Chapter 11 - EDGAR’S EXIT PLAN
The revelation did not surprise Nora as much as it should have.
Perhaps she had reached the point where betrayal no longer shocked.
It only reorganized the evidence.
Edgar had money in storage.
A passport.
Suitcases.
Seventy thousand dollars in cash.
He had gone to Heather’s apartment.
He claimed he was warning her.
Maybe he had been.
But warning Heather and planning to disappear with her could be the same action.
Nora looked at Daniel.
“He was leaving.”
Daniel nodded.
“Likely.”
“With Heather.”
“Likely.”
“And Ava.”
“Likely.”
“My money?”
“That part may have failed.”
Nora stood.
“No.”
She thought about the stolen safe.
The Finch Consulting records.
The corporate credentials.
The insurance policy.
The estate structure.
Edgar had perhaps expected Kristina to eliminate Nora.
Then Edgar would inherit.
But when the snake plan failed and police arrived, he shifted.
Take Heather.
Take Ava.
Take whatever liquid assets he could access.
Leave Kristina exposed.
Maybe that was why Kristina snapped at him.
You were always weak.
Maybe she realized he was abandoning her.
Nora felt an ugly satisfaction.
The conspirators were betraying one another.
Good.
Lillian Voss remained on video.
Nora asked.
“Where are the real records now?”
Lillian shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
“You said your father gave them to Edgar.”
“Yes.”
“Storage unit?”
“Maybe.”
Police had searched the metal box but not yet fully cataloged the entire unit.
Alvarez was notified.
Investigators returned.
They found a false panel behind shelving.
Inside were two encrypted hard drives.
A stack of passports.
One passport belonged to Edgar.
One to Heather.
One was fraudulent but used Ava’s photograph.
Nora’s skin crawled.
They had prepared international travel documents for a baby.
Another passport carried a woman’s photograph.
Kristina.
Different surname.
Another for Dr. Voss.
This was not an improvised escape.
Months of planning.
The encrypted drives were sent for forensic processing.
Edgar was immediately detained for further investigation relating to fraudulent identification documents.
His attorney complained loudly.
Nora did not care.
At 10:30 p.m., Heather was cleared medically for a formal interview.
Ava remained with her under protection.
Federal agents asked Nora whether she wanted contact.
Nora hesitated.
Everything about Heather hurt.
But Heather also held answers.
“I’ll talk to her.”
The video connected.
Heather looked exhausted.
A bruise darkened her left cheek.
Ava slept against her chest.
Nora’s breath caught.
Heather noticed.
For several seconds neither woman spoke.
Then Heather said.
“I’m sorry you had to see her like this.”
Nora frowned.
“Like what?”
“Knowing.”
Nora understood.
Ava.
The possibility of biology.
The life Nora had been denied.
Nora’s voice stayed calm.
“Is she okay?”
“Yes.”
“She was scared.”
Nora’s throat tightened.
“But she’s okay.”
“Good.”
Heather looked down at Ava.
“She likes when people rub between her eyebrows.”
Nora did not know why that detail nearly destroyed her.
She nodded once.
Then forced herself back to facts.
“Did you know whose embryo you carried?”
Heather closed her eyes.
“Not at transfer.”
“When did you know?”
“Four months pregnant.”
Nora felt anger.
“You continued.”
Heather looked at her.
“I was already pregnant.”
“You could have told me.”
“Yes.”
“You could have gone to police.”
“Yes.”
“You could have gone to an attorney.”
“Yes.”
“You did none of those.”
Heather began crying quietly.
“I was afraid.”
Nora’s voice sharpened.
“Everybody keeps saying that.”
Heather looked up.
“I know.”
“Edgar was afraid.”
“Kristina was protecting family.”
“Voss needed money.”
“Thomas was desperate.”
“Everyone has a reason.”
Nora leaned closer.
“And somehow I’m the person who kept paying for their reasons.”
Heather said nothing.
Nora continued.
“Why did you sleep with Edgar?”
The question felt cruel.
It was also necessary.
Heather wiped her face.
“Because I was stupid.”
Nora waited.
“He made me feel chosen.”
Nora nearly laughed at the irony.
Heather continued.
“My marriage had ended.”
“My mother was sick.”
“I had done things at the clinic I hated myself for.”
“Edgar listened.”
Nora’s jaw tightened.
“He’s very good at listening when he wants something.”
Heather nodded.
“I know that now.”
“When did the affair begin?”
“Before the transfer.”
“Did Kristina know?”
“Yes.”
Nora stopped.
“She encouraged it?”
Heather looked ashamed.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“She said a natural relationship would make the future easier.”
Nora felt disgust.
Kristina had engineered not just reproduction but intimacy.
“She wanted you to replace me.”
“Yes.”
“And you agreed.”
“At the time, I thought your marriage was already over.”
Nora laughed.
“I was still wearing my wedding ring.”
“Edgar said you lived separate lives.”
“We slept in the same bed.”
Heather looked down.
“He lied.”
“So did you.”
“Yes.”
Nora appreciated the lack of defense.
Heather continued.
“I’m not asking you to forgive me.”
“Good.”
“I’m asking you to protect Ava.”
Nora looked at the baby.
“From whom?”
“Kristina.”
“She’s in custody.”
“Edgar.”
Nora’s eyes narrowed.
Heather whispered.
“He wants Ava.”
“He’s supposedly her father.”
“I don’t mean emotionally.”
Nora waited.
“He believes Ava gives him access to your estate.”
Nora felt cold.
Heather explained.
Kristina and Edgar had discussed establishing Ava’s biological relationship to Nora after Nora’s death.
Then Edgar would argue that Ava was Nora’s genetic child and therefore should receive part of the estate.
