Chapter 17: The Last Piece of the Puzzle
For a second, nobody understood what Clara meant.
Then everyone did.
Marcus moved in front of me instantly.
“No.””
Clara smiled.
“There it is.””
“What?””
“The part your father never understood.””
Daniel’s face changed.
“What are you talking about?””
Clara walked closer.
“The family doesn’t end with money.””
Nobody spoke.
“It ends with blood.””
I felt a chill.
Marcus’s voice was sharp.
“Stay away from my wife.””
Clara looked amused.
“Your wife.””
She repeated the words slowly.
“You really believe this is about her?””
My anger rose.
“I’m standing right here.””
Clara looked at me.
“I know.””
Her calmness was terrifying.
“I’ve been watching you for months.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Why?””
Clara looked at him.
“Because your child is important.””
My hand moved over my stomach.
“She’s a baby.””
Clara smiled.
“No.””
She looked at Daniel.
“Tell him.””
Daniel looked horrified.
“Clara.””
“Tell him.””
Marcus turned.
“Tell me what?””
Daniel looked at me.
Then at Marcus.
“I didn’t want you to know this.””
My heart sank.
Another secret.
Another thing hidden from us.
Marcus’s voice became quiet.
“What now?””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“The reason Richard and Clara wanted the document…”
He paused.
“It wasn’t only about exposing corruption.””
“Then what?””
Daniel looked at my stomach.
“It was about proving who the next heir would be.””
The words sounded ridiculous.
Like something from a movie.
But nothing about my life felt normal anymore.
Marcus stared.
“You’re saying our baby…”
“Yes.””
Daniel nodded.
“Your daughter carries the family bloodline.””
I almost laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because it was impossible.
“This is insane.””
Daniel looked at me.
“I know how it sounds.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You don’t get to talk about my child like she’s a piece of property.””
Clara smiled.
“That’s exactly why you are dangerous.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
“You actually care about people.””
The insult surprised me.
Because she said it like kindness was a weakness.
Marcus grabbed my hand.
“We’re leaving.””
Clara didn’t stop him.
That scared me.
Because people like Clara usually fought hardest when they were losing.
Instead, she simply smiled.
“You can leave.””
Marcus paused.
“But you’ll come back.””
“Why?””
“Because you still don’t know the whole truth.””
Daniel looked at her.
“What are you hiding?””
Clara looked at him.
“The truth about Marcus’s mother.””
Evelyn wasn’t there.
But the words still hit hard.
Marcus froze.
“My mother?””
Clara nodded.
“She wasn’t innocent either.””
Daniel’s face changed.
“Stop.””
Marcus looked between them.
“No.””
His voice shook.
“No more stopping.””
He faced Clara.
“What did my mother do?””
Clara smiled.
“Ask her why she lied about your birth.””
The room went silent.
I felt Marcus’s hand tighten around mine.
“My birth?””
Clara walked toward the door.
“You think you know who you are.””
She looked back.
“You don’t.””
Then she left.
Just like that.
No fight.
No threat.
No explanation.
Only another mystery.
The drive back was silent.
Marcus stared out the window.
His entire life had become a question.
When we arrived home, Evelyn was waiting.
The moment she saw Marcus’s face, she knew.
“What happened?””
Marcus walked inside.
“You need to tell me the truth.””
Evelyn looked afraid.
“About what?””
“My birth.””
Her face changed.
And that was all the answer we needed.
Marcus whispered:
“What did you hide from me?””
Evelyn sat down.
Tears filled her eyes.
“I was hoping you would never find out.””
My heart sank.
Because those words had become the family’s favorite sentence.
Marcus stared.
“Find out what?””
Evelyn looked at him.
May you like
And whispered:
“You’re not Daniel’s son.””
