Chapter 13 - The DaughterThe Secret Arthur Buried
I couldn't hear anything for several seconds.
The room was full of people.
Yet all I could hear was my own heartbeat.
“My daughter?”
Sloan nodded.
“You had a baby before Trevor.”
I looked at Daniel.
He was already pale.
“Is this true?”
He swallowed.
“Yes.”
I felt like the floor had disappeared.
“Why didn't anyone tell me?”
Daniel lowered his eyes.
“Because Arthur believed you were being watched.”
“By whom?”
“Sloan's family.”
I turned toward Sloan.
“You knew?”
“My father knew.”
“How?”
“He arranged the adoption.”
My hands trembled.
“What was her name?”
“Sophia.”
“Where is she?”
Sloan stared at me.
“In Chicago.”
I almost laughed.
“She's grown.”
“Yes.”
“What does she know?”
“That her biological mother abandoned her.”
The words cut deeper than anything Sloan had said.
“I never abandoned her.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
“Arthur was afraid they'd use her against you.”
I sat down.
My granddaughter Emily approached.
“Grandma.”
I shook my head.
“Give me a minute.”
Everyone stepped back.
I looked at Trevor.
“Did you know?”
“No.”
“Dad knew?”
“No.”
Sloan whispered:
“Arthur protected both of you.”
I looked at the birth certificate.
There was a seal from a hospital I remembered.
The year.
The date.
The tiny weight.
A memory surfaced.
A nurse.
A white blanket.
A baby crying.
Then nothing.
Arthur had told me the baby had died during childbirth.
I had believed him.
I had grieved privately.
And I had never known the truth.
“Why are you telling me now?”
Sloan looked toward Nathan.
“Because the person who controls the trust is looking for Sophia.”
My blood froze.
“Who?”
“Vincent.”
Nathan stepped forward.
“He believes Sophia inherited something from Rebecca.”
“What?”
“Her original ownership stake in the Miller company.”
I looked at Daniel.
“That company no longer exists.”
“It does,” Nathan said.
He opened another file.
A corporate tree appeared.
My family.
Arthur.
Rebecca.
Gregory.
Sloan.
Trevor.
And at the bottom:
Sophia Diane Miller.
She was listed as the surviving beneficial owner.
I stared at the screen.
“That isn't possible.”
“It is.”
Nathan pointed at the date.
Arthur had transferred a controlling interest to Sophia before his death.
The house.
The company.
Certain investments.
Everything had been quietly structured.
Not for Trevor.
Not for Sloan.
Not even for me.
For the daughter I thought I had lost.
I looked at Daniel.
“Why would Arthur do that?”
“Because he knew Trevor could be manipulated.”
I felt tears run down my face.
“And me?”
“He thought you were the only person strong enough to protect her.”
I laughed through my tears.
“I couldn't even protect myself.”
“You're protecting her now.”
A car stopped outside.
Everyone turned.
Nathan walked toward the window.
“That's Vincent.”
Trevor went pale.
Sloan whispered:
“He found us.”
The doorbell rang.
Once.
Twice.
Then the lights went out again.
Emily screamed.
I reached for the nearest candle.
A voice came through the darkness.
“Diane.”
Vincent.
Then:
“You've spent too long looking for the dead.”
A pause.
“Tonight, we're going to meet the living.”
The front door unlocked.
By itself.
And a young woman stepped inside.
Dark hair.
Green eyes.
A silver necklace.
She looked around the room.
May you like
Then her gaze landed on me.
“Mom?”
