Jason leapt to his feet. “This is garbage,” he shouted. “She didn’t write that.”
Rachel tugged at his sleeve, whispering urgently as phones discreetly began recording. “Jason, sit down.”
Mr. Hayes remained steady. “Lily’s estate—including the house, savings, and life insurance—is to be placed in a trust for our unborn son, Noah,” he read. “If Noah does not survive, the trust will pass to my sister, Emily Carter, who will decide how best to honor my memory.”
My legs nearly gave out. I hadn’t known. Tears clouded my vision.
Jason let out a bitter laugh. “Her sister? Emily can’t even manage her own bills. This is insane.”
“Sit down, Mr. Reed,” Mr. Hayes said sharply. “There is more
He reached into his briefcase and withdrew a thick sealed envelope.
“This was delivered to my office two days before Lily’s death,” he said. “It is marked in her handwriting: ‘To be opened only if my death is ruled an accident.’”
The church went utterly still. The ticking of the old wall clock sounded deafening. Jason’s color drained.
Mr. Hayes opened the envelope.
“If Jason claims I fell, please do not simply accept it,” he read. “On March 5th, after I confronted him about Rachel, he grabbed my arm hard enough to bruise and told me, ‘If you destroy my life, I’ll destroy yours.’ I no longer felt safe in my own home.”
My stomach twisted painfully.
“I installed a small security camera at the top of the stairs,” he continued. “If something happens to me, my lawyer has instructions.”
He placed a small black flash drive on the table.
