Chapter 5 - THE GUEST AT THE GATE
Anna did not go directly to the Bennett mansion.
She went to the mountain first.
The damaged guardrail had been replaced.
The trees had grown back.
But when Anna stepped from the car, her knees almost failed.
Rain began to fall lightly.
Her driver opened an umbrella.
She waved him away.
She needed to feel it.
She walked toward the edge of the road.
A memory struck without warning.
Lily singing in the back seat.
Claire laughing.
A warning light appearing on the dashboard.
The brake pedal sinking uselessly beneath her foot.
Her own scream.
Then Rebecca’s voice from earlier that day.
Drive carefully.
Another memory followed.
Rebecca hugging her in the kitchen.
Rebecca asking when Grant would be home.
Rebecca borrowing Claire’s spare garage key.
Anna stumbled backward.
Her attorney, Michael Torres, caught her.
“What did you remember?”
Anna looked at the ravine.
“The brakes.”
“Someone touched the brakes.”
Michael’s expression changed.
“Rebecca?”
“I think so.”
“We need proof.”
Anna nodded.
“And I need to see my daughter.”
The opportunity came sooner than expected.
The Mercer Foundation owned seven percent of Bennett Global through Henry Mercer’s investment portfolio.
Grant had never met its new chairwoman.
Anna requested an emergency strategy meeting.
Grant accepted.
The next afternoon, Anna entered Bennett Global headquarters.
Grant was already inside the conference room.
The moment he saw her, something in his face changed.
Anna stopped too.
Neither understood why.
Grant stood.
“Ms. Mercer.”
“Mr. Bennett.”
They shook hands.
His hand felt familiar.
Painfully familiar.
Grant stared into her eyes a second too long.
“Have we met?”
Anna’s heart pounded.
“I don’t believe so.”
Rebecca entered behind him.
The color disappeared from her face.
Anna saw it.
Rebecca’s folder slipped from her fingers.
Papers scattered across the floor.
Grant turned.
“Rebecca?”
“I’m fine.”
Rebecca looked at Anna again.
Her pupils widened.
Anna remained perfectly still.
They had never met as Anna Mercer.
Yet Rebecca looked terrified.
That was confirmation enough.
During the meeting, Rebecca barely spoke.
Anna deliberately used her left hand to turn a page.
A thin crescent-shaped scar showed beneath her wrist.
Rebecca stared at it.
Anna remembered another flash.
Rebecca gripping that wrist during an argument.
“You think because Grant chose you, everyone else has to disappear?”
Anna almost lost her breath.
Grant noticed.
“Ms. Mercer?”
“I’m fine.”
Rebecca stood suddenly.
“Excuse me.”
She rushed from the room.
Anna watched her leave.
Grant frowned.
“I’ve never seen her react to someone that way.”
Anna closed the folder.
“Perhaps I remind her of someone.”
Grant looked at her.
“Who?”
Anna met his eyes.
“Your wife.”
Grant stopped breathing.
Neither of them noticed Rebecca standing outside the conference room.
May you like
She had heard every word.
And she was already dialing the contact marked A.
