Chapter 4 - Evelyn's hands trembled.Only slightly.
But Daniel saw it.
“You're not going anywhere.”
She looked at him.
“You don't know what you're doing.”
“I know you lied.”
“I did what I had to do.”
“About what?”
Evelyn looked at Claire.
“That baby was going to destroy your life.”
Claire felt the room tilt.
“My baby?”
Evelyn swallowed.
“Yes.”
Daniel stared at her.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“And you hid her?”
“No.”
Marcus snapped, “Don't lie again.”
Evelyn turned toward him.
“You have no idea what that family would have done.”
“What family?”
Claire asked.
Evelyn remained silent.
Daniel's voice hardened.
“Answer her.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“The Hales.”
Marcus went still.
“My family?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because your father was involved.”
Daniel frowned.
“My father died before I met Claire.”
“Exactly.”
Marcus stared at Evelyn.
“You knew.”
“I knew enough.”
“Tell them.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“You think this is some simple story about an evil mother-in-law stealing a baby. It isn't.”
Claire stepped forward.
“Then tell me what it is.”
Evelyn looked at her.
“You were pregnant before you married Daniel.”
“I know that now.”
“You were planning to leave.”
“I was?”
“Yes.”
Daniel looked confused.
“Why?”
Evelyn said nothing.
Claire suddenly remembered something.
A hallway.
A suitcase.
A man arguing with her.
A ring on her finger.
A voice saying:
You can't take my daughter.
Claire pressed a hand to her temple.
Pain exploded behind her eyes.
She staggered.
Daniel caught her.
“Claire?”
“I remember something.”
“What?”
“A man.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“What man?”
Claire's breathing became uneven.
“He was angry.”
“What did he look like?”
“I don't know.”
“Try.”
She closed her eyes.
Dark hair.
Blue tie.
A scar beneath one eye.
Marcus suddenly went pale.
“That was my brother.”
Claire opened her eyes.
“Your brother?”
“Adrian.”
Evelyn looked away.
Daniel noticed.
“What does Adrian have to do with this?”
Marcus answered.
“He believed the child was his.”
Claire stared.
“I was never with him.”
Marcus nodded.
“That's why this is complicated.”
He pulled another envelope from his coat.
Inside was a DNA report.
Daniel read the first page.
Then another.
His hands began to shake.
Claire watched his face.
“What does it say?”
Daniel couldn't speak.
Marcus took the paper.
“The baby was not biologically related to Adrian.”
Claire exhaled.
“Then why did he want her?”
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
“Because he believed she was the heir to something.”
Daniel frowned.
“What?”
“A trust.”
The answer seemed absurdly small compared to everything else.
Marcus continued.
“Your father established a private trust before he died.”
Daniel stared.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“For whom?”
“The child.”
Claire looked at him.
Marcus nodded.
“Your daughter.”
Daniel's mouth fell open.
“How much?”
“Enough to make several people dangerous.”
Evelyn finally spoke.
“You're making it sound like money was the reason.”
Marcus looked at her.
“Wasn't it?”
“No.”
“Then what was?”
Evelyn's eyes moved to Claire.
“The child had another claim.”
Claire felt cold.
“What claim?”
Evelyn's voice dropped.
“Blood.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
Daniel looked at him.
“Explain.”
“My family owns half the development land in this county.”
“I know.”
“Not all of it.”
Marcus tapped the DNA report.
“The Hale trust wasn't created for money.”
Daniel frowned.
“It was created to protect an inheritance.”
“From whom?”
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
“From the company your father secretly owned.”
Daniel went still.
“My father didn't own a company.”
“He did.”
“No.”
“Your mother knew.”
Evelyn's silence was enough.
Daniel looked at her in horror.
“How much have you hidden from me?”
She whispered:
“Everything that could have gotten you killed.”
Suddenly the front window shattered.
Glass exploded across the room.
Claire screamed.
Daniel grabbed her and pulled her behind the kitchen island.
Marcus dropped to the floor.
Another shot tore through the ceiling.
Evelyn froze.
Daniel crawled toward the window.
“Down!”
A third shot struck the wall.
Marcus looked at the papers.
Then at Claire.
“They found us.”
“Who?”
Marcus's face was grim.
“The people who have been looking for your daughter.”
Claire stared.
“My daughter is alive.”
May you like
Marcus nodded.
“And now they know you finally know.”
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