Chapter 4
Those two words changed the room.
Grace’s face went white.
Victoria knew she had said too much.
Marcus held her wrist but looked to me for orders.
“Let her go,” I said.
He released her.
Victoria pulled her hand back like he had burned her.
I kept my eyes on her.
“What did she survive?”
Victoria laughed again, but now it sounded broken.
“My father warned me this would happen. He said you were sentimental. He said one crying child would make you forget everything.”
Grace whispered, “Charles knew about Lily.”
I turned to her.
“How?”
She pressed one hand to the island to steady herself.
“Because he found me when I was pregnant.”
The kitchen tilted.
I heard Lily sniffle.
I heard rain strike glass.
I heard my own breathing.
Grace continued.
“After the cabin, I tried to call you. Your number was disconnected. Your assistant said you were unavailable. Then a man came to my apartment.”
“Charles.”
She nodded.
“He said you knew about the pregnancy. He said you wanted it handled quietly.”
My throat closed.
“No.”
Grace’s eyes filled.
“I know that now.”
Victoria said, “Convenient.”
Grace turned toward her.
“He gave me a choice. Sign away any claim to you or he would have my mother deported and take the baby when she was born.”
I stared at her.
My hands went numb.
“My mother was undocumented then,” Grace said. “Sick. Alone. I believed him.”
Lily looked up at her.
“Grandma?”
Grace kissed her hair.
“She loved you.”
The past five years rearranged themselves in my head.
Grace gone.
The message.
My grief.
Charles appearing in my life later through Victoria.
Her family investment.
The board seat.
The engagement.
A trap so patient I had mistaken it for fate.
Marcus returned from the camera panel.
“I recovered the local cache.”
Victoria stepped back.
“No.”
I looked at Marcus.
“Play it.”
He connected the camera unit to a tablet.
The video flickered.
Victoria stood in the kitchen holding the hockey stick.
Grace stood in front of Lily.
Victoria’s recorded voice came through.
“That child will not ruin my wedding.”
Grace said, “She is Nathan’s daughter.”
Victoria raised the stick.
Lily screamed.
Grace threw herself in front of her.
The stick hit Grace’s shoulder.
Hard.
Then I entered the kitchen.
The footage ended.
No one moved.
I looked at Victoria.
She whispered, “Nathan.”
I took the engagement ring from my finger.
May you like
Placed it on the counter.
“You are done in this house.”
