Chapter 4 - Mark’s Bargain
Mark was Daniel’s older brother.
At least that was what everyone had always believed.
They were eighteen months apart.
Mark had spent most of his life acting like the responsible one.
Daniel was emotional.
Mark was practical.
Daniel worked with his hands.
Mark managed accounts.
Daniel forgave too easily.
Mark remembered everything.
When Daniel confronted him that evening, Mark didn’t deny the letter.
He simply poured himself a whiskey.
“So Mom finally told you.”
“You knew?”
“For six months.”
“How?”
Mark gave him a tired smile.
“Because Samuel Reed’s estate contacted me.”
Daniel froze.
“Why you?”
“They thought I might be Samuel’s son.”
Daniel stared at him.
“Are you?”
“No.”
The word came too quickly.
Daniel noticed.
“You took a test.”
Mark’s jaw tightened.
“Answer me.”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“No match.”
Daniel felt sick.
Mark continued.
“Then they asked about you.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because by then I knew what was at stake.”
Mark opened a desk drawer.
Inside was a folder from Reed Family Holdings.
Daniel began reading.
Samuel’s estate included land, commercial property, and shares in several construction companies.
A portion remained unresolved because Samuel had apparently told his attorneys there was another biological child.
That child had never been legally identified.
Until now.
If Daniel established paternity, he could claim a beneficiary interest potentially worth millions.
But Mark’s concern wasn’t only the money.
Mark had spent the previous ten years managing several properties jointly owned by Margaret.
Some of them, according to the documents, had originally been purchased with money Samuel secretly gave her.
If Daniel became recognized as Samuel’s son, lawyers might inspect decades of transactions.
And Mark had reasons to fear inspection.
“You stole from her?”
Daniel asked.
Mark’s eyes hardened.
“I managed family assets.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“Mom told me the money was hers.”
“Was it?”
Mark finished his drink.
“That depends which attorney you ask.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“You let her torture Claire and Lily because you were protecting money?”
“I never told her to chain a child outside.”
“No.”
Daniel’s voice rose.
“You just helped keep the lie alive.”
Mark slammed his glass down.
“You think this is about one stupid birthday party?”
Daniel’s fist clenched.
Mark pointed toward him.
“If the Reed estate opens our records, Mom could lose the house.”
“So?”
“My company could collapse.”
“So?”
“Jessica could lose everything.”
Daniel stared at him.
“And Lily was supposed to lose her father instead?”
Mark’s expression changed.
For half a second, something like guilt appeared.
Then it vanished.
“You don’t understand.”
“I understand enough.”
Daniel turned to leave.
Mark spoke behind him.
“Claire already knows more than you think.”
Daniel stopped.
“What does that mean?”
“Ask your wife why she ordered the DNA test through Pierce Genetics instead of any other lab.”
Daniel turned slowly.
“What are you talking about?”
Mark smiled without warmth.
“That laboratory has been retained by the Reed estate for years.”
Daniel’s chest tightened.
“You think that was an accident?”
When Daniel returned to my house, his expression was different.
Not angry.
Wounded.
He held the report in his hand.
“Claire.”
I knew immediately.
“What did Mark tell you?”
“That you knew Pierce Genetics worked with the Reed family.”
I didn’t deny it.
Daniel stared at me.
“How long have you known about Samuel Reed?”
I looked toward Lily’s bedroom.
Then back at my husband.
“Three weeks.”
Daniel’s face went still.
“Three weeks?”
“Yes.”
“You knew my father wasn’t Richard.”
“No.”
“But you suspected.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
I opened the hall closet.
Behind a stack of winter blankets was a small metal box.
I placed it on the table.
Inside were documents Daniel had never seen.
The first one was addressed to me.
The return address belonged to Samuel Reed’s attorney.
Daniel looked up.
“Why would his lawyer write to you?”
“Because Samuel didn’t leave the final proof with your mother.”
May you like
I slid the next document toward him.
“He left it with mine.”
