Chapter 10 - Simone’s Second Betrayal“I went once.”
Simone said it before Darius asked.
They stood outside Harbor House.
Wind moved across the water.
“You told me you didn’t know Mom still owned it.”
“I didn’t know legally.”
“That sentence makes no sense.”
“Estelle called me.”
“When?”
“Six years ago. Right after Dad died.”
Darius stared.
“What did she tell you?”
“That Mom had protected something for us.”
“And you came here.”
“Yes.”
“Then what?”
“She showed me the building.”
“And?”
“She offered me money.”
Darius stepped backward.
“How much?”
“Two hundred thousand.”
He laughed once.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
“I didn’t take it.”
He stopped.
Simone looked him in the eye.
“I had already made that mistake with Dad.”
“Then why hide this from me?”
“Because Estelle told me what would happen if I brought you in.”
“What?”
“She said you’d sell Harbor House.”
Darius stared.
“She said you were desperate to stabilize Bennett Development after Dad died. She showed me company debt.”
“You believed her?”
“Yes.”
Darius was furious.
“I was your brother.”
“You were also Dad’s son.”
“So were you his daughter!”
“And look what he got me to do.”
The argument echoed across the waterfront.
Then Simone lowered her voice.
“Estelle knew exactly which wound to press.”
She told Simone that Darius had known about the original trust theft.
That he and Everett had worked together before Everett died.
It was false.
But Simone’s relationship with Darius was already damaged.
She believed enough of it to remain silent.
“What did Estelle want from you?” Darius asked.
“To sign a disclaimer.”
“What disclaimer?”
Simone removed a folder from her bag.
“I kept it.”
The proposed document stated Simone had no interest in Harbor House.
She never signed it.
“Why didn’t Estelle just forge it?”
“She said she wanted something real.”
Darius understood.
Estelle had forged when necessary.
But real signatures were safer.
Simone refused.
Estelle threatened to destroy Harbor House financially if Simone exposed her.
“So you walked away.”
“Yes.”
“For six years.”
“Yes.”
Darius turned toward the water.
Simone spoke quietly.
“I told myself the property was protected because she couldn’t sell it without beneficiary consent.”
“Did you know she was taking the rent?”
“Not then.”
“You never checked?”
“No.”
Darius wanted to condemn her.
Then he remembered the family history.
Everett had taught them avoidance.
Simone had learned silence.
Darius had learned denial.
Estelle had learned to profit from both.
“You should have told me.”
“I know.”
“I may never trust you the same way.”
“I know.”
“But we fix it together.”
Simone began crying.
Darius did not hug her immediately.
Forgiveness did not erase anger.
After a moment, he touched her shoulder.
That was enough.
Back at the mansion, Malik was doing homework when Darius returned.
“Did you find Grandma’s building?”
“Yes.”
“Is it cool?”
“Actually, yes.”
“Can I go?”
“One day.”
Malik smiled.
Then his face changed.
“Did you find Ms. Estelle?”
“No.”
Malik looked toward the hallway.
Every night he checked whether the basement door was locked.
Darius hated that.
A child should not have to map danger inside his own home.
That evening Brooks received another message from Estelle.
This one was different.
No threat.
Just an address.
A storage facility outside Washington.
Unit 214.
Brooks obtained a warrant.
Inside they found years of Harbor House records.
Bank statements.
Canceled checks.
Copies of trust documents.
And photographs.
Hundreds.
Everett.
Lillian.
Darius.
Simone.
Malik.
Estelle had catalogued the Bennett family for decades.
But one photograph stood apart.
It showed Estelle and Lillian standing together outside Harbor House.
Both women were smiling.
On the back, Lillian had written:
To Estelle—when this is finally safe, you’ll never have to serve anyone again.
Darius stared.
For one moment, Estelle was no longer simply a thief.
She was a woman who had once been promised a different life.
The promise did not excuse what she became.
May you like
But it explained why Harbor House had become more than money.
It had become the future Estelle believed Lillian owed her.
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