Chapter 10: ## Chapter 10: The Man Waiting in the Shadows
: The Man Waiting in the Shadows
I didn't go to meet Eric alone.
ForI didn't go to meet Eric alone.
For ten years, I had mistaken silence ten years, I had mistaken silence for loyalty, forgiveness for love, and patience for strength. I wasn't going to make another mistake simply because my husband had demanded it.
Richard contacted for loyalty, forgiveness for love, and patience for strength. I wasn't going to make another mistake simply because my husband had demanded it.
Richard contacted the police while I called Natalie repeatedly.
On the fourth attempt, she answered.
“Claire?””
“Are you hurt?””
“No. I'm in the police while I called Natalie repeatedly.
On the fourth attempt, she answered.
“Claire?””
“Are you hurt?””
“No. I'm in the bathroom. I locked the door.””
“Is Eric still there?””
“I don't know. I heard him walking around.””
“Stay where you are. Don't open that the bathroom. I locked the door.””
“Is Eric still there?””
“I don't know. I heard him walking around.””
“Stay where you are. Don't open that door.””
Her voice broke.
“Claire, he said something about the baby.””
“What?””
“He said if I didn't cooperate, he would make sure I never saw the child again door.””
Her voice broke.
“Claire, he said something about the baby.””
“What?””
“He said if I didn't cooperate, he would make sure I never saw the child again.””
I closed my eyes.
“Listen to me. You're not alone anymore.””
A few minutes later, Richard called.””
I closed my eyes.
“Listen to me. You're not alone anymore.””
A few minutes later, Richard called.
“The police are on their way. I've also arranged for a meeting with Samuel Whitaker tomorrow morning.””
“Can it.
“The police are on their way. I've also arranged for a meeting with Samuel Whitaker tomorrow morning.””
“Can it happen tonight?””
“Claire, he's an elderly man. We need to respect the arrangements.””
I looked at the message Eric had sent.
Bring the red file.
“Richard, I think Eric happen tonight?””
“Claire, he's an elderly man. We need to respect the arrangements.””
I looked at the message Eric had sent.
Bring the red file.
“Richard, I think Eric knows Samuel is alive.””
“Why?””
“He specifically mentioned bringing the file. He knows what I've discovered.””
Richard paused.
“Then we have to assume he's becoming desperate.””
knows Samuel is alive.””
“Why?””
“He specifically mentioned bringing the file. He knows what I've discovered.””
Richard paused.
“Then we have to assume he's becoming desperate.””
By 7:30 p.m., Natalie was safely at my parents' house.
She sat onBy 7:30 p.m., Natalie was safely at my parents' house.
She sat on the sofa wrapped in a blanket while my mother prepared tea.
My father stood near the window, looking furious.
“I should have thrown that man the sofa wrapped in a blanket while my mother prepared tea.
My father stood near the window, looking furious.
“I should have thrown that man out of our lives years ago,” he muttered.
I looked at him.
“Did you know Samuel was alive?””
His expression changed.
My mother turned from the kitchen.
“David?””
He looked between us.
Then he sat down.
“I suspected.””
I out of our lives years ago,” he muttered.
I looked at him.
“Did you know Samuel was alive?””
His expression changed.
My mother turned from the kitchen.
“David?””
He looked between us.
Then he sat down.
“I suspected.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Since when?””
“About fifteen years ago.””
“Fifteen years?””
He felt my stomach tighten.
“Since when?””
“About fifteen years ago.””
“Fifteen years?””
He nodded slowly.
“Your grandmother received a letter from someone claiming to be Samuel. She asked me to investigate.””
“And?””
“I found him.””
My mother dropped nodded slowly.
“Your grandmother received a letter from someone claiming to be Samuel. She asked me to investigate.””
“And?””
“I found him.””
My mother dropped the teaspoon she was holding.
“You found him?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
My father rubbed his forehead.
“Because I was afraid.””
I stared at him.
“Afraid of what?””
He looked at the teaspoon she was holding.
“You found him?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
My father rubbed his forehead.
“Because I was afraid.””
I stared at him.
“Afraid of what?””
He looked at me.
“Losing my family.””
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
“You knew my biological father was alive, me.
“Losing my family.””
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
“You knew my biological father was alive, and you let me grow up believing he was dead?””
“I raised you, Claire.””
“That isn't an answer.””
“I changed your and you let me grow up believing he was dead?””
“I raised you, Claire.””
“That isn't an answer.””
“I changed your diapers. I took you to school. I sat beside your hospital bed when you were sick. I was there for every birthday, diapers.
