Chapter 15 - Margaret’s Confession
Nathan listened to the recording three times.
Each time, his mother’s voice remained the same.
Calm.
Controlled.
Certain.
Then I’ll handle Grace myself.
Nathan returned to Margaret’s estate alone.
She knew why he had come before he said anything.
Nathan placed the recorder on the table.
He pressed play.
Margaret listened.
When her own voice filled the room, she closed her eyes.
Nathan waited.
No excuses.
No interruptions.
When the recording ended, he asked one question.
“What did you do?”
Margaret looked older than she had the day before.
“I visited Grace.”
“When?”
“Two days after Richard learned she was pregnant.”
Grace had never mentioned Margaret.
Nathan wondered how many wounds had remained unspoken because there were simply too many.
“What did you say?”
Margaret clasped her hands.
“I told her you were engaged.”
Nathan stared.
“I wasn’t.”
“I know.”
“I showed her photographs of you with Victoria.”
“We attended events together.”
Margaret nodded.
“I made it look romantic.”
Nathan felt sick.
“What else?”
“I told her you knew about the pregnancy.”
His face changed.
“You told Grace I knew?”
Margaret started crying.
“Yes.”
Nathan stepped backward.
“And?”
“I told her you wanted nothing to do with the baby.”
Nathan turned away.
His mother’s voice broke behind him.
“I thought she would leave.”
“She did.”
“I know.”
Nathan faced her again.
“You let me spend five years believing Grace abandoned me.”
“Yes.”
“You let her spend five years believing I abandoned Lily.”
“Yes.”
“And every Christmas, every birthday, every family dinner, you looked me in the face.”
Margaret could not answer.
Nathan’s voice became quieter.
“That may be the cruelest part.”
Margaret wept.
Nathan felt no satisfaction.
Only exhaustion.
“Why?”
She looked at him.
“Because I was raised to believe losing status was worse than losing love.”
Nathan said nothing.
Margaret continued.
“My mother taught me it.”
“Richard reinforced it.”
“I taught it to you.”
“No.”
Nathan shook his head.
“You tried.”
She stared.
Nathan continued.
“But Lily is going to learn something different.”
Margaret covered her face.
Nathan walked toward the door.
“Nathan.”
He stopped.
“Will I ever meet her?”
He looked back.
“That isn’t my decision.”
Margaret lowered her hands.
“Whose is it?”
“Grace’s.”
He paused.
“And someday Lily’s.”
Margaret nodded.
Nathan opened the door.
Then she called after him.
“There’s one more thing.”
Nathan closed his eyes.
There was always one more thing.
Margaret walked to him.
“Grace didn’t leave immediately after I visited.”
Nathan frowned.
“What?”
“She came to the Cole offices.”
“When?”
“The next morning.”
Nathan stared.
“She tried to see me?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“William stopped her.”
Nathan’s expression changed.
Margaret continued.
“He told Richard Grace had threatened to expose the pregnancy publicly unless she was paid.”
“Did she?”
“No.”
“Then why would William say that?”
Margaret swallowed.
“Because Charles was already paying him.”
Nathan felt the final structure of the conspiracy become visible.
William had not merely stayed silent.
He had helped engineer the separation.
Nathan reached for his phone.
But before he could call Samuel, a breaking alert appeared.
FEDERAL AUTHORITIES SEEK WILLIAM COLE FOR QUESTIONING.
Nathan stared at the screen.
Another alert appeared seconds later.
PRIVATE PLANE REGISTERED TO WILLIAM COLE DEPARTED FOR CANADA 22 MINUTES AGO.
William was running.
And Nathan knew something the authorities did not.
May you like
William hated flying.
If he was on that plane, someone had given him a reason more frightening than prison.
