Chapter 12: The Man Who Controlled Both Families
"Someone is using my identity.""
Grayson said it immediately.
But this time, I didn't know whether to believe him.
The nurse stood beside the door holding the transfer paperwork.
Martin took out his phone.
"Nobody moves this patient until the authorization is verified.""
The nurse looked alarmed.
"Sir, I have to follow the facility's instructions.""
"And I have to protect my client's legal rights.""
My father tightened his grip around my hand.
"Claire, listen to me.""
I leaned toward him.
"Yes, Dad?""
"Don't let them transfer me.""
"I won't.""
He looked toward Grayson.
"Especially not with him involved.""
Grayson stepped forward.
"Mr. Bennett, I swear I didn't authorize anything.""
My father gave a bitter laugh.
"You always did know how to sound convincing.""
Grayson stopped.
I turned toward him.
"Go outside.""
"Claire—"
"Now.""
He looked at me for several seconds.
Then he left the room.
The nurse followed Martin into the corridor to verify the transfer request.
I sat beside my father.
For the first time in seven years, we were alone.
"Dad, I need you to tell me everything.""
He closed his eyes.
"I don't have much time.""
"Don't say that.""
"Richard wanted control of the Bennett trust. Your mother helped him move the money, but she didn't understand the full arrangement.""
I listened carefully.
"He created Northbridge Holdings to conceal the transfers. When I discovered what he was doing, I confronted him.""
"What happened?""
"He offered me a deal. Give him control of the trust, and he'd make sure you and Grayson had a comfortable future.""
I shook my head.
"You refused.""
"Of course.""
My father took a shaky breath.
"Three days later, my car went off the road.""
I covered my mouth.
"Richard caused the accident?""
"I never saw him do it. But the investigation disappeared. The driver who followed me that night received money from a company connected to Richard.""
"Why didn't you contact the police?""
"Because Richard threatened you.""
My eyes filled.
"What did he say?""
"That if I contacted anyone, you would be next.""
I couldn't speak.
My father squeezed my hand.
"I thought disappearing was the only way to keep you safe.""
"And you let me believe you were dead?""
He began crying.
"I know. I know what that did to you. There isn't a day I haven't regretted it.""
I pressed his hand against my cheek.
"Why didn't you come back when you recovered?""
"Because I didn't know whom to trust.""
He looked toward the door.
"Until Martin found me.""
I frowned.
"Martin found you?""
"Three months ago. He told me the trust had been accessed again. He said Margaret and Vanessa were preparing something involving Grayson.""
My stomach tightened.
"What exactly?""
My father looked at me.
"An attempt to transfer the inheritance through a fraudulent child-beneficiary arrangement.""
I remembered the fertility agreement.
"Was the embryo arrangement real?""
He nodded.
"Richard and Margaret discussed it years ago. I thought the plan had been abandoned.""
"But Vanessa is carrying a baby.""
"Yes. And that child may have been created using genetic material stolen from a medical storage facility.""
I stared at him.
"Stolen?""
My father nodded.
"Richard had stored reproductive material before his death. But he wasn't the only person whose records were in that facility.""
"Whose else?""
My father opened his mouth.
Before he could answer, Martin returned.
"Claire, we have a problem.""
I stood.
"What happened?""
"The transfer request came from an administrator account belonging to Hale Development.""
Grayson entered behind him.
"I didn't send it.""
Martin looked at him.
"Someone inside your company did.""
Grayson pulled out his phone.
"Peter has been investigating the unauthorized payments. I'll call him.""
He dialed.
The call went straight to voicemail.
He tried again.
Nothing.
Daniel suddenly appeared in the doorway.
"Grayson, we need to talk.""
Grayson lowered his phone.
"What?""
"Peter is missing.""
My heart dropped.
"What do you mean, missing?""
Daniel held up his phone.
"He didn't show up at the office this morning. His apartment is empty, and his car was found at the airport.""
Grayson swore under his breath.
"He's running.""
"Maybe," Daniel replied.
"But there's something else.""
He handed Grayson a printed photograph.
It showed Peter standing outside a private bank in Manhattan.
Beside him was a woman wearing a dark coat.
I recognized her immediately.
Vanessa.
Grayson stared at the photograph.
"When was this taken?""
"Yesterday afternoon.""
Martin examined the image.
"Where did you get it?""
"Security footage from the bank. I had someone check after the payment records appeared.""
My father suddenly tried to sit up.
"Show me.""
Daniel handed him the photograph.
My father looked at it.
Then his face went white.
"That's not Vanessa's first meeting with Peter.""
I turned toward him.
"What do you mean?""
My father pointed at the woman.
"She worked for Richard before she ever met Grayson.""
Daniel frowned.
"She was an assistant?""
My father shook his head.
"No. She was Richard's daughter.""
Silence.
Grayson looked at Vanessa's photograph again.
"That's impossible. My father only had two sons.""
My father closed his eyes.
"Richard had another child. He kept her existence secret because her mother was involved in a criminal investigation.""
I felt the room spinning.
"Are you saying Vanessa is your father's daughter?""
My father nodded.
"Half-sister to Grayson and Daniel.""
Daniel stepped backward.
"No.""
Grayson looked as though he couldn't breathe.
"Why would she pretend to be my ex-girlfriend?""
My father answered quietly.
"Because Richard wanted her to get close to you.""
I stared at the photograph.
Suddenly, Vanessa's obsession with Grayson made sense.
So did her access to the family documents.
And her involvement in the Miami incident.
But one detail remained unexplained.
I looked at my father.
"Why did she accuse Grayson of fathering her baby if she's his half-sister?""
My father swallowed.
"Because the baby isn't hers genetically.""
I felt my blood run cold.
"What?""
He looked directly at Martin.
"Tell her about the missing embryo records.""
Martin opened his briefcase.
"There was a second embryo created using genetic material from Robert Bennett and Margaret Bennett. It was supposed to be destroyed after the original agreement was canceled.""
My father nodded.
"It wasn't destroyed.""
I looked at the report.
"Then whose child is Vanessa carrying?""
My father closed his eyes.
"The embryo was created using my genetic material and Margaret's.""
I stared at him.
My mother.
My father.
A child created years ago.
I could barely form the words.
"Then Vanessa is carrying...""
My father finished the sentence.
"Your biological sibling.""
Nobody moved.
Then my phone rang.
An unknown number.
I answered.
A man's voice spoke calmly.
"Claire Hale?""
"Who is this?""
"My name is Peter Collins. I'm Grayson's chief financial officer.""
Grayson grabbed the phone.
"Peter! Where are you?""
The man ignored him.
"Claire, I have the original Northbridge records. I also have proof that Richard Hale's death was fabricated.""
My father sat upright.
"Ask him where Richard is," he whispered.
I repeated the question.
There was a long silence.
Then Peter answered.
"He's alive.""
Grayson stumbled backward.
"That's impossible.""
Peter continued.
"And he's been living under a different identity for four years.""
I looked at my father.
He was crying.
Peter delivered his final sentence.
"Claire, your father wasn't the only person Richard wanted everyone to believe was dead.""
Then the call disconnected.
My father slowly turned toward me.
May you like
And whispered a name.
"Your mother.""
