Chapter 10 - The Name on the Certificate
The morning after Catherine’s removal, Hawthorne Estate felt like a building holding its breath.
News of the board suspension had reached every financial network. Reporters gathered outside the gates. Vale Meridian’s share price fell sharply before the company issued a statement confirming that Clara had assumed temporary executive control.
Inside the mansion, investigators sealed Victor’s study and Catherine’s former office.
Clara ignored the cameras.
Her attention remained on Lily’s birth certificate.
The certified copy Elise had left with Clara listed the child as Lily Evelyn Bennett. The father’s name section was blank.
Daniel requested the original registry record.
It arrived before noon.
The first page matched Clara’s copy.
The second page did not.
A sealed amendment had been filed three days after Lily’s birth. It requested that the father’s name be added when the child turned five.
The named father was Adrian Mercer.
Clara had never heard of him.
Margaret recognized the surname.
“Anna Mercer,” she whispered.
“The accountant in Henry’s photograph,” Clara said.
Daniel examined the amendment.
“It was witnessed by Elise and Henry’s former physician.”
“Henry had been dead for fourteen years when Lily was born.”
“The document does not claim he signed it. It refers to a private family declaration stored with the physician.”
Victor was brought into the library under supervision.
He looked smaller without the authority of the chairman’s office.
Clara placed the amended birth record before him.
“Who is Adrian Mercer?”
Victor’s eyes moved across the page.
“I don’t know.”
“You’re lying.”
“I knew Anna Mercer. I never met Adrian.”
“What was Anna to Henry?”
Victor looked toward Margaret.
She answered.
“She was his financial investigator.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
Margaret hesitated.
“There were rumors that Henry had another family before he married me.”
Victor struck the table with his palm.
“My father had no other family.”
Daniel remained calm.
“Then why did you pay Anna Mercer two million dollars from a private account one week after Henry died?”
Victor turned toward him.
“You have no right to those records.”
“That is not a denial.”
Clara watched Victor carefully.
“You paid Anna to disappear.”
“I paid her to stop spreading lies.”
“Where did she go?”
“I don’t know.”
“Who is Adrian?”
“I told you.”
“You told me nothing.”
Victor rose, but the security officer blocked the door.
He looked at Clara with open hatred.
“Henry chose you because he wanted to punish me.”
“He chose me because he knew you.”
“He used a child who did not exist to steal my company.”
“It was never your company.”
Victor’s face reddened.
Margaret stepped forward.
“Tell her about the Mercer property.”
Victor turned on her.
“Be quiet.”
Clara looked between them.
“What property?”
Margaret’s voice trembled.
“A house on the northern coast. Henry purchased it through a private company. After his death, Victor sent Richard there to collect documents.”
Clara called Richard.
He answered from an airport lounge.
“I was about to board a flight to Hawthorne.”
“Did Victor send you to a coastal property after Henry died?”
Richard went silent.
“Yes.”
“What did you find?”
“A woman had been living there.”
“Anna Mercer?”
“I don’t know. The house was empty when I arrived, but there was evidence of a child.”
“Adrian?”
“Possibly.”
“Where are the documents?”
Richard looked away from the camera.
“Father ordered me to burn them.”
Clara’s anger became cold.
“Did you?”
“Most of them.”
“Most?”
“One envelope had Evelyn’s name on it.”
Clara’s breath caught.
“What did it say?”
“I never opened it.”
“Where is it?”
Richard looked directly at her.
“I gave it to Elise.”
The room fell silent.
Elise had known about Adrian Mercer.
She had named him as Lily’s father.
And Catherine had warned Clara to check the birth certificate.
Clara turned toward the east wing.
“Elise’s diary.”
They found a line written near the final pages.
Adrian says he cannot come home until Victor is removed. He believes Catherine has found Anna.
May you like
Beneath the sentence, Elise had drawn a symbol.
Three birds flying over the ocean.
