Chapter 4 - The Photograph Nathan Was Never Meant to See
Grace did not sleep.
At six the next morning, she took the torn photograph downstairs.
Nathan was already in the kitchen.
Alone.
She stopped in the doorway.
This was the opportunity she had been waiting for.
Nathan looked exhausted.
He was drinking coffee while reading a financial report.
“Morning,” he said without looking up.
Grace approached.
“Mr. Cole.”
Something in her tone made him lift his head.
“What happened?”
She placed the photograph on the marble island.
Nathan stared at it.
His face changed slowly.
He picked it up.
“Where did you get this?”
“My sister kept it.”
Nathan looked at Grace.
“Your sister?”
“Sarah Miller.”
The color drained from his face.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
Nathan looked back at the photograph.
It had been taken beside a lake.
Sarah was laughing.
Nathan’s arm was around her.
He looked younger.
Happy.
“Sarah was your sister?”
“Yes.”
Nathan stood.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I’ve been trying.”
He stared at her.
“What do you mean?”
“She tried first.”
Nathan stopped.
Grace reached into her apron.
This time she had Sarah’s envelope.
Nathan looked at it.
His own name was written across the front.
He reached for it.
Victoria’s voice came from behind them.
“Don’t.”
Nathan turned.
Victoria stood in the kitchen doorway.
She was wearing a white blouse and gray skirt.
Her expression was calm.
Too calm.
Nathan looked between the women.
“Do you know what this is?”
Victoria walked closer.
“Yes.”
Grace felt triumph and fear at the same time.
Nathan stared at his fiancée.
“How?”
Victoria looked at Grace.
“Because Sarah Miller spent years trying to extort you.”
“That’s a lie.”
Nathan lifted one hand.
“Grace.”
Victoria continued.
“She contacted the company repeatedly. She claimed you were the father of her child. Then she demanded money.”
“I never demanded anything.”
“You weren’t there.”
“Neither were you.”
Victoria smiled.
“I was Nathan’s executive assistant. I saw everything.”
Nathan looked down at the envelope.
“Why don’t I remember any of this?”
Victoria answered too quickly.
“Because I protected you.”
The kitchen became silent.
Nathan’s eyes lifted.
“From what?”
“From a woman who was trying to manipulate you.”
“You decided that?”
“You were overseas. The company was collapsing. Your father had just died. You told me to handle distractions.”
Grace stared at Nathan.
Nathan’s expression hardened.
“I told you to handle scheduling and correspondence.”
“You trusted me.”
“I did not authorize you to decide who was allowed to speak to me.”
Victoria stepped closer.
“Nathan, please. You don’t remember how bad that year was.”
“I remember Sarah.”
That hurt Victoria.
Grace saw it.
Nathan looked at the photograph again.
“Very clearly.”
Victoria’s jaw tightened.
“She left you.”
“That’s what I believed.”
“Because she did.”
Grace pushed the envelope toward him.
“Read it.”
Victoria reached for it.
Nathan caught her wrist.
“Don’t.”
Victoria froze.
His voice was quiet.
“Do not touch it.”
Nathan released her.
He opened the envelope.
Inside were eleven pages.
The first was Sarah’s final letter.
The second was a copy of Lily’s birth certificate.
The third was a photograph of Sarah holding a newborn baby.
The fourth was a copy of the letter Sarah had received four years earlier.
The one bearing Nathan’s forged signature.
Nathan unfolded it.
Grace watched his eyes move across the page.
His face became unreadable.
Victoria whispered, “Anyone could make that.”
Nathan looked at the signature.
“This isn’t mine.”
Grace’s knees almost weakened.
Victoria laughed nervously.
“You sign hundreds of things.”
“I know my own signature.”
“It was years ago.”
Nathan looked at her.
“I have never written the letter N like this.”
Victoria stopped breathing.
Nathan continued reading.
The forged letter denied responsibility for the unborn baby.
It offered Sarah seventy-five thousand dollars.
It warned her that further contact could damage Nathan’s reputation.
At the bottom appeared his name.
Nathan Cole.
Nathan read the letter twice.
Then he looked at Victoria.
“Did you write this?”
“No.”
“Did you send it?”
“No.”
“Did you know about Sarah’s pregnancy?”
“No.”
Grace said, “You just told us Sarah claimed Nathan was Lily’s father.”
Victoria turned toward her.
“That was later.”
“No.”
Grace pointed toward the date.
“That letter was sent before Lily was born.”
Nathan looked down.
Victoria realized the mistake.
Grace saw Nathan realize it too.
Nathan’s voice changed.
“You said you didn’t know she was pregnant.”
Victoria opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Then small footsteps entered the kitchen.
Lily stood in the doorway wearing pink pajamas.
“Aunt Grace?”
Grace moved toward her.
Lily rubbed her eyes.
Nathan stared.
Not casually this time.
He really looked.
The shape of Lily’s eyebrows.
The dimple in her left cheek.
The unusual gray-green eyes.
His mother had those eyes.
So had Nathan as a child.
Lily looked at the photograph in his hand.
She smiled.
“That’s Mommy.”
Nathan’s eyes filled.
“Yes.”
Lily pointed.
“And that’s you.”
Nobody spoke.
Lily looked up at Nathan.
“Did you know my mommy?”
Nathan crouched.
His voice broke slightly.
“Yes.”
“Did you love her?”
Victoria shut her eyes.
Nathan answered.
“Yes.”
Lily thought about that.
Then she smiled.
“Mommy said you did.”
Nathan looked at Grace.
Grace knew the question coming before he asked.
“How old is she?”
“Four.”
Nathan stood slowly.
Exactly four years earlier, Sarah had disappeared from his life.
He looked again at Lily.
Then at Victoria.
“I want a DNA test.”
May you like
Victoria whispered, “Nathan…”
“Today.”
