Chapter 6: Dana’s Choice
Grace arranged for Dana to meet us in an empty witness room.
Dana entered alone, carrying a small black drive in her fist.
I remained between her and Mia.
“Why should I believe you?”
“You shouldn’t,” Dana said.
“Not yet.”
“You struck at me when your mother hurt my child.”
“I know.”
“You lied under oath ten minutes ago.”
“I know that too.”
“Then give me one reason not to walk out.”
Dana placed the drive on the table.
“The complete dinner recording is on there.
It starts forty minutes before you arrived.”
Grace reached for it.
“How did you get this?”
“David tested the camera that morning.
It automatically uploaded everything to the family storage account.”
“Why keep a copy?”
“Because my mother keeps insurance against everyone.
I learned to do the same.”
I pushed the drive back toward her.
“Tell me what happened before dinner.”
Dana’s eyes filled, but she did not look away.
“Mother told my daughter to demand Mia’s dress.
She said Mia would refuse.”
“And then?”
“She said she would punish Mia, you would rush at her, and I had to block you.”
“The perfume.
The champagne.
Spitting in my face.
All of it was planned?”
“The perfume and champagne weren’t.
The rest was.”
My hand tightened around the back of a chair.
“Why?”
“Because David needed a video of you appearing violent.
He wanted emergency custody before the trust review on Friday.”
“David planned it?”
“He wrote the outline.”
The door opened.
Eleanor stepped inside and closed it behind her.
“You foolish girl.”
Dana went pale.
“How did you find us?”
“You still share your location with the family account.”
Grace lifted her phone.
“Everything said in this room is being recorded.”
Eleanor ignored her and faced Dana.
“You think they’ll forgive you?”
“I don’t deserve forgiveness.”
“You’ll lose your house.”
“The house was purchased with Mia’s money.”
“You’ll lose custody of your own daughter when they discover what you signed.”
Dana’s mouth trembled.
“Then I’ll face it.”
Eleanor’s hand settled over the black drive.
I covered it with mine.
“Take your hand away from Mia’s evidence.”
“You are not part of this family anymore.”
“You made sure of that.”
Eleanor leaned toward me.
“David will expose what happened six months ago.
The judge will give Mia to us before sunset.”
“Nothing happened six months ago.”
“A child wandering outside while her mother sleeps is a serious matter.”
“Rachel was in Toronto.
Your forged statement proves nothing.”
“It wasn’t Rachel who found her.”
Dana turned sharply.
“Mother, stop.”
Eleanor smiled.
“Tell her, Dana.”
Dana’s shoulders dropped.
“My daughter was supposed to say she saw Mia outside.”
I stared at her.
“You coached your own child?”
“I refused.
That’s why Mother used Rachel’s name instead.”
Eleanor pointed at Dana.
“You accepted the money.”
“For school fees.
You told me it came from Grandfather’s estate.”
“You knew enough.”
Dana took the drive and placed it in Grace’s palm.
“This contains the recordings, trust requests, and emails.
Yesterday, David sent me a message saying the dinner had to happen before the review.”
Eleanor reached for Dana’s phone.
Dana stepped back.
“Don’t touch me.”
“I can still protect you.”
“No.
You can only own me.”
Eleanor’s voice softened.
“Come home.
We’ll say she pressured you.
David’s attorney will handle the rest.”
Dana shook her head.
“You told me Mia needed to learn her place.
What you meant was that all of us needed to learn ours.”
Grace inserted the drive into her laptop.
A video opened.
David entered the empty dining room and placed a small camera behind a framed photograph.
He sat in his chair, crossed his arms, and stared toward the place where I would later stand.
Then his recorded voice filled the room.
“They’re right.”
He tried the line again, colder the second time.
“They’re right.”
I gripped the table.
“He practiced it.”
Dana covered her face.
The video continued.
Eleanor entered, adjusted the camera, and spoke to David.
“If she doesn’t react strongly enough, I’ll involve Mia.
No mother stays calm when someone touches her child.”
David nodded.
“And after she leaves?” he asked.
“We file the petition and move the money before the trust administrator can freeze it.”
Grace paused the recording.
“That is conspiracy, fraud, and an attempt to manipulate a custody proceeding.”
Eleanor walked toward the door.
“You stole private family property.”
Dana’s voice stopped her.
“No, Mother.
I copied evidence.”
Eleanor looked back at me.
“You haven’t won.
David has one more document, and when the judge sees it, you’ll never take Mia home.”
The door closed behind her.
Dana stared at the empty doorway.
“She means the life insurance form.”
May you like
Grace slowly turned toward me.
“What life insurance form?”
