Chapter 7 - THE GRANDMOTHER WHO BUILT THE LIE
Elena stared at Charles as though she had not understood the words.
“My mother died six and a half years ago.”
Charles remained seated.
“No.”
“I buried her.”
“You buried an urn.”
Elena’s face twisted.
“I was there when she died.”
“You were there when a doctor told you she died.”
Elena stepped toward him.
“You better stop playing with me.”
Daniel could hear the warning in her voice.
Charles did too.
He stood slowly.
“Your mother’s name was Margaret Bennett.”
Elena’s hands tightened.
“Yes.”
“She worked for Whitmore Reproductive Medicine.”
Elena froze.
“No.”
“Before you and Rachel ever entered the program.”
“No.”
“She was a laboratory coordinator.”
“You’re lying.”
Charles looked toward Marcus.
The detective opened a folder.
Inside was an old employee photograph.
Marcus placed it on the table.
Elena picked it up.
The woman was younger.
Her hair was darker.
Her face fuller.
But there was no mistaking her.
Margaret Bennett.
Elena sat down.
Daniel watched something inside her break.
“She told us she cleaned offices at night.”
Charles nodded.
“She did that too.”
Elena looked up.
“Why would she hide this?”
Charles answered without emotion.
“Money.”
Daniel stared at him.
“That’s all?”
“No.”
Charles paused.
“Fear.”
Elena whispered.
“Of you?”
“Yes.”
For once, Charles did not try to soften it.
He continued.
“Your mother discovered irregularities in the study.”
“What irregularities?”
“She learned embryos were being created without proper consent.”
Elena pressed a hand to her mouth.
Charles looked at Daniel.
“She learned one donor line belonged to my son.”
Daniel turned away.
Elena stared at him.
“And she still let them do it?”
Charles shook his head.
“She tried to stop it.”
Daniel looked back.
“What happened?”
“Vivienne found out.”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“How was Vivienne involved that early?”
Charles was silent.
Marcus answered.
“Her father invested in the clinic.”
Daniel felt another piece fall into place.
“Victor Laurent.”
Vivienne’s father.
A billionaire pharmaceutical executive.
A man Daniel had always considered arrogant but harmless.
He had died two years after Daniel married Vivienne.
Or perhaps not.
Daniel almost laughed at the thought.
Nothing felt trustworthy anymore.
Charles continued.
“Victor Laurent wanted access to the research.”
“Why?”
“Because successful reproductive technology was worth billions.”
Daniel stared at him.
“And you wanted an heir.”
Charles did not deny it.
Elena looked sick.
“So my mother found out what you were doing.”
“Yes.”
“And Rachel?”
“She discovered it too.”
Elena stood.
“What happened to my sister?”
Charles looked at her.
“I don’t know everything.”
“Try.”
Charles’s jaw tightened.
“Rachel threatened to go public.”
Daniel looked at Marcus.
“Reed found this?”
Marcus nodded.
“Part of it.”
Charles continued.
“Vivienne and Victor arranged for Rachel to disappear.”
Elena’s eyes filled with rage.
“You let them?”
“I didn’t know until later.”
“You keep saying that.”
Elena moved closer.
“You owned everything.”
“You controlled everything.”
“You made everyone afraid of you.”
“And somehow every terrible thing happened without you knowing.”
Charles looked at her.
“That is the punishment of powerful men.”
Daniel almost laughed.
“Don’t romanticize yourself.”
Charles turned toward him.
“I am not.”
“You are.”
Daniel pointed at Noah.
“You created a system where people could be treated like property.”
“Then you act shocked when someone used it.”
Charles had no answer.
Marcus interrupted.
“We need to focus on Sophie.”
Daniel nodded.
“Start with Margaret.”
Marcus looked at Elena.
“Do you remember anything strange about your mother before she supposedly died?”
Elena sat slowly.
“She became paranoid.”
“How?”
“She stopped using her phone.”
“She would unplug the television.”
“She checked the street every time a car slowed down.”
Daniel listened carefully.
“Did she mention Sophie?”
“No.”
“Did she ever mention Rachel after the accident?”
Elena thought.
“Once.”
Marcus leaned forward.
“What did she say?”
“She said Rachel had made a terrible mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“She wouldn’t explain.”
Elena looked at Charles.
“Was Sophie the mistake?”
Charles shook his head.
“No.”
“What then?”
Charles hesitated.
“She trusted Vivienne.”
Elena stared.
“Rachel knew Vivienne?”
“Yes.”
Daniel felt another blow.
“How well?”
Charles looked at him.
“Very well.”
“How well?”
“Rachel was Vivienne’s personal assistant.”
Elena’s face changed.
“No.”
Charles continued.
“She worked for her for almost two years.”
Elena stood again.
“My sister told me she worked for a law office.”
“She lied.”
“Why?”
“She had signed confidentiality agreements.”
Elena laughed bitterly.
“My entire family lied to me.”
Noah looked frightened.
Elena immediately softened.
She sat beside him.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
Noah leaned against her.
Daniel watched.
Marcus’s phone buzzed.
