Chapter 4: The Cruelest Truth
Daniel’s uncle stood so quickly that his glass tipped over.
“You told a pregnant woman your wife had passed away?”
Daniel wiped the spilled water with his sleeve.
“Vanessa misunderstood.”
“I did not.” Vanessa pulled out her phone.
“You showed me an obituary.”
My knees weakened.
“Whose obituary?” I asked.
“A woman named Claire Bennett.”
“That was my grandmother.”
Vanessa’s fingers shook as she found the image.
My grandmother’s name and photograph were there, but the date had been cropped away.
Daniel reached for the phone.
“You’re upset.
Give me that.”
Vanessa stepped behind Helen.
“Don’t touch it.”
Margaret faced me.
“Are you satisfied now?
Look what your spying has done.”
“My spying didn’t put his arm around her.”
“If you had treated him like a husband, he wouldn’t have needed comfort elsewhere.”
Helen’s mouth fell open.
“Mother!”
Margaret ignored her.
“Daniel wanted children.
Claire gave him eight empty years.”
The room blurred.
My hand caught the table, but the edge of the tablecloth slipped through my fingers.
Helen reached me before I fell.
“Sit down,” she said.
“I’ve got you.”
Daniel stared at the floor.
“Tell her she’s wrong,” I said.
He said nothing.
“Daniel, look at me and tell her.”
He finally raised his eyes.
“We stopped being a real marriage years ago.”
“You held my hand through every appointment.”
“I was trying to be kind.”
“You cried with me.”
“I was grieving the life I thought I’d have.”
Vanessa pressed both hands over her stomach.
“You told me you’d never been married.”
Daniel turned on her.
“And you told me that money was yours.”
“It was my mother’s retirement fund.
You said you were investing it.”
“How much?” I asked.
“Ninety thousand dollars.”
Margaret took Daniel’s arm.
“Do not answer another question.”
Vanessa held up her phone.
“I have every message.”
Daniel laughed once, but no one joined him.
“Messages can be misunderstood.”
“Can a bank transfer be misunderstood?” Vanessa asked.
“Can a voice note saying you’d repay me after selling Claire’s cottage?”
Helen squeezed my shoulder.
“Come home with me,” she said.
Margaret looked at her daughter.
“If you walk out with Claire, don’t expect to come back.”
Helen picked up my coat.
“You said that like coming back was a reward.”
Margaret’s face hardened.
“Your job is in the family company.”
“My job is not a leash.”
Daniel stepped in front of the doorway.
“Nobody is leaving with those documents.”
I held his gaze.
“Move.”
“We can settle this privately.”
“You mean quietly.”
“I mean without ruining everyone.”
“You already used my name, my home, and my father’s signature file.”
His expression changed.
I took one step closer.
“Yes, Daniel.
I know where you found the sample.”
Margaret grabbed the foreclosure letter.
“You have no proof.”
Vanessa lifted her phone.
“She has me.”
“You’re carrying my grandchild,” Margaret said.
“Think carefully about whom you betray.”
Vanessa removed the engagement ring and placed it beside Margaret’s plate.
“I’m thinking about my child for the first time.”
Daniel moved aside.
Helen guided me toward the hallway, but his voice followed us.
“You’re too late, Claire.”
I turned.
May you like
He smiled without warmth.
“The sale of Rose Cottage closes tomorrow morning—and according to the documents, you already agreed to it.”
