My Mother Kicked My Toddler Down the Stairs and Called Him a Bastard—Then I Threw Down the Paper She Never Expected Me to Find / Chapter 4 / 15

Chapter 4 - The Paper Came From Garrett’s Father

Garrett’s father, Arthur Bennett, had died three years before Theo was born.

He left behind a family company, several properties, and an estate plan that Garrett knew only in broad terms.

Lorraine handled much of the family paperwork after Arthur’s death.

Garrett trusted her.

Until he stopped.

Two days before the staircase incident, Garrett met with Arthur’s former attorney, Malcolm Reed, to review a property issue unrelated to Theo.

During the meeting, Malcolm opened an old file.

Then frowned.

“This is odd.”

“What?”

“There’s a codicil I don’t remember seeing in the final estate packet your mother gave you.”

Garrett leaned forward.

The document had been signed five months before Arthur died.

One paragraph concerned descendants.

Arthur had written:

Any biological child of my son Garrett shall be recognized as a direct Bennett descendant regardless of the marital status of the child’s parents. No spouse, trustee, or surviving family member may exclude that child from family beneficiary status on the basis of legitimacy or birth circumstances.

Garrett stared.

His father had anticipated exactly the argument Lorraine was now making.

Then Malcolm found something else.

A handwritten notation attached to the original:

If Lorraine questions Garrett’s future children, insist on independent testing. She has already tried to control family records once.

That was the folded page in Garrett’s pocket.

Not proof yet.

But enough to make Lorraine afraid.