He checked the screen.
“We have something.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“What?”
“Vivienne’s sedan was found abandoned.”
“Where?”
“Outside a private airfield.”
Daniel’s face tightened.
“She flew out?”
“No aircraft departed.”
“Then why leave the car there?”
Marcus thought for a second.
“To make us think she did.”
Charles nodded.
“She’s still nearby.”
Daniel looked at him.
“You sound certain.”
“I know Vivienne.”
“So do I.”
Charles gave him a cold look.
“No, you don’t.”
Daniel’s jaw clenched.
Before he could answer, Marcus’s phone rang again.
He listened.
Then his face changed.
“What?”
Daniel asked.
Marcus held up a hand.
He continued listening.
“Send it.”
He ended the call.
A video arrived.
Marcus opened it.
Security footage from a gas station.
Vivienne walked into frame wearing a baseball cap and coat.
She approached a gray minivan.
A woman stepped out.
Older.
Thin.
Gray hair tied back.
Elena gasped.
The phone almost slipped from Marcus’s hand as she grabbed it.
“No.”
Daniel looked at the screen.
“Is that her?”
Elena’s lips trembled.
“My mother.”
The video showed Margaret Bennett embracing Vivienne.
Not threatening her.
Not confronting her.
Embracing her.
Like old allies.
Elena stared at the image.
Then Margaret opened the rear door.
A girl climbed out.
She looked about eight.
Dark brown hair.
Pale face.
Gray eyes.
Daniel felt the air leave his lungs.
The girl looked directly toward the security camera for one second.
Daniel saw himself.
Not vaguely.
Not imaginatively.
He saw his own eyes.
His mother’s chin.
His childhood expression.
Elena whispered.
“Sophie.”
Daniel could not speak.
The video continued.
Vivienne knelt in front of Sophie.
She handed the girl something.
A necklace.
Then Margaret pushed Sophie back into the van.
Vivienne entered the passenger seat.
The vehicle drove away.
Marcus paused the video.
Daniel stared.
“She is alive.”
“Yes.”
“My daughter is alive.”
Marcus nodded.
Elena touched the screen.
“My mother has her.”
Charles looked uneasy.
Daniel noticed.
“What?”
Charles shook his head.
“Nothing.”
Daniel turned.
“What?”
Charles stood.
“Margaret did not take Sophie to protect her.”
Elena stared at him.
“How would you know?”
“Because Margaret hated that child.”
Silence.
Elena’s face hardened.
“You don’t know my mother.”
Charles looked at her sadly.
“I knew her better than you did.”
Elena slapped the table.
“Stop saying things like that.”
Charles looked toward Noah.
“Margaret believed Sophie destroyed Rachel.”
“What does that mean?”
Charles lowered his voice.
“Rachel did not want to give Sophie up.”
Elena froze.
Daniel listened.
“Vivienne had promised Rachel money.”
“For what?”
“To carry a child.”
Daniel felt nauseated.
Charles continued.
“Rachel agreed because she needed money.”
“She believed it was a legal surrogacy arrangement.”
Elena stared at him.
“But it wasn’t.”
“No.”
“When Rachel gave birth and discovered the child was biologically connected to Daniel, she realized the entire arrangement had been fraudulent.”
Daniel’s hands curled into fists.
“She tried to keep Sophie.”
“Yes.”
“And Vivienne wanted her.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Charles looked at Daniel.
“Because Sophie was supposed to be the first Whitmore heir Vivienne presented as her own.”
Daniel’s heart dropped.
“So Noah was Plan B.”
Charles nodded.
Elena covered her mouth.
“What happened to Rachel?”
Charles looked away.
“Margaret blamed Sophie.”
Elena stepped closer.
“For what?”
Charles’s voice became almost inaudible.
“For Rachel’s death.”
The room went silent.
Noah looked up.
Daniel felt a chill.
“You said Rachel disappeared.”
Charles nodded.
“She did.”
“But she’s dead?”
Charles looked at Elena.
“I believe so.”
Elena stared.
“Who killed her?”
Before Charles could answer, the library window exploded inward.
Everyone ducked.
A bullet buried itself in the wall.
Marcus drew his weapon.
“Down!”
Daniel pulled Noah and Elena behind the sofa.
Another shot shattered a lamp.
Officers shouted outside.
Charles dropped behind the desk.
Marcus moved toward the window.
“Shooter east side!”
Daniel held Noah tightly.
Elena pressed herself over the boy.
The gunfire stopped.
Then Daniel heard a car speeding away.
Marcus shouted into his radio.
“Vehicle leaving north road!”
Officers rushed out.
Silence followed.
Daniel slowly raised his head.
A folded paper lay on the floor near the broken window.
It had been wrapped around the first bullet.
Marcus picked it up.
He unfolded it.
His expression changed.
Daniel took it.
Three lines were written in black ink.
STOP LOOKING FOR SOPHIE.
MARGARET KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON’T.
ASK CHARLES WHO REALLY KILLED RACHEL.
May you like
Daniel slowly turned.
Charles had gone completely pale.
