Chapter 12 - The Truth Olivia Chose to Hide)
Lucy ran into Olivia’s arms at the airport.
Ethan had expected tears.
There were none at first.
Lucy simply slammed into her mother and held on.
Olivia sank to her knees.
Only then did both begin sobbing.
Ethan stood several feet away.
He had never felt more like an outsider and more like part of something at the same time.
“Mom.”
“I’m here.”
“You promised.”
“I know.”
“You were gone four days.”
“I know.”
“I hate you.”
“I know.”
Lucy hugged her tighter.
“I love you.”
Olivia closed her eyes.
“I love you too.”
Margaret cried openly.
Claire turned away to hide her face.
Thomas arrived separately under federal protection.
Margaret saw him across the terminal.
Her expression hardened.
He stopped.
Thirty-seven years of marriage.
Seven years of grief.
One impossible reunion.
Thomas whispered, “Maggie.”
Margaret slapped him.
The sound echoed.
Then she slapped him again.
Thomas didn’t move.
“You watched me bury you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You don’t get to be sorry yet.”
She walked away.
Ethan almost approved.
That evening, Olivia and Lucy stayed at Ethan’s apartment because Reed considered it the safest location.
Thomas stayed at a federal facility.
Victoria remained in custody.
Conrad Hale was arrested after investigators found evidence connecting his companies to the unlawful detention sites.
No charges had yet been finalized.
Samuel survived surgery.
Barely.
The public knew little.
Ethan’s wedding scandal had been replaced by rumors of corruption, kidnapping, and a supposedly dead businessman returning to life.
Inside Ethan’s apartment, none of that mattered.
Lucy fell asleep beside Olivia on the couch.
Ethan covered her with a blanket.
He sat across from Olivia.
For the first time in twelve years, they were alone.
“You should hate me,” Olivia said.
“I’m working through the list.”
She almost smiled.
“Fair.”
“Why didn’t you contact me after you were safe?”
“I was never safe.”
“My father helped you.”
“For a while.”
“You had eleven years.”
“And every year Samuel’s people found us again.”
“You could have told me.”
“I wanted to.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
Olivia looked toward Lucy.
“Because the first time I tried, someone broke into her preschool.”
Ethan went still.
“What?”
“They didn’t hurt anyone.”
“That’s not the point.”
“They left your photograph in her cubby.”
His anger rose.
“Who?”
“I never proved it.”
“Victoria?”
“No.”
“Conrad?”
“Maybe.”
“Samuel?”
“Maybe.”
Ethan leaned back.
“So you stayed away.”
“Yes.”
“And the letters?”
“I sent dozens.”
“They were intercepted.”
“I figured that out eventually.”
“When?”
“When one came back with a photograph inside.”
“What photograph?”
“You sleeping in your apartment.”
Ethan felt cold.
Olivia continued.
“Someone could reach you whenever they wanted.”
“So you stopped.”
“Yes.”
Ethan looked at the sleeping child.
“You should have trusted me.”
“I know.”
“No. You decided for me.”
“I know.”
“You took eleven years.”
Olivia’s eyes filled.
“I know.”
His anger weakened because she wasn’t defending herself.
“I was terrified,” she whispered. “And every choice looked wrong.”
Ethan looked down.
“Did you ever stop loving me?”
Olivia was silent a long time.
“No.”
He closed his eyes.
Her answer complicated everything.
“What about Victoria?”
Olivia asked.
“What about her?”
“Did you love her?”
“Yes.”
Olivia nodded.
That hurt her.
Ethan saw it.
“I don’t know what was real.”
“She did love you.”
“You sound certain.”
“I talked to her.”
“How often?”
“Four times in two years.”
“Why?”
“She wanted out.”
“After spending years lying to me.”
“Yes.”
“Why help her?”
“Because Samuel owned her fear the same way he owned mine.”
Ethan stared at Olivia.
“You forgive her?”
“No.”
“Neither do I.”
“But I understand her.”
“That’s more generosity than I have.”
Olivia looked toward Lucy.
“You have something better.”
“What?”
“A chance to know your daughter.”
Silence passed.
Then Ethan asked the question that had been waiting.
“What is the secret about Lucy?”
Olivia’s face changed.
“I knew you would ask.”
“Samuel said the first Northstar contract matters.”
“It does.”
“And you told my father the truth could hurt Lucy.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Olivia stood.
She walked to the window.
“The first Northstar contract wasn’t business.”
“What was it?”
“An adoption agreement.”
Ethan frowned.
“What?”
“Your grandfather used Northstar to move children between private institutions.”
Ethan stared.
“Illegal adoptions?”
“Yes.”
“What does that have to do with Lucy?”
Olivia looked back.
“Because Samuel found records showing your family name isn’t what you think it is.”
Ethan’s stomach tightened.
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying Thomas and Samuel were not born Pierce.”
He stood.
“What?”
“They were adopted.”
“So?”
“The paperwork was falsified.”
“Why?”
“We don’t know.”
Olivia’s eyes filled with concern.
“But Thomas found one original birth record.”
“Whose?”
“Samuel’s.”
Ethan waited.
Olivia continued.
“Samuel had a son before he disappeared.”
“The son Evelyn mentioned.”
“Yes.”
“Who was he?”
“We don’t know.”
“You said this affects Lucy.”
Olivia lowered her voice.
“Because Samuel became obsessed with bloodlines.”
Ethan shook his head.
“I still don’t understand.”
“He believed his son survived.”
“Survived what?”
“A fire.”
“What fire?”
“Lake Briar, 2000.”
Ethan remembered almost nothing from that summer.
Only his father sending him to Europe unexpectedly.
Olivia continued.
“Samuel spent twenty-five years looking for him.”
“And?”
“He believes he found him.”
“Who?”
May you like
Olivia stared at Ethan.
“You.”