As Ava’s legal father, Edgar could potentially control assets for years.
The legal theory might fail.
But litigation alone could freeze millions.
Nora stared.
“So I was supposed to die.”
Heather nodded.
“Then they were going to reveal Ava.”
“Yes.”
“And use my stolen child to take my company.”
“Yes.”
Nora closed her eyes.
There were no words large enough for the violation.
Heather continued.
“The twins were supposed to stay secret unless Ava’s claim failed.”
Nora opened her eyes.
“What?”
“Kristina wanted multiple possible heirs.”
Nora remembered Lillian calling the twins insurance.
It was worse than she imagined.
Children as legal weapons.
Heather looked sick discussing it.
“I told Kristina I wouldn’t let her use Ava.”
“When?”
“Three weeks ago.”
“The genetic test?”
“Yes.”
“That’s when she threatened you.”
Heather nodded.
“Then I started gathering records.”
“Why didn’t you come to me?”
Heather looked almost embarrassed.
“Would you have believed me?”
Nora had no answer.
If Heather had arrived at Nora’s office saying she was Edgar’s mistress, carrying his baby, and claiming the child came from Nora’s stolen embryo, Nora might have thrown her out.
Kristina understood that.
The unbelievable nature of the crime protected it.
Heather continued.
“I was going to send everything to Daniel.”
Nora frowned.
“You know Daniel?”
“Edgar mentioned him.”
“Why Daniel?”
“Because he hates Edgar.”
Nora almost smiled.
“Accurate.”
Heather looked down at Ava.
“Before I could send it, Kristina came over.”
Nora listened.
“Then Halden started following me.”
“Edgar knew?”
“He said he’d handle it.”
“Did you trust him?”
“I wanted to.”
Nora felt a strange flash of recognition.
That sentence belonged to both of them.
Wanting to trust Edgar had cost each woman differently.
Nora asked.
“Why did Edgar come to your apartment?”
“To leave.”
“Where?”
“Mexico first.”
“Then?”
“Portugal.”
Nora almost laughed.
“He had a plan.”
“Yes.”
“Did you agree?”
“No.”
Heather looked directly at her.
“That’s why he came angry.”
Nora stopped.
“He wasn’t warning you?”
“Not exactly.”
Heather explained.
Edgar wanted Heather and Ava packed within thirty minutes.
Heather refused.
She said she would go to police.
Edgar panicked.
They argued outside.
Halden appeared.
Edgar tried to stop him.
Halden attacked Edgar.
Heather was forced into a vehicle.
That matched the blood.
The hospital injuries.
Edgar had indeed tried to protect Heather at the last moment.
But only after attempting to flee with her.
Complicated again.
Nora asked.
“Did Edgar know about the snake?”
Heather’s answer came slowly.
“Yes.”
Nora felt nothing.
Perhaps numbness was mercy.
“How much?”
“He knew Kristina had obtained one.”
“Did he know it was going into my bed?”
“Yes.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Nora stared at Heather.
“Did he approve?”
Heather hesitated.
Then nodded.
Nora looked away.
There was the final line.
Whatever gray remained around Edgar disappeared.
“He told me he didn’t think she’d actually do it.”
Heather whispered.
Nora laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
“He said Kristina had threatened things before.”
“So he knew.”
“Yes.”
“And did nothing.”
“Yes.”
Nora stood.
She needed distance from the screen.
Heather’s voice followed.
“Nora.”
Nora stopped.
“What?”
“There’s something else Edgar didn’t know.”
Nora almost wanted to laugh.
There was always something else.
“What?”
Heather looked down at Ava.
Then back at Nora.
“Edgar is not Ava’s biological father.”
The room went silent.
Nora turned.
“What?”
“The genetic screening was rerun.”
Heather’s voice shook.
“The first report was manipulated.”
Nora walked back toward the screen.
“Then whose child is she?”
“She is genetically yours.”
Heather swallowed.
“But the paternal sample doesn’t match Edgar.”
Nora felt dizzy.
“Whose does it match?”
Heather began crying.
“I don’t know.”
Daniel looked alarmed.
Nora whispered.
“You carried an embryo supposedly created by me and Edgar.”
“Yes.”
“But Edgar is not the father.”
“Yes.”
Nora’s skin turned cold.
Her embryos had been created from eggs retrieved from Nora.
Edgar had provided sperm.
At least Nora believed he had.
If Ava’s embryo used Nora’s egg and another man’s genetic material, then someone had substituted sperm during fertilization.
Nora’s voice became barely audible.
“What about the twins?”
Heather looked terrified.
“I don’t know.”
Nora immediately contacted the federal medical team.
The twins’ genetic testing required parental consent and careful handling.
Nathan and Elise Warren were informed.
They agreed.
Samples were collected.
Results could take time.
But preliminary stored genetic data already existed from their pediatric care.
Analysts compared available markers.
At 2:15 a.m., Daniel woke Nora from the hotel sofa.
“Nora.”
She opened her eyes.
“What?”
“The twins.”
She sat immediately.
“What happened?”
Daniel’s expression was unlike anything she had seen before.
“They’re biologically yours.”
Nora closed her eyes.
“And Edgar?”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
Nora stopped breathing.
Neither Ava nor the twins were genetically Edgar’s.
Three embryos created during Nora’s marriage.
All using another man’s sperm.
Someone had substituted reproductive material before fertilization.
Nora whispered.
“Who is the father?”
Daniel looked at her.
“They ran the profile through available databases.”
Nora waited.
“There’s a close familial match.”
“To whom?”
Daniel sat opposite her.
“Nora.”
“Say it.”
He took a breath.
May you like
“The biological father appears to be Samuel Voss.”
---
