Chapter 10: The Man Who Wanted to Own My Daughter
The first thing I did after reading Richard’s message was hold Lily tighter.
Not because I thought I could protect her from everything.
Not because I believed my arms could stop the past from reaching us.
But because for sixteen years, too many people had made decisions about my daughter without asking me.
They had moved her like a piece on a chessboard.
They had hidden information.
They had created stories.
They had decided what was best for her.
No one was going to do that again.
Not while I was standing.
“He cannot take me,” Lily whispered.
I looked down at her.
“No.””
My voice was steady.
“He cannot.””
But inside, I was terrified.
Because fear was no longer a stranger in our family.
It had lived with us for years.
It had sat at our dinner table.
It had watched Lily grow up.
And now it had finally shown its face.
Richard.
The man who had smiled at family gatherings.
The man who had called me “daughter-in-law.””
The man who had held Lily when she was a baby.
The man who had secretly been fighting to control her life.
Mark looked like he was about to break.
“My father…”
He couldn’t finish.
I looked at him.
“What?””
His eyes were filled with shame.
“I brought him into your life.””
“No.””
“Yes.””
He shook his head.
“I defended him. I trusted him.””
“You didn’t know.””
“But I should have.””
I grabbed his hand.
“Mark, this is not the time to punish yourself.””
He looked at me.
“Then what is the time for?””
“To protect our daughters.””
The word daughters changed something in his expression.
Because for the first time, he looked at Emma.
Not as a mystery.
Not as a reminder of betrayal.
As his family.
He walked toward her slowly.
“I’m sorry.””
Emma looked surprised.
“For what?””
“For every year you spent without knowing where you belonged.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I know you didn’t do it.””
“But my family did.””
Emma looked away.
“And mine did too.””
Sarah stood quietly nearby.
Everyone in that room carried a different kind of pain.
But we all had one thing in common.
We had been hurt by people who claimed they loved us.
My father stepped forward.
“We need to leave.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because Richard knows where we are.””
Victoria nodded.
“He has resources.””
I stared at her.
“You mean money.””
“Yes.””
“And power.””
“Yes.””
I hated how easily she said it.
Like this was normal.
Like families destroying each other was just another business decision.
My phone rang again.
This time, it was not a message.
A call.
Unknown number.
Everyone looked at me.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A deep voice came through.
Richard.
“Claire.””
My blood ran cold.
“You have no right to call me.””
He laughed softly.
“You always were emotional.””
Mark stepped closer.
“Put him on speaker.””
I did.
Richard continued.
“I know you have questions.””
“You stole my child.””
A pause.
Then:
“I protected my family.””
My anger exploded.
“Your family?””
“You don’t understand the situation.””
“No. You don’t understand.””
I looked at Lily.
“She is not yours.””
Richard’s voice changed.
“You should ask your daughter what she knows.””
I froze.
“What?””
He continued.
“She has been told more than you realize.””
Everyone looked at Lily.
Her face went pale.
“Lily?””
She shook her head.
“I…”
Richard laughed.
“She knows why she was chosen.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“Chosen for what?””
Silence.
Then Richard said:
“Ask her about the hospital.””
The call ended.
Nobody spoke.
I looked at Lily.
“Tell me.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I didn’t want you to know.””
“Know what?””
She looked at the floor.
“Grandpa told me that I wasn’t supposed to be with you.””
My heart cracked.
“What?””
“He said there was a reason he kept me.””
“Why?””
She cried.
“Because he said I was the only thing stopping you from losing everything.””
I felt sick.
“What does that mean?””
Lily shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
But then Emma spoke.
“I do.””
Everyone turned.
Emma looked terrified.
“Richard believed one of us had something he needed.””
“What?””
She swallowed.
“The trust.””
I frowned.
“What trust?””
“The family trust.””
My father nodded slowly.
“He thought the money would transfer when Lily turned eighteen.””
I looked at Lily.
“She’s almost eighteen.””
Victoria whispered:
“That’s why he’s acting now.””
A horrible realization spread through me.
“He doesn’t want Lily.””
Nobody answered.
“He wants control.””
My father nodded.
“Yes.””
I looked at the people around me.
At my daughters.
At my husband.
At the broken pieces of my family.
Then I made a decision.
A decision I should have made sixteen years earlier.
I was done running.
“We find Richard.””
Mark looked at me.
“And then?””
May you like
I looked at Lily.
“Then we make him answer for everything.””
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