PART 7 – THE CONFRONTATION AT HOME
The words in my mother's letter were handwritten in her familiar, elegant script. “My dear daughter,” I read softly aloud in the notary's office. “If you are reading this, you have had the courage to face the truth. You have not lost your children; you have found your strength again. I know that for years you thought you failed as a mother because they turned out this way.
But do not forget: you did what you could with the love you had. Sometimes love is not enough to defeat malice, but it is enough to save yourself.” Tears streamed uncontrollably down my cheeks. Notary De Vries placed a reassuring hand on the table and gave me a moment to gather myself. After a few minutes, I stood up. I thanked the notary and stepped out of the building.
In the meantime, the rain had stopped; there was a fresh, clean scent in the air. The clouds parted and the first rays of sunlight broke through the sky, as if nature itself were signaling that a new chapter could begin. But I knew Daniel and Sofia would not let the matter go so easily. They were trapped, their financial ruin was looming, and they would do anything to force me to cooperate with their plans anyway.
I drove back to the house on the outskirts of town. When I turned into the driveway, I saw two cars parked there. Not only Daniel's, but Sofia's as well. They were waiting for me in front of the entrance door. As soon as my car came to a stop, they rushed toward my door. Daniel yanked open the door before I could even get out properly. His face was contorted with pure rage; desperation had given way to aggression.
“Have you completely lost your mind?!” Daniel yelled, flecks of spittle flying from his mouth. “We are ruined! Because of you! The creditors are about to seize everything!” Sofia stood behind him trembling, her eyes red from crying. “How could you do this to us, Mom? We are your children! You choose the side of a dead woman over your own blood!” I stepped calmly out of the car, closed the door, and turned to face them.
My voice was calm and resolute, devoid of any fear or hesitation. “I haven't chosen any side, Sofia,” I said coldly. “I chose the truth. For years you lied, manipulated, and tried to use me to fix your financial messes.” Daniel took a threatening step forward. “Now you call that notary right this second and tell him you'll sign the deed! Otherwise…” “Otherwise what, Daniel?” I interrupted him sharply.
“Are you going to hit me? Are you going to threaten me too, like you did with Grandma?” Daniel froze. His jaw dropped. He looked at me with eyes in which, for the first time, true fear gleamed. “W… what did you say?” “I said I know everything,” I replied, looking him dead in the eye. “And if you two don't leave this property immediately, I will not only call the police, but I will personally ensure that every piece of evidence of your fraud ends up in the hands of the authorities.” Absolute silence fell over the driveway. The wind rustled through the trees in the garden. Daniel and Sofia exchanged looks, realizing that their game was definitively over.
