Chapter 11: The Promise I Made to Edward
I didn't sleep that night.
At sunrise, I sat at Edward's kitchen table with the original adoption documents spread before me.
Nathan stood opposite me.
"Mom, I need the truth.""
I looked at the papers.
Twenty-nine years earlier, Edward and I had been unable to have children. We had spent years visiting specialists, enduring disappointment, and trying to accept that our family might always consist of just the two of us.
Then Edward received a phone call from a woman named Eleanor.
She was desperate.
She had given birth to a baby boy and was unable to raise him. The child's father had disappeared, and her family was involved in a bitter inheritance dispute.
Edward had known Eleanor's father through the vineyard business.
He arranged a meeting.
And six months later, Nathan became our son.
But there was something I had never told Nathan.
Before the adoption was finalized, Edward had asked me to sign a confidential agreement.
It stated that we would never pursue Eleanor's family inheritance on Nathan's behalf unless Nathan independently discovered his biological identity after turning twenty-one.
Edward wanted Nathan to grow up as our son.
Not as the heir to someone else's fortune.
I had agreed.
I had loved that little boy from the moment I held him.
And I had kept the promise.
Nathan listened without interrupting.
When I finished, he looked down at the documents.
"So Dad knew I had a separate inheritance.""
"Yes.""
"And he never told me.""
"He wanted you to have a normal childhood.""
Nathan shook his head.
"Nothing about this feels normal anymore.""
I reached for his hand.
"Your father made mistakes. But he never questioned that you were his son.""
Nathan looked away.
Then the doorbell rang.
I opened the door to find a woman standing on the porch.
She wore a long beige coat and dark sunglasses.
Her hair was silver, and she leaned slightly on a walking stick.
But I recognized her immediately.
"Vivian?""
She removed her sunglasses.
"Hello, Corinthia.""
I pulled her into my arms.
She felt thinner than I remembered, and her hands trembled.
Nathan appeared behind me.
"Aunt Vivian?""
She nodded.
"Hello, sweetheart.""
Nathan stared at her.
"But we buried you.""
Vivian gave a sad smile.
"Not me.""
We brought her into the study.
She sat in Edward's chair and looked around the room.
"He always kept everything exactly where he left it.""
I placed a cup of tea before her.
"Tell us what happened.""
Vivian took a deep breath.
"Daniel approached me shortly after Edward began investigating the missing money. He said he wanted to help recover the assets.""
"Why did you trust him?"" Nathan asked.
"Because he showed me documents bearing Edward's signature.""
She opened her handbag and removed a small envelope.
"Then he asked me to sign something. He claimed it was a temporary authorization to protect the vineyard.""
I frowned.
"And you signed?""
"I did. Two days later, I discovered the authorization transferred control of the property to a company I had never heard of.""
"HB Heritage Holdings," I whispered.
Vivian nodded.
"I confronted Daniel. He threatened me. He said if I went to the police, he would expose confidential family records and make it appear that I had stolen the money.""
She removed a photograph from the envelope.
It showed Daniel standing outside a hospital.
Beside him was a doctor.
The photograph was dated three weeks before Vivian's supposed death.
"He arranged my disappearance," she said.
"I escaped with help from an old family friend.""
Nathan leaned forward.
"Why didn't you contact us?""
"Because Daniel had someone watching the house. And I believed Michael was involved.""
I stiffened.
"Michael?""
Vivian nodded.
"Your attorney knew about the first fraudulent transfer. But I don't believe he knew Daniel was planning to poison Edward.""
I felt sick.
"Why do you think Edward was poisoned?""
Vivian looked at me.
"Because I found the medical report.""
She opened another envelope.
Inside was a hospital laboratory report dated two days before Edward died.
The report contained an unusual finding involving a substance that could cause cardiac complications.
Nathan read it.
"Was Dad poisoned?""
Vivian nodded slowly.
"Edward suspected someone was tampering with his medication. He asked me to help him collect evidence.""
I covered my mouth.
"Who had access to his medication?""
Vivian hesitated.
Then she looked at Nathan.
"Three people.""
"Who?""
"Me. Michael. And the person who prepared Edward's evening medication.""
I remembered those final months.
Edward had become too weak to manage his pills. Someone had volunteered to organize them every evening.
Someone who had insisted on helping because she wanted to be part of the family.
I whispered the name.
"Harlow.""
Vivian nodded.
Nathan stood abruptly.
"No. She wouldn't.""
Vivian reached into her handbag and removed a final document.
"This was found in Edward's private medical file.""
I looked at the signature.
It belonged to the doctor who had treated Edward during his final week.
But beneath it was another name.
A witness to the medication schedule.
*Nathan Bellmont.*
My son stared at the paper.
"I never signed this.""
Vivian nodded.
"That's what Edward told me.""
Then she handed me a small audio recorder.
"Your husband recorded the person who changed the medication.""
I pressed play.
Edward's weak voice filled the room.
"Corinthia, if you're hearing this, I've run out of time. The person responsible is not Daniel. It's someone much closer.""
A second voice appeared.
A woman's voice.
And when I recognized it, the recorder slipped from my fingers.
It was Harlow.
May you like
But her next words were even more horrifying.
"Edward, you should have given us the money when we asked.""
