Chapter 3: The Name Inside the Envelope
My mother pulled her wrist free.
“Why are you afraid of this letter, Vanessa?”
Vanessa backed away, nearly stepping on Claire’s train.
“Because I delivered it.”
Claire spun toward her.
“Be quiet.”
“You told me it was harmless,” Vanessa said.
“You said Mrs.
Mercer only needed a reason to stay home.”
I stared at Claire.
“You told me Mom called you this morning.”
“She did,” Claire replied.
“Daniel, you heard me answer.”
“I heard your side of a conversation.”
Claire reached for the envelope.
Dad stepped between them and held up one hand.
“Don’t touch my wife again.”
“Martin, tell him she’s confused,” Claire said.
“Look at her.
She came through the rain and interrupted our wedding.”
Mom’s fingers tightened around the damp paper.
“My car was forced off the lane by a delivery van.
I walked the last mile because you made sure no taxi would collect me.”
“That’s insane.”
Vanessa covered her mouth.
“The van belonged to Pike Legal Services.”
Claire’s head snapped around.
“You don’t know that.”
“I booked it,” Vanessa whispered.
A murmur moved through the church.
Reverend Bell closed the doors, then stood in front of them.
“No one is leaving until Mrs.
Mercer has finished.”
Mom handed me the envelope.
“Read the first page, Daniel.”
The paper inside carried the letterhead of Ashford Family Holdings.
My name appeared halfway down the page.
“What is this?”
Dad’s voice softened.
“A copy of a private investigator’s report.”
I read the marked sentence aloud.
“‘Daniel Mercer is the biological son of Julian Ashford and the sole eligible heir under the Ashford family settlement.’”
My knees weakened.
“Dad?”
Martin took one step toward me.
“I am your father.”
“That isn’t what the paper says.”
“It says I’m not the man who gave you my eyes or my name at birth,” he replied.
“It doesn’t say who sat beside your bed when you had pneumonia.”
Claire touched my sleeve.
“Daniel, come outside with me.”
I pulled away.
“Did you know?”
“No.”
Vanessa gave a broken laugh.
“She knew before your first date.”
Claire’s bouquet dropped to the floor.
“You’re lying because you’re jealous.”
“I introduced you to him,” Vanessa said.
“You paid me to arrange the meeting.”
“You accepted every dollar.”
“Because you threatened to expose my brother’s debt.”
Claire’s voice became cold.
“Careful, Vanessa.”
Mom pointed to the second sheet.
“Read the handwritten note.”
I unfolded it.
The writing was Claire’s.
“Once Daniel signs after the ceremony, the Ashford assets can be moved into our joint account.
Keep Evelyn away until then.”
The church went silent enough for me to hear the paper shaking in my hand.
Claire lifted her chin.
“A copied note proves nothing.”
Dad unlocked his phone.
“That’s why I called the number printed at the bottom.”
A man’s voice answered through the speaker.
“Martin?
I’m outside the church.”
Mom closed her eyes.
I looked from her to my father.
“Who is that?”
Dad held my gaze.
May you like
“Julian Ashford,” he said.
“The man your mother was told had abandoned her thirty years ago.”
