Chapter 4 - THE FIRST CHOICE
I waited until Margaret left before confronting Ethan.
“You knew?”
“I knew something was wrong.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
Ethan rubbed both hands over his face.
“I found a letter your grandmother sent to you.”
“What letter?”
“One your mother intercepted years ago.”
I felt as if the room tilted.
Ethan explained that while helping me clean out old boxes from my parents’ storage unit, he had found an unopened envelope addressed to me.
Inside was a note from Grandma Eleanor telling me to contact Margaret Shaw if I ever became pregnant.
“You read my private letter?”
“I did.”
I stared at him.
He didn’t defend himself.
“I should’ve told you immediately.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because three days later, your father contacted me.”
My heartbeat increased.
“What did he want?”
Ethan looked away.
“He wanted to talk about the company.”
Before he could explain further, Margaret returned with urgent news.
Someone had attempted to move money from one of the trust-controlled accounts.
The transfer had been blocked.
But another attempt could succeed.
“There’s only one way to stop it quickly.”
Margaret looked directly at me.
“You petition the court for an emergency freeze on all trust transactions.”
I understood the consequence immediately.
Mercer Development used some of those accounts as collateral.
Freezing them could disrupt payroll, contracts, even construction projects.
My father would blame me for everything.
Lauren would say I had finally proven her right.
Margaret didn’t soften it.
“This decision could hurt innocent employees temporarily.”
Ethan took my hand.
“It could also stop whoever is stealing.”
I thought about my daughter’s heartbeat.
Then I thought about the unknown drug in my blood.
“Do it.”
Margaret filed the petition that afternoon.
By six o’clock, the freeze had been granted.
By six fifteen, my father called me.
I didn’t answer.
He left a voicemail.
“You have no idea what you’ve done.”
Ten minutes later, Lauren called from county jail.
I rejected that call too.
Then my mother sent one text.
YOU ARE DESTROYING THIS FAMILY.
I looked at the words for a long time.
Then I blocked her.
For the first time in my life, I had chosen myself over keeping peace.
It felt terrifying.
It also felt clean.
Until Ethan’s phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
My father’s name appeared.
Ethan immediately declined the call.
I stared at him.
“Why is my father calling you?”
May you like
Ethan’s silence answered before his mouth did.
This wasn’t their first conversation.
