Chapter 8: The Call
“Answer it.””
Peter hesitated.
“Claire—”
“Answer it.””
Michael moved beside the desk.
“Put it on speaker.””
Peter pressed the button.
“Hello, Diane.””
For several seconds, nothing came through but breathing.
Then Diane spoke.
“You’re making a mistake, Peter.””
Michael’s jaw tightened.
Peter kept his voice calm.
“What mistake?””
“Telling them things that don’t concern them.””
I stepped closer.
“How do you know we’re here?””
Silence.
Then Diane laughed softly.
“Hello, Claire.””
A chill went down my spine.
Michael leaned toward the phone.
“Mom, where are you?””
“Michael.””
“Where are you?””
“You should go home to your children.””
“Answer me.””
“You’ve had an emotional evening.””
“You assaulted Lily.””
“I lost my temper.””
“You framed her.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“By calling my daughter a thief?””
“She isn’t your daughter.””
Michael went completely still.
I saw rage enter his face.
Then he spoke with frightening calm.
“Say that again.””
Diane seemed to realize she had stepped too far.
“I mean legally.””
“No. You didn’t.””
“Michael—”
“You knew.””
Silence.
“You knew about Ethan before Claire and I ever met again.””
Another silence.
Peter glanced at me.
I could hear my own heartbeat.
Finally, Diane said, “I knew enough.””
“How?””
“That doesn’t matter.””
“It matters to me.””
“You were young.””
“I was twenty-six.””
“You made a mistake.””
Michael stared at the phone.
“What mistake?””
“You slept with a married woman.””
I closed my eyes.
“I was separated,” I said.
Diane ignored me.
Michael’s hand curled into a fist.
“How did you find out?””
“You called me the next morning.””
He frowned.
“No, I didn’t.””
“Yes, you did.””
His face changed.
A memory.
“I called Dad.””
Diane laughed bitterly.
“Your father was in the shower. I answered.””
Michael stared at the floor.
“You told me you’d met someone.””
“That doesn’t explain how you found Claire.””
“You mentioned the conference. The hotel. Her first name. Where she worked.””
My stomach turned.
“You investigated me?””
“I was worried about my son.””
“You stalked me.””
“Don’t be dramatic.””
Peter spoke.
“And David?””
Diane went silent.
Peter repeated, “How did you contact David?””
“Stay out of this.””
“You blackmailed my client.””
“I made an arrangement.””
“You threatened his family.””
“He was raising my grandson while keeping Michael ignorant.””
Michael slammed his palm against the desk.
“You didn’t know Ethan was mine!””
“I knew the dates.””
“You forged a paternity test.””
No answer.
That silence told us enough.
I leaned toward the phone.
“You made David believe Michael was Ethan’s father.””
“He deserved to know.””
“You demanded seventy-five thousand dollars.””
“He offered it.””
Peter shook his head.
“That’s false.””
Diane’s voice sharpened.
“You weren’t there.””
“I have the emails.””
Another silence.
Then Diane said, “Those documents are confidential.””
Michael looked at Peter.
There it was.
Confirmation.
She knew exactly what was in the file.
I spoke slowly.
“Why did David pay you?””
Diane’s answer came immediately.
“Because he was afraid.””
“Of losing Ethan?””
“Of losing everything.””
“What does that mean?””
“You should ask Peter.””
Peter’s face changed.
I turned toward him.
“What is she talking about?””
He shook his head.
“Diane, stop.””
She laughed.
“Oh, now you’re worried?””
“Stop.””
“Tell Claire why David was really driving that morning.””
The blood drained from Peter’s face.
My voice disappeared.
“What?””
Peter reached toward the phone.
Michael stopped him.
“Mom, what are you saying?””
“I’m saying Claire has spent six years believing her husband died on his way to work.””
My legs weakened.
“He did.””
“No,” Diane said.
The room seemed to contract.
“He was coming to see me.””
I grabbed the edge of the desk.
“You’re lying.””
“Ask Peter.””
I looked at him.
Peter couldn’t meet my eyes.
“Peter?””
His silence destroyed me.
“Why was David going to see her?””
Peter swallowed.
“He had received another message.””
“What message?””
Diane answered for him.
“He was going to make sure I never spoke about Ethan again.””
Michael’s face hardened.
“Did you cause the accident?””
Even Diane sounded shocked.
“No.””
“Did you?””
“No! Absolutely not.””
“Then why hide this?””
“Because after David died, there was nothing left to discuss.””
“There was Ethan.””
“There was always Ethan.””
The way she said it made my skin crawl.
Not lovingly.
Possessively.
I suddenly understood.
“This was never about me.””
Diane said nothing.
“The money. The documents. Lily’s backpack. You wanted Michael to turn against us.””
“He deserves his own son.””
“He already has one!””
“Not while you control everything.””
Michael whispered, “Mom…”
I leaned closer to the phone.
“You wanted Lily gone.””
Diane’s breathing changed.
“She isn’t Michael’s.””
There it was.
The cruelty beneath everything.
Michael closed his eyes.
“You framed Lily because you thought if Claire and Lily left, Ethan might stay with me.””
Diane said nothing.
Michael’s eyes opened.
“You were trying to split my family apart.””
“I was trying to correct a mistake.””
My hand shook with rage.
“My daughter is not a mistake.””
“I didn’t say she was.””
“You dragged her by the hair!””
“She wasn’t supposed to fight me.””
Michael reached for the phone.
“We’re done.””
“Michael, wait.””
“No.””
“There’s something you need to know about the trust.””
He stopped.
“What?””
Diane’s voice lowered.
“The money isn’t gone.””
I stared at the phone.
“What?””
“I moved it.””
“You stole it.””
“I protected it.””
“Where is it?””
“Somewhere Claire can’t touch it.””
Michael shouted, “Where?””
Diane laughed softly.
“Ask Christopher.””
The call ended.
Michael immediately dialed his brother.
No answer.
Again.
Voicemail.
I called Rachel.
She answered on the first ring.
“Claire?””
“Are the kids okay?””
“Yes. Why?””
“Is Christopher there?””
“No.””
“Has anyone come to the house?””
Rachel went quiet.
Then she said, “Wait.””
“What?””
“There’s a car outside.””
My heart stopped.
“What car?””
“I can’t see the driver.””
“Lock the doors.””
“They’re already locked.””
“Get away from the windows.””
Michael was already grabbing his coat.
Then Rachel gasped.
“Claire.””
“What?””
“The driver just got out.””
“Who is it?””
May you like
A pause.
“It’s Christopher.””
