Chapter 12 - Brendan’s Confession
Brendan requested to meet Cassidy.
She agreed only with lawyers present.
He looked exhausted.
Serena had moved out.
Margaret’s accounts remained frozen.
Halcyon removed him from every management role.
For the first time since Cassidy met him, nobody was cleaning up his life.
“I signed Project Heir.”
he said.
Cassidy waited.
“I told myself it was custody protection.”
“From whom?”
“You.”
She almost laughed.
“You thought I would take your child.”
“Yes.”
“You were already living with Serena.”
“I know.”
“Your mother dumped dirty water over me while I was pregnant.”
“I know.”
“And you still thought you were the parent who needed protection?”
He closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
At least he was answering now.
Brendan continued.
“Victor said if you controlled Halcyon and the baby, I would be erased.”
Cassidy stared.
“Did that frighten you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I had spent my entire adult life believing Halcyon would eventually be mine.”
There it was.
Not just greed.
Identity.
His father sold Holloway Logistics into Halcyon.
Then spent years telling Brendan the family would regain control.
Margaret repeated it.
Brendan grew up expecting inheritance through dominance.
Then he married the actual owner without knowing.
Cassidy said.
“If you had known who I was when we met, would you have married me?”
Brendan looked at her.
“Yes.”
“For the same reason?”
He hesitated.
“No.”
The honesty hurt more than a lie.
He would have seen her as an asset.
Not the woman he supposedly loved.
Cassidy nodded slowly.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For finally answering something without trying to sound better.”
He looked down.
Then.
“Did you ever love me?”
“Yes.”
His eyes filled.
Cassidy continued.
“That’s why this hurt.”
Silence.
Brendan signed a cooperation agreement.
He turned over emails.
Messages with Victor.
Payments Margaret authorized.
He also admitted knowing Serena’s company was receiving inflated contracts.
He claimed he did not know the full amount.
Investigators would decide how much that mattered.
Before leaving, he asked.
“Will I see the baby?”
Cassidy touched her stomach.
“That will depend on whether you become safe enough to be a father.”
Brendan flinched.
She continued.
“Biology gives you a relationship.”
May you like
“It does not give you unlimited access.”
For the first time, he did not argue.
