Chapter 8: The Man Who Called Me His Daughter
Richard Bennett entered the estate without knocking.
He wore a charcoal overcoat over his formal dinner suit. His silver hair was perfectly combed, and his expression was unusually calm.
Behind him stood two men I didn't recognize.
Agent Hayes immediately stepped forward.
“Mr. Bennett, you need to stop there.””
Richard raised his hands.
“Of course.””
His eyes found mine.
“Elena.””
I stared at him.
“Don't.””
He looked wounded.
“I understand you're confused.””
“Confused?””
I held up the birth certificate.
“Apparently, you're my father.””
Richard glanced at the paper.
Then he sighed.
“I wondered when Catherine would tell you.””
My stomach tightened.
“So it's true?””
He nodded.
“Yes.””
I felt suddenly cold.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because it wasn't safe.””
“That's what everyone keeps saying. Nobody tells me anything because it isn't safe. Meanwhile, people have been lying to me for twenty-three years.””
Richard lowered his eyes.
“I know.””
“No, you don't.””
I stepped closer.
“You watched me marry Adrian. You attended my wedding. You sat at our dinner table. You called me your goddaughter.””
His voice softened.
“I wanted to be your father.””
“But you weren't.””
“I was.””
The answer came so quickly that I stopped.
Richard continued.
“Biology is not the only thing that makes a parent, Elena. Daniel understood that. He raised you when I couldn't.””
“Why couldn't you?””
His face tightened.
“Because your mother begged me to stay away.””
I shook my head.
“Why?””
Richard glanced toward Agent Hayes.
“Can we speak privately?””
“No,” Agent Hayes answered.
Richard nodded reluctantly.
“Then I'll say it here.””
He looked directly at me.
“Twenty-three years ago, I was married. I had two young children. Catherine and I had been involved for several years, but I was too cowardly to leave my family.””
He swallowed.
“When she became pregnant, I offered to support her financially. She refused. She wanted me to choose.””
“And you didn't.””
“No.””
“Then Daniel stepped in?””
Richard nodded.
“Daniel loved Catherine. He had known her since childhood. He agreed to marry her and raise you as his own.””
I looked at the papers.
“Why did Thomas claim to be my father?””
Richard's expression hardened.
“Because Thomas wanted control of the trust.””
“Explain.””
Richard walked toward the fireplace.
“Your grandmother established a private inheritance fund for Catherine. It was worth nearly twenty million dollars. She wanted it transferred to her only child when that child turned twenty-five.””
I stared.
“Why would Thomas have any claim to it?””
“He didn't. But he was the executor of your grandmother's estate. He forged documents claiming that Catherine had assigned him control of the trust.””
Agent Hayes interrupted.
“Do you have evidence?””
Richard nodded.
“Daniel collected it. He gave copies to me before he died.””
“Where are those copies?””
Richard looked at me.
“Somewhere Adrian has been searching for years.””
My blood ran cold.
“Where?””
“In your wedding ring.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
Richard pointed toward my left hand.
“The original trust certificate was microfilmed and stored inside a hollow section of the ring. Daniel arranged it before your wedding.””
I pulled off my ring.
It was a simple platinum band with a small diamond.
I had worn it for eight years.
Adrian had chosen it himself.
“You're telling me there's evidence inside this?””
Richard nodded.
“Daniel knew Adrian would never suspect the ring.””
Agent Hayes carefully examined it.
“Why didn't you tell us earlier?””
“Because I didn't know whether Elena had kept it.””
I looked at Richard.
“Did you know Adrian was stealing from the foundation?””
Richard hesitated.
“I suspected.””
“That's not enough.””
“I tried to stop him.””
“When?””
“Two years ago.””
I remembered the gala.
Richard had been seated at the front table.
He had looked horrified when Adrian slapped me.
But he had also known about the financial irregularities.
I felt anger rising.
“You let him continue.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Everyone is trying to protect me while I spend my life being used.””
Richard lowered his head.
“I deserve that.””
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Adrian, who was being treated by a paramedic near the sitting room, began laughing.
“That's touching.””
He looked at Richard.
“Tell her the rest.””
Richard's face changed.
“Adrian, don't.””
Adrian smiled.
“Tell her why Daniel really married Catherine.””
I turned.
“What does he mean?””
Adrian leaned against the sofa.
“Your father was paid to marry your mother. But not by Thomas.””
Richard stepped forward.
“Enough.””
Adrian continued.
“Daniel was in debt. His business was failing. Richard arranged the marriage to keep Catherine out of a scandal, and Thomas arranged the money transfer.””
I looked at Richard.
“Is that true?””
He closed his eyes.
“Daniel accepted money, yes.””
My chest tightened.
“Then why did he raise me?””
“Because he fell in love with you.””
Richard's voice cracked.
“He could have walked away. He didn't.””
Adrian laughed.
“Because he knew the trust would make him rich.””
Agent Hayes stepped between them.
“That's enough.””
But I couldn't stop looking at Richard.
“Did you ever want to raise me?””
He nodded.
“Every day.””
“Then why didn't you fight for me?””
His eyes filled.
“Because Catherine believed Daniel could give you a normal life. And I had already failed her once.””
I looked down at my wedding ring.
Eight years of marriage.
A secret trust.
A forged identity.
A father who wasn't my father but had loved me anyway.
And another father who had watched from a distance.
Agent Hayes handed the ring to a forensic specialist.
“We'll have this examined.””
Richard took a breath.
“There's one more thing.””
I looked at him.
“Of course there is.””
He reached inside his coat and removed a photograph.
It showed a hospital room.
A young woman lay in a bed, holding a newborn baby.
Catherine.
Beside her stood Daniel.
And behind them stood a man wearing a doctor's coat.
I recognized him immediately.
Dr. Samuel Price.
The physician who had signed my mother's death certificate.
Richard turned the photograph over.
On the back, in Daniel's handwriting, were the words:
The doctor who declared Catherine dead is the same man who delivered Elena.
Agent Hayes examined the photograph.
“Where did you get this?””
“Daniel gave it to me.””
“When?””
“The night before he died.””
Richard hesitated.
“He also told me that Dr. Price had been paid to falsify the medical records.””
I looked at him.
“Paid by whom?””
Richard didn't answer.
Instead, he stared at Adrian.
Adrian's expression had changed.
The paramedic was packing his medical supplies, but Adrian no longer seemed interested in his injury.
He was watching Richard.
Then he spoke.
“Richard, you really should have stayed out of this.””
Richard's face went pale.
“What did you do?””
Adrian smiled.
“Nothing you don't deserve.””
A loud bang echoed from the front entrance.
The lights flickered.
Then the entire estate went dark.
Someone screamed.
I felt a hand grab my arm.
“Stay down!”” Agent Hayes shouted.
A gunshot cracked through the darkness.
Glass shattered.
Then a man's voice called from the hallway.
“Elena!””
I recognized it immediately.
May you like
Thomas Reed.
“Sweetheart, come with me. I have your mother.””
