Clara held her breath as her hands touched the rough yellow paper inside the wooden frame.
The paper was dry, crisp, and smelled strongly of aged cedar wood and old wax.
She untied the red string and let it fall quietly onto the hardwood living room floor.
Inside the envelope sat three official legal documents stamped with a gold state seal.
The top page was titled as the true last will and testament of Arthur Vance.
Arthur was Clara's biological father who had passed away five years before her mother Ellen.
Clara: This cannot be the document they read at the official probate court last week.
She skimmed the clean dark ink on the first page with growing shock in her eyes.
The document clearly stated that a primary trust fund belonged exclusively to Clara and Ellen.
It set aside fifty percent of the entire family company shares into that private fund.
It also listed the sprawling suburban mansion under Ellen's primary lifetime legal care and ownership.
Victoria was only supposed to receive a minor monthly living allowance from the estate earnings.
The second paper inside the yellow envelope was a signed letter written in Ellen's distinct handwriting.
Letter text: My dearest Clara, if you are reading this note, I am no longer beside you.
Letter text: Victoria found Arthur's original paperwork shortly after his sudden death five years ago.
Letter text: She threatened to ruin our lives if I ever spoke about this secret document to anyone.
Letter text: I hid this original copy inside your grandmother's piano where Victoria would never think to search.
Letter text: Take these papers directly to Arthur's trusted lawyer, Mr. Richard Harrison, as soon as possible.
Clara felt a hot wave of anger surge through her chest as she stood up fast.
Victoria and Chloe had lied to the judge and hidden the true wealth for years.
They had forced Ellen to live in a small rented apartment during her final painful illness.
They had bought sports cars, designer bags, and taken expensive vacations across the entire world.
Meanwhile, Ellen had worked double shifts at a local bakery just to afford basic medicine.
Clara grabbed her jacket off the front hook and folded the envelope into her purse.
She marched out her front door with a clear purpose burning in her heart today.
She walked six blocks down the city sidewalk to the downtown legal district office building.
She walked right past the busy front secretary and knocked on Mr. Harrison's private door.
Mr. Harrison: Clara, what is the meaning of this sudden unscheduled visit to my office?
Clara: Look at what my mother hid inside the piano Victoria dumped at my house.