Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: The Family Chooses Sides
Vanessa finally broke.“You don’t understand what it’s like,” she cried. “Every room in your house belongs to Grace. Every story begins with Grace. Every decision ends with Lily. Where was I supposed to stand?”Lucas answered without anger now.“Beside us. Not over her.”Vanessa laughed through tears. “No woman wants to be second.”“My daughter is not your rival.”“She would have ruined everything!”“She is everything,” Lucas said.Richard stepped forward again, desperation replacing pride. “Lucas, think about the business relationship. Think about the press. This scandal will hurt both families.”Eleanor Bennett turned on him with a calm fury that silenced the room.“No, Richard. This scandal belongs to your family.”Vanessa’s mother whispered, “Please, Eleanor…”Eleanor shook her head. “You watched a child get pushed out of her father’s life because your debts were inconvenient.”The maid of honor began crying. “I’m sorry. I should have said something. Vanessa told us Lily was unstable. She said Lucas knew.”Lucas looked at the bridesmaids, the coordinators, the staff.“Did anyone else know my daughter was locked in that bathroom?”No one answered at first.Then a young server raised his hand.“I saw Mrs. Hart give Vanessa the key,” he said quietly.Vanessa’s mother gasped. “That’s not true.”The server looked terrified, but he continued. “She said the child needed to be kept calm until after the vows.”The room erupted.Lucas lifted one hand, and silence returned.He looked at Vanessa’s parents.“You will leave this property.”Richard scoffed weakly. “You cannot order us out of Whitmore Manor.”A new voice came from the back of the hall.“Yes, he can.”An elderly woman with silver hair stepped forward, leaning on a cane. She was Margaret Whitmore, owner of the manor and an old friend of Grace’s family.She looked at Lily for a long moment.Then at the letter in Lucas’s hand.“Grace was like a granddaughter to me,” Margaret said. “And that child will never be locked away under my roof again.”She turned to the staff.“Escort the Hart family out.”This time, no one argued.
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