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“Fredrick, what's wrong?” she asks, her eyes searching mine.
With a deep breath, I hand her my father's letter. She continues staring at me as she takes the paper. When she finally glances down, I steel myself for what’s coming next. And I watch. I watch as her expression changes from confusion to shock as she reads the words. Her fingers tremble as she finishes, and she looks up at me with tears in her eyes.
“Is this real?” she whispers, handing the letter back to me.
I nod, feeling a lump form in my throat. “I’m sorry I didn't tell you sooner.”
She gestures at the letter. “You weren't supposed to tell me at all.”
I shift my head from side to side. “Technically, I didn't tell you.”
She smiles. “Why does that sound like something my brother would say?”
“Because he did.” More confusion fills her features at my words. “It was his idea, the reading not telling part.”
She scrunches up her face. “I doubt that will hold up in a court of law.”
I lift both shoulders in a shrug that's more nonchalant than I feel. “Probably not, but at this point I don't care.”
“Refusing to let you discuss this with anyone is definitely an abuser move. Isolation is their favorite game.”
I can't deny the truth in her words.
“Do you think he's telling the truth?” she asks, glancing at me.
I nod. “Margret confirmed it.”
She slowly lets out her breath with a hissing noise, as if decompressing. I watch as she reads the letter again, squeezing my eyes closed and thinking about the words; I’ve practically memorized the damn letter.
You’re not my son.
I learned your mother’s secret, and knowing you weren’t my blood made it impossible for me to love you. Every time I looked at you, I saw his face. My childhood best friend. I’m glad he’s been dead for fifteen years. Good riddance.
The problem is that I don't have any other family. I don't want your mother to have everything that was mine. I almost donated everything to charity, but then had a better idea. A way to get even.
You can inherit everything that was mine with a few stipulations.
#1 If you get married, everything is transferred to your bride.
#2 If you divorce, your wife keeps all assets.
#3 Your mother is to be left with nothing. I no longer wish to be burdened by her dirty little secret, and our lifetime together didn't make her betrayal easier or right.
A few more stipulations followed, like not speaking about the letter, but they weren't as important as the first three.
Lila looks up at me again. “You could protect yourself by never getting married.” There's a hopeful note in her voice, but I shake my head.
“This was all his twisted game. He never loved me. He saw me as a pawn in his sick plan. And now, he's left me with all these conditions for his inheritance. I’d rather walk away.”
“But your mother will be left with nothing.” Her sad tone tugs at my heart.
“Maybe that’s what she deserves.”
Lila's eyes narrow. “I cannot believe you just said that. She spent her whole life trying to make this right with a man who never appreciated her and never cared for her, and he knew that she could never be good enough to fix things. Then he took out that anger on you and her, instead of just getting some fucking therapy.”
Deep down, I know she's right, but I'm not sure I can get past my own broken upbringing.
Lila waves the letter at me, rattling the paper. “This is what I was warning you about. If you don't let this go, it will eat you up inside forever. Do you want to live like he did or do you want to be happy?”
