PART 2 — THE LETTER
The first line said:
“Gabriel did not marry Gemma because he felt sorry for her. He married her because I asked him to.”
I stared at the page.
“What?”
Gabriel’s eyes filled with tears.
“Keep reading.”
My hands shook as I continued.
The letter was written in Gemma’s handwriting.
To my sister,
If you’re reading this, I’m probably still asleep in the operating room, and Gabriel has finally told you everything.
Please don’t hate him.
And please don’t hate me.
There is something I’ve never told you because I knew you’d try to protect me.
Six years ago, I discovered that my condition could make pregnancy much more complicated than either of us understood.
Gabriel knew.
He still chose me.
But that isn’t the reason I asked him to marry me.
I looked up.
“Gemma wrote this?”
Gabriel nodded.
“She wanted you to know the truth.”
I continued.
I knew you loved Gabriel.
I also knew you had spent your entire life protecting me.
You were always worried about what would happen to me when Mom and Dad were gone.
You used to tell me that you were afraid I’d be alone.
Gabriel heard you say that once.
And he made me a promise.
My throat tightened.
“What promise?”
Gabriel looked at the floor.
I kept reading.
He promised that if anything ever happened to you, he would never let me face the world alone.
But there was something else.
He promised that he would never treat me like a child.
He would treat me like his wife.
I couldn’t stop crying.
Then I reached the final paragraph.
You have spent your whole life protecting me.
Now let me tell you something.
I have been protecting you too.
PART 3 — THE REAL REASON
I lowered the letter.
“What does that mean?”
Gabriel sat beside me.
“Six years ago, I found out something about your parents’ estate.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
“Your father had changed his will.”
My heart began pounding.
“My father died eight years ago.”
“I know.”
Gabriel reached into his jacket again and pulled out another document.
“He created a trust.”
I read the first page.
It stated that a substantial portion of the family estate had been placed into a protected trust for Gemma.
The reason was painfully clear.
Your father had been afraid that people might take advantage of her because of her disability.
But there was a condition.
Gemma needed a legally appointed trustee who would act solely in her interests.
I looked at Gabriel.
“And that’s you?”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“That’s your mother.”
I frowned.
“My mother died three years ago.”
Gabriel nodded.
“Exactly.”
PART 4 — THE SECRET TRUST
After your mother’s death, the trust couldn’t simply disappear.
A replacement trustee had to be appointed.
Your father had named two people as potential successors.
One was a family attorney.
The other was Gabriel.
I stared at him.
“You were named in my father’s trust?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because your father specifically instructed me not to.”
He handed me another letter.
This one was from my father.
I recognized his handwriting immediately.
Gabriel,
If you are reading this, I am no longer here.
I know my daughter will want to protect Gemma.
That is why I am asking you to do something difficult.
Do not allow her to become dependent on her sister for every decision.
Gemma deserves a life of her own.
She deserves the right to make mistakes.
She deserves love that doesn’t come from pity.
And most importantly, she deserves someone who sees her as a woman first.
My vision blurred.
Gabriel whispered:
“That was the real reason I married her.”
PART 5 — NOT PITY
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