I took you to school. I sat beside your hospital bed when you were sick. I was there for every birthday, every school performance, every disappointment.””
His voice cracked.
“I am your father.””
I swallowed.
“I know you raised me. But every school performance, every disappointment.””
His voice cracked.
“I am your father.””
I swallowed.
“I know you raised me. But you don't get to decide that I don't deserve the truth.””
My mother sat beside him.
“David, what happened?””
you don't get to decide that I don't deserve the truth.””
My mother sat beside him.
“David, what happened?””
He looked at her.
“Samuel wanted to come back.””
She covered her mouth.
“He contacted MargaretHe looked at her.
“Samuel wanted to come back.””
She covered her mouth.
“He contacted Margaret. He said he had never abandoned us.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I believed he would destroy. He said he had never abandoned us.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I believed he would destroy everything.””
My father looked at me.
“Samuel had been involved in a medical investigation. He believed someone was altering everything.””
My father looked at me.
“Samuel had been involved in a medical investigation. He believed someone was altering patient records at the hospital. Your grandmother helped him uncover it.””
I remembered patient records at the hospital. Your grandmother helped him uncover it.””
I remembered the notebook.
The altered genetic report.
Dr. Whitaker's name.
“Was my medical record one of those reports?””
He nodded.
“Your grandmother believed the notebook.
The altered genetic report.
Dr. Whitaker's name.
“Was my medical record one of those reports?””
He nodded.
“Your grandmother believed someone had deliberately changed it.””
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
I stared at someone had deliberately changed it.””
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
I stared at him.
“Dad, you keep saying that. But you seem to know more than you're telling us.””
He looked toward him.
“Dad, you keep saying that. But you seem to know more than you're telling us.””
He looked toward the floor.
Then Natalie spoke from the sofa.
“Eric knows.””
Everyone turned.
She was holding her stomach with both hands.
“He told me that Claire the floor.
Then Natalie spoke from the sofa.
“Eric knows.””
Everyone turned.
She was holding her stomach with both hands.
“He told me that Claire's biological father was the reason the trust had restrictions. He said the whole family had been hiding something.””
My father stood.
“Where did you hear that?””
“From Eric. He said Samuel's biological father was the reason the trust had restrictions. He said the whole family had been hiding something.””
My father stood.
“Where did you hear that?””
“From Eric. He said Samuel had information that could destroy the inheritance.””
I looked at Natalie.
“Did Eric ever mention meeting him?””
She nodded had information that could destroy the inheritance.””
I looked at Natalie.
“Did Eric ever mention meeting him?””
She nodded.
“Once. He said he had spoken to someone who could prove Claire wasn't entitled to.
“Once. He said he had spoken to someone who could prove Claire wasn't entitled to the trust.””
My father went pale.
Richard's warning suddenly made sense.
Eric wasn't merely trying to steal money.
He was trying to build a legal the trust.””
My father went pale.
Richard's warning suddenly made sense.
Eric wasn't merely trying to steal money.
He was trying to build a legal argument that could disqualify me from my own inheritance.
And if he could prove that my family history was different from what the trust documents stated, perhaps argument that could disqualify me from my own inheritance.
And if he could prove that my family history was different from what the trust documents stated, perhaps he believed he could challenge the entire arrangement.
At 9:16 p.m., my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered cautiously.
“Hello?””
he believed he could challenge the entire arrangement.
At 9:16 p.m., my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered cautiously.
“Hello?””
A man's voice spoke.
“Claire Bennett?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Samuel Whitaker.””
I couldn't move.
“I've been told you'reA man's voice spoke.
“Claire Bennett?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Samuel Whitaker.””
I couldn't move.
“I've been told you're looking for me.””
My throat tightened.
“Yes.””
He breathed slowly.
“I suppose there's no easy way to begin this conversation.””
“ looking for me.””
My throat tightened.
“Yes.””
He breathed slowly.
“I suppose there's no easy way to begin this conversation.””
“Were you my mother's fiancé?””
Silence.
Then he answered.
“Yes.””
“AreWere you my mother's fiancé?””
Silence.
Then he answered.
“Yes.””
“Are you my biological father?””
His voice cracked.
“Yes, Claire. I am.””
I sat down.
For several seconds, I couldn't you my biological father?””
His voice cracked.
“Yes, Claire. I am.””
I sat down.
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Then I asked the only question that mattered.
“Why didn't you come back?””
He exhaled.
“Because I was speak.
Then I asked the only question that mattered.
“Why didn't you come back?””
He exhaled.
“Because I was told you were dead.””
My mother began crying.
I looked at her.
“What?””
Samuel continued.
