My Husband Divorced Me for His Mistress—He Didn't Realize He Had Just Signed Away His Entire Empire

I read Charles's message three times.

Your father is lying about Margaret's death.

Then I looked at the metal key in my palm.

For thirty-two years, I had believed my mother died peacefully in a hospital after a brief illness. I remembered the funeral, the flowers, the black dress my father bought me, and the way he held my hand while people whispered condolences.

I had been twenty-four.

Old enough to understand death.

Old enough to remember every detail.

Or so I thought.

“Eleanor?””

Daniel's voice brought me back.

I looked up.

“We need to leave.””

“Why?””

“Security just received instructions to lock down this floor.””

“From whom?””

He glanced at his tablet.

“Richard Bennett.””

I stared at him.

“My father?””

Daniel nodded.

“He's requested that all archived material be returned to secure storage. He's also ordered your access credentials suspended.””

I looked at the letter in my hand.

“Can he do that?””

“He can suspend certain corporate permissions. But the trust documents are another matter.””

I placed Peter's letter inside my handbag.

“Then we're leaving.””

Daniel reached for the envelope.

“Let me carry that.””

“No.””

“Eleanor, I know this is personal, but if your father is involved—”

“Especially if my father is involved, I'm keeping it.””

He didn't argue.

We left through the secondary corridor.

As the elevator descended, Daniel looked at me.

“There's something else I haven't told you.””

I turned.

“What?””

“Grant called me this morning.””

“Why?””

“He wanted to know whether the board would support an emergency shareholder meeting.””

“On what grounds?””

“He claims your inheritance was obtained through fraudulent adoption records.””

I felt my stomach tighten.

“Can he prove that?””

“Apparently, he's obtained an affidavit from someone claiming Catherine Moore never consented to the adoption.””

I closed my eyes.

“Who signed it?””

Daniel hesitated.

“Your biological father's former housekeeper.””

I remembered the name on the old family documents.

Ruth Collins.

“Is she alive?””

“Yes.””

“Where is she?””

“Connecticut.””

I looked at him.

“Find her.””

At 4:30 that afternoon, I arrived at my father's house.

I hadn't been there since the divorce.

The white stone exterior looked exactly as it always had. The garden was immaculate. The fountain near the entrance still made the same soft splashing sound.

But something about the house felt different.

The place that had once represented safety now looked like a building full of locked doors.

My father's driver opened the entrance.

“Good afternoon, Ms. Bennett.””

“Is my father home?””

“Yes. He's in the study.””

I walked inside.

The study door was open.

My father stood near the window, holding a glass of water.

When he saw me, he placed it down.

“You shouldn't have come here.””

“Then you shouldn't have lied to me.””

He looked exhausted.

“Eleanor, we need to be careful.””

“I've been careful for thirty-two years. It hasn't helped.””

I placed the photograph on his desk.

“Tell me about November 14.””

He looked at the image.

His expression changed.

“Where did you get this?””

“Peter's archive.””

He picked it up.

For a moment, his fingers trembled.

“Margaret shouldn't have kept this.””

“Why?””

He placed the photograph down.

“Because it brings back things that should have stayed buried.””

I took a step closer.

“Was Mom alive when she gave birth to me?””

“No.””

“Was she alive when I was adopted?””

He looked at me.

Then away.

“Your mother died in a hospital.””

“Which hospital?””

He didn't answer.

“Dad.””

He rubbed his face.

“St. Catherine's Medical Center.””

I pulled out my phone and opened the photograph's date information.

“St. Catherine's closed in 1998. The building was demolished. Why does the adoption record list a hospital that wasn't operating when I was born?””

My father froze.

I watched the realization cross his face.

“You've been looking into the records.””

“Someone has to.””

He walked behind his desk.

“Eleanor, there's a reason Margaret kept the truth from you.””

“Then tell me.””

He sat down.

“Your mother didn't die in the hospital.””

I felt my heart hammering.

“What?””

“She disappeared.””

The words seemed impossible.

“Disappeared?””

“After you were born, Catherine became frightened. Peter was making threats. There were people following her. Margaret arranged for her to leave the country.””

“Then why did you tell me she died?””

“Because we believed it was the only way to protect you.””

I shook my head.

“Where is she?””

“I don't know.””

“You expect me to believe that?””

“I haven't seen her in thirty-two years.””

“Then why did you put her name on a death certificate?””

My father looked down.

“Because someone had to close the investigation.””

I felt sick.

“You falsified her death?””

“Margaret made the decision.””

“And you helped her?””

He didn't deny it.

I stepped backward.

“What happened to my mother?””

My father looked up.

“Catherine was supposed to leave New York with you. But the night before the transfer, Peter found out.””

“And?””

“He arrived at the house with Charles. There was an argument. Catherine disappeared before sunrise.””

I stared at him.

“What did Peter do?””

My father swallowed.

“He took you.””

The room seemed to tilt.

“He took me from my mother?””

“He believed you belonged to him.””

“And Margaret?””

“Margaret found you three days later.””

I covered my mouth.

My father continued.

“She brought you home and told everyone you were hers. I agreed because I loved her. Because she loved you. And because I believed Catherine was never coming back.””

I stared at the man who had raised me.

“Did you ever look for her?””

“Yes.””

“Did you ever find her?””

He didn't answer.

I understood.

“Dad?””

His eyes filled.

“We received a letter eleven years ago.””

“When?””

“Two days before Peter died.””

I felt my knees weaken.