Chapter 3 - the man carrying andrew’s name
Claire followed the man downstairs.
“Excuse me.”
He continued toward the rear corridor.
“Stop.”
He paused near the glass doors leading to the garden.
Up close, he appeared to be in his late forties. His suit was expensive but plain, and a narrow scar ran from his left ear to his jaw.
The folder was no longer visible.
Claire stood between him and the exit.
“You were holding a file with Andrew’s name.”
“You’re mistaken.”
“I know what I saw.”
He looked beyond her toward Margaret.
The smallest movement, but Claire noticed it.
“Who are you?”
“Daniel Mercer.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“I advise the Vale family.”
“On what?”
“Private matters.”
Claire folded her arms.
“My daughter’s bracelet disappeared during a game designed by this family. Someone gave her a message claiming I’m hiding something Andrew left her. You were carrying his file. Those matters are no longer private.”
Mercer’s expression remained calm.
“Mrs. Morgan, emotional assumptions rarely produce useful answers.”
“I’m not Mrs. Morgan.”
“My apologies.”
“You don’t sound sorry.”
He glanced toward the staircase.
Harper stood there with Nolan.
The moment Mercer saw the child, something changed in his face.
Not affection.
Not surprise.
Calculation.
Claire stepped sideways, blocking his view.
“What is the custody contingency?”
For the first time, Mercer reacted.
Only a slight tightening around his eyes.
But it was enough.
“You read the folder.”
“I read the cover.”
“That document concerns estate administration.”
“It had my daughter’s name on it?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Margaret approached.
“Daniel, the board members are waiting in the conservatory.”
Claire turned to her.
“What board members?”
“Several people attending the party also serve the family company.”
“This is supposed to be Harper’s birthday.”
“It is.”
“Then why is your attorney carrying a custody plan?”
Mercer answered before Margaret could.
“I am not an attorney.”
“What are you?”
“A risk consultant.”
Nolan descended the stairs.
“That sounds like a job title people use when they don’t want to explain what they actually do.”
Margaret gave him a cold look.
“You arrived in uniform. Try to behave with some dignity.”
“I came directly from work because my niece asked me to.”
“Your niece is receiving more attention today than most children receive in a lifetime.”
Claire stared at Margaret.
“She doesn’t need attention. She needs her bracelet.”
Margaret faced the room.
“Everyone will help search.”
“No,” Claire said.
The nearby conversations stopped.
Claire pointed toward the ceiling cameras.
“We don’t need to search blindly. We check the security footage.”
Sabrina appeared behind Margaret.
“The cameras upstairs aren’t recording.”
Claire’s gaze snapped toward her.
“How do you know?”
“It’s an old system.”
Mercer looked at Sabrina with a warning in his eyes.
Sabrina noticed too late.
Nolan moved closer.
“Who turned it off?”
“No one turned it off,” Margaret said. “The upstairs cameras have been unreliable for months.”
“Convenient,” Claire replied.
Harper came down the final step.
“Mom, I feel weird.”
Claire immediately knelt.
“What kind of weird?”
“My throat feels scratchy.”
Nolan checked her breathing and pulse.
“Any trouble breathing?”
Harper shook her head.
Claire opened her handbag and removed the medication pouch.
Everything appeared untouched.
Nolan examined the labels.
“She may be anxious. Let’s get her somewhere quiet and keep watching her.”
Claire lifted Harper into her arms.
“We’re leaving.”
Margaret’s voice hardened.
“The cake hasn’t been served.”
“My daughter doesn’t care about cake right now.”
“You cannot keep removing her whenever you become uncomfortable.”
Claire stopped.
“What did you say?”
Margaret lowered her voice.
“You have repeatedly prevented Harper from forming relationships with her father’s family. That pattern has been documented.”
Nolan stepped forward.
“By whom?”
Mercer adjusted his cuff.
“Today is not the place for legal conflict.”
“You brought a custody plan to a child’s birthday,” Claire said. “You chose the place.”
Mercer did not deny it.
Harper rested her head against Claire’s shoulder.
“Mom, I want my bracelet.”
“We’ll find it.”
Sabrina touched Margaret’s elbow.
“The guests are waiting for the cake.”
Margaret studied Harper for several seconds.
Then her expression softened into the public smile she used for cameras.
“Of course. Harper’s health comes first.”
She turned toward Mercer.
“Have someone bring Claire’s car around.”
Claire felt Harper shift in her arms.
The child was looking over her shoulder toward the gift table.
“Mom.”
“What is it?”
“My purple cup is gone.”
Claire looked across the room.
Earlier, the unicorn cup had been placed beside Harper’s birthday plate.
May you like
Now the place was empty.
Near the kitchen entrance, Sabrina held both hands behind her back.
