The weight of the bag felt surprisingly heavy in my lap as I sat alone in the empty lounge. For two years, Gloria had guarded it like a vault. Now, the worn leather handles were cold in my trembling hands.
I unzipped the main compartment. Inside was a thick manila folder, a small brass key, and a sealed black envelope with my name written in her distinct, elegant cursive.
I opened the letter first.
“My dear Lucas,
If you are reading this, I am finally at peace. You must have wondered why an old woman would ask for something as absurd as a deathbed marriage. You thought you were giving a lonely soul a final mercy. But the truth, my dear boy, is that I was giving you a shield.”
My heart thumped hard against my ribs.
“Forty years ago, my first husband and I ran a massive logistics empire. When he passed, his brother—a ruthless man named Victor—tried to seize everything. To protect the family legacy from his greed, my husband created a trust governed by an unprecedented condition: the assets could only pass to my lawfully wedded spouse upon my death.”
What else was hidden in Gloria’s past? Continue reading Part 3 below to uncover the truth.
