You have until Friday to withdraw from this arrangement and speak to me honestly.
Dad.
Jared’s reply came two hours later.
You’re overreacting.
I’m trying to build something important.
You never respected what I do.
Thomas answered with one sentence.
“I respect honest work, son, and I always will.”
No further reply appeared in the folder.
I sat there until the afternoon sunlight moved across the floor.
Then I called Eleanor.
“I found his letters.”
She was silent.
Finally, she said, “I’m sorry, Leah.”
“You knew?”
“Thomas asked me to retain copies of certain communications.
I couldn’t discuss his private correspondence without authorization, but he provided written instructions for you to receive the evidence.”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“Because he wanted you to have time to settle before confronting it.
And because we needed to verify which transactions had actually occurred.”
I looked at the papers scattered around me.
