Chapter 9: The Child They Wanted
Nobody moved.
Eleanor’s words stayed in the air.
He had another reason for wanting your child.
I felt my stomach twist.
Lily was not just a secret.
Not just a mistake.
Not just a battle between adults.
Someone had wanted her.
For something.
Nathan stepped between Eleanor and me.
“Explain.””
Eleanor looked at him.
“Your father discovered something about Lily before she was born.””
“What?””
She hesitated.
Then opened one of the old files.
Inside was a medical report.
Nathan took it.
His eyes scanned the page.
“What is this?””
Eleanor answered quietly.
“Your family has a rare genetic condition.””
I frowned.
“What does that have to do with Lily?””
“Everything.””
She looked at my daughter.
“Richard believed Lily could prove something.””
Nathan looked angry.
“She’s a child.””
“I know.””
“Then why did he care?””
Eleanor swallowed.
“Because he was obsessed with legacy.””
I looked at the report.
“This is why he wanted her?””
Eleanor nodded.
“He believed Lily was the future of the Cole bloodline.””
The words made me sick.
“She’s not an experiment.””
“No,” Eleanor said.
“She never was.””
For the first time, I believed the sadness in her voice.
But it didn’t erase what happened.
“You still helped him.””
Eleanor closed her eyes.
“Yes.””
Nathan looked at her.
“How?””
She sat down slowly.
“Your father discovered my plans to expose him.””
“What plans?””
“To leave him.””
The confession surprised Nathan.
“I was going to take you and disappear when you were older.””
She looked at her son.
“But Richard found out.””
Her voice became quieter.
“He threatened to destroy everyone I loved.””
Nathan shook his head.
“So you worked with him.””
“I pretended to.””
The room went silent.
Eleanor continued.
“I helped create the separation plan because I was looking for a way to protect Grace and Lily.””
I stared at her.
“But you never found one.””
“No.””
A tear rolled down her cheek.
“Because Richard always stayed three steps ahead.””
Nathan looked at the files.
“Then why fake your death?””
“Because it was the only way I could gather evidence against him.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Do you have proof?””
Eleanor nodded.
“Yes.””
She walked toward the cabinet.
Behind several folders was another hidden compartment.
Inside was a small drive.
“This contains everything.””
Nathan took it.
“What’s on it?””
“Bank records. Conversations. Names.””
She looked at me.
“Proof that Victoria’s family, Richard, and several others were involved.””
Nathan stared at the drive.
“Why wait until now?””
Eleanor looked at Lily.
“Because I needed Richard to reveal himself.””
A sudden noise came from upstairs.
Everyone froze.
A crash.
Then another.
Nathan grabbed the flashlight.
“Stay here.””
I immediately shook my head.
“No.””
He looked at me.
“Grace.””
“I’m not hiding while someone comes after my daughter.””
We followed him upstairs.
The mansion was dark again.
But this time, we knew it wasn’t an accident.
Someone was inside.
Nathan moved carefully through the hallway.
Then we saw the open front door.
Wind pushed rain inside.
On the floor was an envelope.
Nathan picked it up.
His face changed as he read it.
“What?””
He handed it to me.
Inside was a photograph.
Not of Lily.
Not of me.
Of Nathan.
Taken when he was a child.
On the back, someone had written a message.
Your father wasn’t the only one who lied.
Below it was another line.
Ask your mother why she really abandoned you.
I looked at Eleanor.
She went completely still.
Nathan noticed.
“Mom?””
She didn’t answer.
“Mom, what does this mean?””
Eleanor looked toward the open door.
Then whispered:
“Because Richard wasn’t the only person who knew how to disappear.””
A car engine started outside.
We rushed to the window.
A black vehicle was leaving the driveway.
Nathan grabbed his phone.
“Security!””
But the car was already gone.
Then Daniel looked down at the floor.
There was one more thing inside the envelope.
A birth certificate.
Not Lily’s.
Nathan’s.
May you like
And beside his name was a handwritten note.
*Nathan Cole was never Richard Cole’s son.*
