Chapter 5: The Second Name
The sound of the locks sliding into place seemed louder than the screaming that followed.
Several guests rushed toward the doors.
“They're locked!””
“What's happening?””
“Richard, open these doors!””
Richard didn't move.
He was staring at the projector.
At the words that had just destroyed everything he believed about Grace.
*PATERNITY EXCLUSION — RICHARD HART — 0%.*
Grace turned to Daniel.
“You said my mother ordered this.””
“Yes.””
“Then she knew Richard wasn't my father?””
“She suspected.””
“Who is?””
Daniel looked toward the guests.
“That is what the second test was designed to determine.””
Grace's breathing became shallow.
A man near the auction table suddenly stepped backward.
Daniel noticed.
So did Grace.
He was a distinguished older guest with silver-rimmed glasses and a navy tuxedo.
Grace had seen him earlier laughing with Richard.
“Who is that?””
Daniel's eyes followed hers.
“Victor Hale.””
Victor stiffened.
Richard turned.
“Victor?””
Victor raised both hands.
“Richard, I have no idea what's going on.””
Daniel walked toward him.
“You should.””
Victor's face tightened.
“Careful.””
Daniel stopped several feet away.
“You provided a DNA sample to the estate attorney six weeks ago.””
Victor stared at him.
“For what purpose?””
Daniel opened his briefcase.
“Anna Miller requested it.””
Victor went pale.
Grace looked at him.
“You knew my mother?””
Victor said nothing.
Grace stepped closer.
“Did you?””
“Yes.””
The answer was almost inaudible.
Richard's face hardened.
“How?””
Victor looked at him.
“That's complicated.””
Grace laughed bitterly.
“Everything in this room is complicated.””
Victor removed his glasses.
“Your mother worked for my father.””
Richard frowned.
“I thought she worked for the Harts.””
“She did both.””
Grace's eyes narrowed.
“Why?””
Victor looked toward Evelyn.
“Because Evelyn hired her.””
Evelyn snapped, “Don't.””
Victor continued.
“She wanted someone to keep an eye on Richard.””
Richard stared at Evelyn.
“You put Anna in my life?””
“I didn't know what would happen.””
“You knew exactly what would happen.””
Grace looked at Victor.
“And you?””
Victor hesitated.
“I fell in love with her.””
Richard's expression changed.
“No.””
Victor looked at him.
“Yes.””
Grace felt her chest tighten.
“Were you with her?””
Victor nodded.
“After she left Richard.””
Richard took a step forward.
“You knew about the pregnancy.””
Victor swallowed.
“I knew she was pregnant.””
“And you knew the child was mine.””
Victor looked at Grace.
“I thought she was.””
Grace whispered, “But you raised me?””
Victor shook his head.
“No.””
“Then who did?””
Victor looked down.
“Your mother wouldn't let me.””
“Why?””
“Because she believed anyone connected to this family would eventually hurt you.””
Grace stared at him.
“So she raised me alone.””
“Yes.””
Daniel stepped in.
“Not entirely.””
Grace turned.
“What do you mean?””
Daniel opened the leather briefcase and removed another folder.
Inside was a photograph.
Grace took it.
It showed Anna standing beside a young man.
A man Grace had never seen.
“He was your mother's husband,” Daniel said.
Grace stared at the photograph.
“That's not the man I knew as my stepfather.””
“No.””
“Who is he?””
Daniel's expression darkened.
“That's the problem.””
Richard moved closer.
“Daniel, stop playing games.””
Daniel turned toward him.
“You've spent twenty-six years believing you lost one woman.””
He placed another document on the table.
“You never realized someone else spent twenty-six years making sure she disappeared.””
Grace looked down.
There was a name printed at the top.
*THOMAS VALE.*
“Who is Thomas Vale?””
Victor answered.
“My older brother.””
The room went silent.
Richard stared at him.
“Your brother?””
Victor nodded.
“He was obsessed with Anna.””
Grace's stomach turned.
“What did he do?””
Victor looked at Daniel.
Daniel said quietly, “He arranged the forged letters. He followed Anna after she left town. He was the reason she changed her identity.””
Grace's fingers tightened around the photograph.
“And my mother never told me?””
“She was trying to protect you.””
Grace shook her head.
“From what?””
Victor looked at her.
“From the man who believed you belonged to him.””
A phone suddenly rang.
Everyone looked around.
It was coming from the black folder on the auction table.
Grace slowly approached.
The phone continued ringing.
Richard said, “Don't touch it.””
Grace stopped.
The screen lit up.
*MOM*
Grace stared.
Her mother had been dead for three years.
The phone rang again.
And again.
Daniel whispered, “That's impossible.””
Grace picked it up.
The call connected.
For three seconds, there was only static.
Then a woman's voice whispered:
“Grace… don't trust Victor.””
Grace's eyes widened.
Victor stepped backward.
“No.””
The voice continued.
“He's lying about your father.””
Then the call abruptly ended.
Grace looked at Victor.
He was shaking.
Richard demanded, “What did you hear?””
Grace slowly turned the phone around.
A new message had appeared.
*COME TO THE CELLAR ALONE.*
Underneath it was an address.
Inside the same ballroom.
Grace looked toward the floor.
Beneath the marble.
The old Hart estate had a cellar.
May you like
And someone wanted her down there.
Alone.
