Chapter 3 - The Second WillArthur arrived at the Vance estate just before sunset.
The usually cheerful house had become strangely quiet again.
Mark stood near the grand foyer windows, staring at the driveway as Arthur's black sedan approached.
Sarah remained beside him.
Neither man spoke when Arthur entered.
The attorney looked exhausted.
His normally immaculate charcoal suit was wrinkled, his tie loosened, and a leather briefcase was clutched tightly against his chest.
Mark immediately noticed.
“Arthur, what happened?”
Arthur looked toward Sarah.
Then toward Lily, who was sitting at the far end of the living room drawing pictures with colored pencils.
“Is she safe?”
Mark's expression hardened.
“She is with Sarah.”
Arthur nodded.
“Good.”
He placed the briefcase on the marble table.
“I found something in Clara's private legal archive.”
Mark stepped closer.
“You said you found a second will.”
“I did.”
“Why didn't I know about it?”
“Because Clara never filed it with the court.”
Mark stared at him.
“What?”
Arthur opened the briefcase.
“There are actually two documents.”
He removed a thick folder.
“The first is the will you already know about. The one leaving the majority of the estate to Lily.”
Mark nodded.
“And the second?”
Arthur looked directly into Mark's eyes.
“The second will was written eleven days before Clara died.”
Mark's breathing slowed.
“What's different?”
Arthur hesitated.
“Everything.”
He opened the document.
“Under this version, Clara didn't simply leave the estate to Lily.”
Mark leaned forward.
“She established a private investigative trust.”
Sarah frowned.
“For what purpose?”
Arthur looked at her.
“To investigate her own death.”
Silence filled the room.
Mark slowly sat down.
“That doesn't make sense.”
Arthur shook his head.
“It does if Clara knew she was in danger.”
Mark's jaw tightened.
“What else?”
Arthur turned another page.
“She named three people as trustees.”
Mark looked at the names.
His face went pale.
“That's impossible.”
Sarah stepped closer.
“Who are they?”
Arthur closed the folder halfway.
“One of them is me.”
Mark nodded slowly.
“That makes sense.”
“The second,” Arthur continued, “is Detective Miller.”
Mark's eyes widened.
“And the third?”
Arthur looked toward the staircase.
“The third trustee is someone Clara never introduced to you.”
A soft sound came from behind them.
Lily had stopped drawing.
She was watching Arthur.
Mark immediately stood.
“Lily, sweetheart, go upstairs.”
But Lily didn't move.
Instead, she whispered:
“Mommy told me about him.”
Everyone froze.
Mark turned.
“What did you say?”
Lily looked at him with innocent confusion.
“Mommy said there was a man who helped her.”
Mark crouched beside her.
“What man?”
Lily looked toward the portrait of Clara.
“He came to our house at night.”
Arthur's face suddenly changed.
“Lily…”
She looked at him.
“He had a silver watch.”
Arthur slowly lowered himself into a chair.
Because he knew exactly who she was talking about.
And the name he whispered next made Mark's blood run cold.
“Ethan Vance.”
Mark stared at him.
“Ethan?”
May you like
Arthur nodded.
“Your older brother.”
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