Chapter 12 - the child nobody knew existed)
Daniel refused to believe it.
Rachel explained.
Claire had been nineteen.
The father disappeared after learning she was pregnant.
Claire's parents were deeply conservative and terrified of scandal.
She gave birth privately.
The baby was adopted.
A girl.
Daniel stood beside the fireplace.
Why did Claire never tell me.
She was ashamed of how her parents handled it, Rachel said. Not of the child.
Did she ever look for her.
Yes.
When.
After Sophie was born.
Daniel turned.
Why then.
Because becoming a mother again made her want to know whether the first child was safe.
Did she find her.
Rachel nodded.
Claire found the adoption agency records.
The girl would now be about fifteen.
Where is she.
I do not know.
Claire stopped telling me details once she began investigating Meridian.
Eleanor saw the implication immediately.
Protected Child B.
Claire may have added her first daughter as a contingent beneficiary.
But Richard could not have authorized it unless he knew.
Did Richard know about Claire's first child, Eleanor asked.
Rachel hesitated.
Yes.
Daniel looked stunned.
How.
Claire told him shortly before he died.
Why would my father care.
Because Richard discovered something strange about the adoption.
Eleanor felt cold.
What.
The agency had received a large anonymous donation two weeks before Claire gave birth.
From whom.
Rachel shook her head.
Claire never proved it.
Martin searched archived trust transactions.
There it was.
A charitable payment from a Richard controlled foundation to Rosebridge Family Services.
Two weeks before Claire delivered her first daughter.
Daniel whispered.
My father knew Claire before I did.
No one understood why.
Then Eleanor remembered 1998.
The photograph of Richard and Sloan.
Claire had been a child then.
Her family had lived near Meridian's first development project.
Eleanor searched old records.
Claire's father had worked for Meridian.
As a civil engineer.
He died in a construction accident when Claire was twelve.
Richard attended the funeral.
Eleanor had forgotten.
Years later, Richard apparently remained quietly connected to the family.
He helped pay for Claire's education through a scholarship.
He may also have helped arrange her adoption privately.
Why hide all of this.
Martin suggested Richard had been protecting someone.
But from whom.
Peter Sloan.
The answer seemed obvious.
Too obvious.
Detective Reed discovered Claire's father had been preparing to testify about fraudulent safety reports shortly before his death.
The accident that killed him had been investigated.
No criminal findings.
Sloan ran the relevant division.
Richard took control months later.
Eleanor realized the history had repeated itself.
Claire's father challenged something inside Meridian.
He died.
Richard turned against Sloan.
Years later Richard uncovered new financial misconduct.
He died.
Claire uncovered Sloan and Vanessa.
She died.
And now Sophie had become the latest point of pressure.
Eleanor refused to allow another generation to continue the pattern.
They had to find Claire's first daughter.
Rachel remembered the adoptive surname.
Bennett.
The girl's first name had been changed.
Records were sealed.
Martin petitioned the court based on the trust issue.
While they waited, Eleanor received an unexpected visitor.
A teenage girl stood at her front gate.
Dark blond hair.
Gray eyes.
A backpack over one shoulder.
She looked frightened.
My name is Emma Bennett.
Eleanor's heart stopped.
The girl continued.
I think Claire Whitmore was my mother.
Daniel appeared behind Eleanor.
Emma looked at him.
And I think someone has been following me.
They brought her inside.
Emma showed them messages sent from an unknown account.
Your birth mother left you something.
Do not trust the Whitmores.
Then another.
Ask Eleanor what Richard did.
And another.
Your sister is in danger because of you.
Daniel sat across from the girl, unable to hide the shock.
Emma looked at him.
Did you know about me.
No.
Did Claire.
Apparently.
Emma's face tightened.
So she found me and never came.
Rachel gently explained that Claire had been trying to approach her carefully.
Emma looked toward the floor.
My parents told me someone contacted them last year asking if I was happy.
They thought it might be my biological mother.
It probably was, Eleanor said.
Emma wiped her eyes quickly.
I was angry she never tried.
She did.
The words seemed to hurt more.
Emma asked to see Sophie.
Eleanor hesitated.
Then agreed.
When the toddler entered, she stared at Emma.
Emma crouched.
Hi.
Sophie looked at her face.
Then touched Emma's hair.
Sister.
Everyone froze.
Emma looked at Eleanor.
Why would she say that.
Eleanor turned toward Daniel.
Daniel looked equally confused.
Sophie repeated it.
Sister Emma.
Emma stood.
How does she know my name.
No one answered.
Because there was only one possible explanation.
May you like
Claire had introduced them.
Before she died.
