Chapter 7 - The Son in the Photograph
Owen heard enough to know something was wrong.
Natalie sent him upstairs.
He protested.
Claire nearly stopped her.
But Owen was twelve.
He did not deserve to have his identity detonated over dessert.
Once he was gone, Julian shut the dining-room doors.
Evelyn sat heavily.
Natalie started crying.
Claire remained standing.
“Tell me about Alexander Voss.”
Her mother whispered, “Not like this.”
“Then how?”
“Claire.”
“You had thirty-eight years.”
Evelyn looked toward Julian.
That single glance told Claire everything.
Her mother still expected Julian to control the room.
He tried.
“Your mother made mistakes before she married Thomas.”
Claire looked at him.
“You knew before our wedding.”
Julian said nothing.
Natalie whispered, “Claire, please.”
Claire turned.
“No.”
Natalie flinched.
“You don’t get to say please.”
Tears slid down Natalie’s face.
“It wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“Owen?”
Natalie stopped breathing.
Claire watched Julian’s eyes close.
There.
Confirmation.
Claire continued.
“How long?”
Natalie covered her mouth.
Julian stepped forward.
“Leave Owen out of this.”
Claire stared at him.
“You have spent twelve years leaving your own son out of your life.”
Evelyn gasped.
Natalie sank into a chair.
Claire’s voice broke for the first time.
“Does he know?”
“No,” Natalie whispered.
“Did Dad?”
Natalie looked down.
“Yes.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Thomas had carried that secret too.
Julian moved closer.
“Whatever you think this is, it’s more complicated.”
“Were you sleeping with my sister before you married me?”
“No.”
Natalie looked at him.
Claire saw it.
A tiny reaction.
Julian had lied.
Claire turned to Natalie.
“Look at me.”
Natalie could not.
“That’s what I thought.”
Claire picked up her purse.
Julian blocked the door.
“You’re not leaving until we talk about the agreement.”
For the first time, Claire felt afraid.
Not heartbroken.
Afraid.
“You mean the agreement giving you control of my inheritance?”
Evelyn whispered, “You opened the laptop.”
Julian slowly turned toward her.
The room changed.
Claire realized her mother had just made a mistake.
Julian’s voice became very quiet.
“What exactly did you see?”
Claire opened the door.
“Enough.”
She walked out.
Behind her, she heard Natalie sobbing.
Then Evelyn said something Claire was not supposed to hear.
“She found the Voss file.”
Julian answered.
“That means Rebecca broke her promise.”
Claire stopped outside the door.
Rebecca.
They knew about Rebecca.
May you like
And if they knew about Rebecca, Rebecca might already be in danger.
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