“Twenty-six years told you were dead.””
My mother began crying.
I looked at her.
“What?””
Samuel continued.
“Twenty-six years ago, I received a letter saying you had died shortly after birth. It contained a hospital certificate and a statement from your mother.””
I shook my head.
“That's impossible.””
“I ago, I received a letter saying you had died shortly after birth. It contained a hospital certificate and a statement from your mother.””
I shook my head.
“That's impossible.””
“I thought so too. I contacted Margaret. She investigated and discovered the certificate was false.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“ thought so too. I contacted Margaret. She investigated and discovered the certificate was false.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“Then why didn't you find me?””
“Because by the time I learned the truth, your grandmother told me someone had threatenedThen why didn't you find me?””
“Because by the time I learned the truth, your grandmother told me someone had threatened your life if I approached you.””
I looked at my father.
He had gone completely still.
Samuel continued.
“I spent your life if I approached you.””
I looked at my father.
He had gone completely still.
Samuel continued.
“I spent years trying to understand what happened. I eventually discovered that someone had altered your medical records to establish a false genetic history.””
“Who years trying to understand what happened. I eventually discovered that someone had altered your medical records to establish a false genetic history.””
“Who?””
“I don't know for certain.””
“Do you know Eric?””
A long pause.
“Yes?””
“I don't know for certain.””
“Do you know Eric?””
A long pause.
“Yes.””
My stomach dropped.
“How?””
“He approached me last year.””
“What did he want?””
Samuel's voice became colder.
“He wanted me to sign a statement confirming that your biological history made.””
My stomach dropped.
“How?””
“He approached me last year.””
“What did he want?””
Samuel's voice became colder.
“He wanted me to sign a statement confirming that your biological history made you ineligible to inherit certain assets.””
I stared at the floor.
“Did you sign?””
“Of course not.””
“ you ineligible to inherit certain assets.””
I stared at the floor.
“Did you sign?””
“Of course not.””
“Did he threaten you?””
“He offered me money first. Then he threatened to expose an old medical investigation.””
I closedDid he threaten you?””
“He offered me money first. Then he threatened to expose an old medical investigation.””
I closed my eyes.
“Can you prove what happened?””
“Yes.””
I looked at Richard, who had been listening beside me.
Samuel my eyes.
“Can you prove what happened?””
“Yes.””
I looked at Richard, who had been listening beside me.
Samuel continued.
“I have the original medical report. The one your grandmother fought to preserve.””
My breath caught.
“Where?””
“Safe continued.
“I have the original medical report. The one your grandmother fought to preserve.””
My breath caught.
“Where?””
“Safe.””
“Can I see it?””
“Tomorrow morning. But Claire, there's something else.””
“What?””
“I believe the.””
“Can I see it?””
“Tomorrow morning. But Claire, there's something else.””
“What?””
“I believe the person who altered your records is still connected to the hospital.””
My blood ran cold.
“Who?””
He lowered his voice.
“ person who altered your records is still connected to the hospital.””
My blood ran cold.
“Who?””
He lowered his voice.
“Your husband's business partner.””
The call ended.
I stared at the screen.
Richard slowly closed his notebook.
“Claire, we need to findYour husband's business partner.””
The call ended.
I stared at the screen.
Richard slowly closed his notebook.
“Claire, we need to find out who this business partner is.””
I looked at my father.
He was staring at the floor.
Then he whispered out who this business partner is.””
I looked at my father.
He was staring at the floor.
Then he whispered a name.
“Peter Lawson.””
I turned.
“Who is Peter Lawson?””
My father a name.
“Peter Lawson.””
I turned.
“Who is Peter Lawson?””
My father looked up.
“He was your grandmother's accountant.””
Richard's face changed.
“And he is currently the financial director of Eric's looked up.
“He was your grandmother's accountant.””
Richard's face changed.
“And he is currently the financial director of Eric's company.””
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then my phone buzzed again.
A message from Eric.
*You have no company.””
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then my phone buzzed again.
A message from Eric.
You have no idea what Samuel is hiding. Ask him why he disappeared the night your grandmother died.
I read it twice.
Then another message arrived.
And ask him who signed your original birth certificate.
I looked at my mother.
idea what Samuel is hiding. Ask him why he disappeared the night your grandmother died.*
I read it twice.
Then another message arrived.
And ask him who signed your original birth certificate.
I looked at my mother.
Her face had become completely white.
Because she already knew the answer.
And she knew that whateverHer face had become completely white.
May you like
Because she already knew the answer.
And she knew that whatever happened next would destroy the last version of our family we had been trying to protect.
