Chapter 8: My Father's Last Lie
I wanted Claire to repeat it.
Not because I hadn't heard her.
Because I couldn't accept it.
"My father ordered Daniel to take Nathan?""
Claire nodded.
"Why?""
"He thought Nathan was blackmailing us.""
"Us?""
"Me. Your father. The company.""
"You told him that.""
"I was terrified.""
"Of Nathan?""
"No.""
Claire looked down.
"Of Daniel.""
I sat back.
That changed the shape of the story again.
"Explain.""
Claire took a long breath.
"Daniel and I knew each other before you.""
"I know.""
"Then you know Nathan was his brother.""
"Yes.""
"What you don't know is that Daniel hated Nathan.""
"Why?""
"Because Nathan was going to expose the Mercer business.""
Claire folded her hands to stop them shaking.
"The fraud wasn't just Robert stealing from your father. Daniel's father was laundering the money through properties. Nathan discovered it.""
"And you?""
"I altered records.""
My jaw tightened.
"For them?""
"At first, I thought they were legitimate corrections.""
"You expect me to believe that?""
"No.""
She met my eyes.
"I expect you to hate me.""
I said nothing.
"By the time I understood what Daniel's family was doing, I was already involved.""
"So you helped them.""
"Yes.""
Finally.
No excuse.
Just the truth.
"Nathan found your name in the records.""
"Yes.""
"And threatened to expose you.""
"He threatened to expose everyone.""
"So you told my father Nathan was dangerous.""
Claire nodded.
"Thomas panicked. He confronted Nathan. When Nathan refused to surrender the evidence, your father called Daniel.""
"Why Daniel?""
"Because Daniel told him he could persuade his brother to leave town.""
I laughed once.
"He persuaded him with force.""
"Thomas didn't know Daniel would do that.""
"How convenient.""
Claire's face crumpled.
"I know.""
"What was on Nathan's recording?""
"I never listened to all of it.""
"Why?""
"Because Daniel came looking for it.""
"And?""
"I hid it.""
"Where?""
Claire hesitated.
"Ava's things.""
My stomach turned.
"The second tablet.""
"No. Before that.""
She looked at me.
"When Ava was born, I put the memory card inside a keepsake box. Years later, when I realized Daniel was searching my office again, I transferred everything to the tablet.""
"So Ava found it.""
"Eventually.""
"And started recording Daniel herself.""
Claire covered her mouth.
"Yes.""
I stood.
"You knew she was afraid.""
"I didn't know how bad it had become.""
"You watched her clean floors.""
"I stopped him when I could.""
"She begged me for help into a hidden camera.""
Claire started crying.
I didn't soften.
"Whatever Daniel had over you, you chose your secret over our daughter.""
She had no answer.
That silence was the first honest thing she'd given me.
Brooks entered carrying an evidence bag.
Inside was a tiny memory card.
"We recovered this from the second tablet case.""
Claire stared at it.
"That's it.""
The recording was damaged.
Technicians recovered only seven minutes.
But seven minutes were enough.
Nathan's voice came first.
"If you're hearing this, something happened.""
Then my father's.
Recorded secretly during their confrontation.
"You don't understand what exposing this will do to Liam.""
Nathan replied, "This isn't about Liam.""
"It's about his child.""
A pause.
Then Nathan said:
"Exactly.""
I leaned toward the speaker.
My father sounded furious.
"Stay away from Claire.""
"Thomas, you're protecting the wrong person.""
"Give me the evidence.""
"No.""
"Then I'll call Daniel.""
Nathan laughed bitterly.
"You still don't see it.""
"See what?""
"Daniel isn't protecting Claire.""
Silence.
"He's controlling her.""
The audio crackled.
Then Nathan said:
"And if you let him near that baby, one day he'll control her too.""
I closed my eyes.
Nathan had warned my father.
Eleven years ago.
My father hadn't listened.
The recording continued.
"Tell Liam," Nathan said.
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because he'll destroy Claire.""
"No. He'll protect his daughter.""
My father's voice dropped.
"You don't know my son.""
"I know enough.""
Then came the sentence that broke something inside me.
Nathan said, "If you keep Liam away from the truth, Ava will pay for your cowardice.""
The recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
My father had been warned exactly what might happen.
And fear had won.
That evening, I returned home.
Ava was asleep upstairs.
Emily sat at the kitchen table.
I placed my father's letter beside her.
"He knew Daniel was dangerous.""
Emily closed her eyes.
"I suspected.""
"You suspected?""
"Dad changed after Ava was born.""
"Why didn't he fix it?""
"He tried.""
I stared at her.
"What does that mean?""
Emily stood.
"Six months before he died, Dad hired a private investigator.""
"For Daniel?""
"For Nathan.""
My heartbeat changed.
"Why?""
"Because Dad stopped believing Nathan had left the country.""
She went upstairs and returned carrying a small metal box.
"I found this after the funeral.""
Inside were surveillance photographs.
Daniel entering warehouses.
Robert meeting Daniel.
Claire exchanging envelopes with Robert.
Then the final photograph.
A man stepping out of a taxi outside St. Matthew's Hospital.
The image was grainy.
But I recognized him from the old photographs.
Nathan Cole.
The date was six years after his supposed disappearance.
"He was alive.""
Emily nodded.
"Dad found him.""
"Where?""
"He never wrote it down.""
I flipped the photograph over.
There was handwriting on the back.
My father's.
*Nathan returned for Ava. Do not let Daniel know.*
I stared at Emily.
"What does that mean?""
Before she could answer, footsteps sounded behind us.
Ava stood at the kitchen entrance in her pajamas.
She was holding the old tablet.
"Daddy?""
I immediately softened my voice.
"What are you doing awake?""
"I remembered something.""
She walked toward me.
"Before Daniel took my tablet away, a man sent Mom a video.""
My chest tightened.
"What man?""
"I don't know.""
"What did he say?""
Ava looked at the photograph in my hand.
Her eyes widened.
Then she pointed directly at Nathan.
"Him.""
Emily went still.
"What was in the video, sweetheart?""
Ava swallowed.
"He told Mom he was done hiding.""
My pulse hammered.
"And then?""
May you like
Ava looked at me.
"He said he had proof Grandpa lied about the DNA test.""
