Chapter 4: The Father
Grace stared at Richard.
The ballroom seemed to tilt beneath her feet.
“No.””
The word came out barely louder than a breath.
Richard finally looked at her.
His face had lost all color.
Evelyn stood near the doors, one hand gripping the back of a chair.
Grace shook her head.
“You're lying.””
Evelyn swallowed.
“I wish I were.””
Grace looked at the screen again.
Her name.
Richard’s name.
The percentage.
Her hands began to tremble.
Richard took a step toward her.
“Grace…”
“Don't.””
He stopped.
“You don't get to say my name.””
“I didn't know.””
Grace laughed once, but there was no humor in it.
“You didn't know?””
Richard looked toward Daniel.
“How did you get that test?””
Daniel answered calmly.
“Your daughter’s mother ordered it before she died.””
Richard flinched.
“Why?””
“Because she wanted Grace to know the truth if anything happened to her.””
Grace turned to Daniel.
“Then why didn't she tell me?””
Daniel hesitated.
“Because she was afraid.””
“Of him?””
Daniel looked at Richard.
“Of both of them.””
Grace's eyes moved to Evelyn.
“What did she have to be afraid of?””
Evelyn slowly lowered herself into a chair.
Her confidence was gone.
“You need to hear the whole story.””
Grace stared at her.
“Start with why you knew my mother.””
Evelyn looked at Richard.
He gave the smallest shake of his head.
But Evelyn continued.
“Her name was Anna Miller.””
Grace closed her eyes.
Hearing her mother's name in Evelyn's mouth felt wrong.
“She worked for my family,” Evelyn said.
“Long before this ballroom. Long before Richard had money.””
Richard’s voice was quiet.
“Evelyn.””
She ignored him.
“Your mother was twenty-seven. Richard was thirty-three. They were together.””
Grace stared at Richard.
“You were with my mother?””
Richard nodded.
“For a while.””
“How long?””
He looked down.
“Almost a year.””
Grace’s voice hardened.
“And then?””
Richard rubbed his forehead.
“Then I met Evelyn.””
Evelyn's eyes flashed.
“You didn't just meet me.””
Richard said nothing.
Grace looked between them.
“What happened?””
Evelyn's jaw tightened.
“Your mother became pregnant.””
Silence.
Grace felt the air leave her lungs.
“You knew?””
Evelyn nodded.
“Yes.””
“Did Richard know?””
“He knew.””
Richard whispered, “I wanted to marry her.””
Grace turned toward him.
“Then why didn't you?””
Evelyn stood abruptly.
“Because I made sure you couldn't.””
Richard looked at her.
“Enough.””
“No.”” Evelyn’s voice cracked.
“She deserves to know.””
Grace stepped forward.
“What did you do?””
Evelyn’s eyes filled with something that looked almost like regret.
“I told Richard that Anna had been seeing another man.””
Richard closed his eyes.
“I believed her.””
Grace stared at him.
“You believed her?””
“I was young.””
“You were thirty-three.””
He had no answer.
Evelyn continued.
“I showed him letters.””
“What letters?””
“Letters I forged.””
Grace’s mouth fell open.
“You destroyed my family with fake letters?””
Evelyn looked away.
“I thought I was protecting my future.””
Richard's face hardened.
“You told me Anna wanted money.””
“I had to make you hate her.””
“And when Anna had me?””
Evelyn's eyes dropped.
“She left town.””
Grace whispered, “She didn't leave because she wanted to.””
“No.””
“Why?””
Evelyn didn't answer.
Daniel stepped forward.
“Because she was threatened.””
Grace turned.
“By whom?””
Daniel looked at Evelyn.
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“By me.””
Grace stared at her.
“You threatened my mother?””
“I told her that if she stayed, Richard would lose everything.””
“You were never going to let him know I existed.””
“No.””
Richard looked at Evelyn with disgust.
“You knew?””
Evelyn nodded.
“I knew she had a daughter.””
Richard’s voice broke.
“How long?””
“Twenty-six years.””
The number seemed to crush him.
Grace looked at the man who had hosted this extravagant reception, the man who had spent decades believing himself a powerful businessman.
He had been her father all along.
And he hadn't even known she existed.
“You had twenty-six years,” Grace said.
Richard's eyes filled with tears.
“I know.””
“You could have been there.””
“I know.””
“You could have watched me grow up.””
“I know.””
Grace stepped back.
“But you weren't.””
Richard lowered his head.
“No.””
A sharp electronic tone sounded.
Everyone turned toward the projector.
The image changed.
Another document appeared.
Daniel's expression became grim.
Grace looked at him.
“What is that?””
“A second DNA report.””
Richard stared at the screen.
Daniel said, “This one was performed last month.””
Grace frowned.
“Last month?””
Daniel nodded.
“Your mother suspected there was another secret.””
The screen displayed a genetic comparison.
Richard.
Grace.
And a third unidentified sample.
Grace's heart began pounding.
“What does that mean?””
Daniel didn't answer.
Evelyn did.
“It means Richard isn't the only person who could be your father.””
Richard slowly looked at her.
“What did you just say?””
Evelyn pointed toward the screen.
“Look at the third sample.””
Grace stared.
The result loaded.
*PATERNITY EXCLUSION: RICHARD HART — 0%.*
The ballroom exploded into whispers.
Richard stumbled backward.
Grace couldn't move.
Daniel looked at the screen.
Then toward the ballroom entrance.
“The third sample came from someone in this room.””
May you like
Every guest went silent.
And then the ballroom doors locked with a heavy metallic click.
