Chapter 19 - THE LAST SECRET
Lucas did not defend himself.
That terrified Claire.
Rebecca tossed the flash drive to Mason.
“Play it.”
Henry Sterling appeared on the terminal laptop.
The corrupted portion had been restored.
His voice was weak.
“If Claire is seeing this, Lucas has probably already shown her the contingency document.”
Claire looked at her husband.
Henry continued.
“Lucas created it at my request.”
Claire’s anger paused.
“At your request.”
Henry seemed to answer from the grave.
“The title was intentionally alarming.”
“I needed anyone secretly monitoring Lucas’s office to believe we had discovered a method of dissolving the child’s trust.”
Claire slowly understood.
Bait.
Lucas had created false documents to draw out whoever was spying on them.
“You knew there was surveillance.”
Claire whispered.
Lucas nodded.
“I suspected it.”
“And you still didn’t tell me.”
“I was going to.”
“When.”
“After the gala.”
Claire laughed bitterly.
“I fell down a staircase before dessert.”
Lucas looked destroyed.
“I know.”
Henry’s recording continued.
“If the document triggers action, the person responsible will expose themselves.”
“Lucas, your mistake will be believing you can control what happens next.”
Claire looked at Lucas.
Even Henry had predicted his son’s secrecy.
Henry’s final words were for her.
“Claire, if my son has hidden this from you, make him earn your trust again.”
“Do not give it back simply because he loves you.”
The screen went dark.
Nobody spoke.
Then Rebecca stepped forward.
“I never wanted your baby hurt.”
Claire looked at her.
“You broke into my doctor’s office.”
“I wanted proof Helena was fabricating the DNA test.”
“You forged messages in my name.”
Nathan interrupted.
“I did.”
Lucas stared at him.
“You framed my wife.”
“I needed the investigators to freeze the trust challenge long enough for the forged signatures to be examined.”
“You could have told us.”
Nathan laughed.
“Would the Sterlings have listened.”
Lucas moved toward him.
Claire caught his arm.
“No.”
Nathan’s anger faded.
Rebecca looked at Claire.
“We became exactly like them.”
That admission surprised her.
“We told ourselves every lie was justified because the truth mattered more.”
Claire answered quietly.
“That’s what Helena told herself too.”
Rebecca lowered her eyes.
Police stepped forward.
Nathan surrendered.
Rebecca did too.
There would be no heroic escape.
No easy forgiveness.
Mason placed them in separate vehicles.
Claire stood beside the harbor.
Lucas approached carefully.
“I’m sorry.”
She looked at him.
“I believe you.”
Hope flickered in his eyes.
Claire continued.
“That doesn’t mean everything goes back to normal.”
“I know.”
“You lied because you thought protecting me gave you the right to decide what I could handle.”
“I know.”
“If we stay married, that ends today.”
Lucas nodded.
“No more secrets.”
“No secret plans.”
“No protecting the family name.”
He removed something from his pocket.
A key.
“What is that.”
“The executive vault at Sterling Global.”
“What’s inside.”
“Everything.”
Claire almost smiled.
“That sounds dramatic.”
“My family is dramatic.”
For the first time in days, she laughed.
Then her expression changed.
Pain tightened across her abdomen.
Lucas caught her.
“Claire.”
She breathed slowly.
Another contraction came.
Mason ran toward them.
“How far apart.”
Claire looked at the clock.
May you like
Then at Lucas.
“Apparently our daughter is tired of waiting for the board meeting.”
