”
“In your mother's old study.”
Richard turned his wheelchair toward the hallway.
Victoria stepped in front of him.
“Richard, don't.”
“Move.”
“You don't understand what you're doing.”
“Then explain it.”
Victoria's voice became quieter.
“Your mother hated me.”
“She didn't hate you.”
“She thought I married you for money.”
Richard looked at her.
“Did you?”
Victoria's eyes filled with tears.
“How can you ask me that?”
Richard said nothing.
Mrs. Green brought the letter.
It was sealed and had Sophie's name written across the front.
Richard opened it carefully.
“My sweet Sophie,”
“If your father ever forgets the happiest parts of his childhood, remind him with kindness, not anger.”
Richard stopped reading.
There was another paragraph.
“Your father believes everyone around him is loyal because he has spent his life protecting them. But after my death, watch the people who suddenly become interested in his money.”
Richard slowly looked at Victoria.
She began crying.
“Your mother was paranoid.”
Richard continued reading.
The letter said that Eleanor had discovered suspicious transfers from Richard's company accounts shortly before her death.
Several payments had been made to a consulting company Richard had never heard of.
The company was connected to someone inside the household.
Richard looked toward Mrs. Green.
“Did you know about this?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
Richard looked at Victoria.
“Do you?”
Victoria couldn't answer.
Sophie quietly reached for her father's hand.
“Daddy, Grandma said not to be scared.”
Richard looked at his daughter.
“I'm not scared anymore.”
Then he turned his wheelchair toward his office.
“I'm going to find out where my money went.”
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