Chapter 7 - Where Sophie Went
I don’t remember reaching my car.
I remember Arthur shouting my name.
I remember Detective Brooks telling me not to drive.
I remember calling Rachel seven times.
No answer.
Then, on the eighth attempt, she picked up.
“Evelyn?”
“Where is Sophie?”
“She’s with me.”
My knees nearly collapsed.
“Where?”
“In my car.”
I gripped the doorframe.
“Why didn’t you answer?”
“Because someone came into her hospital room.”
“Who?”
“Your mother.”
Ice filled my veins.
Rachel continued.
“She said she was taking Sophie home.”
“My mother?”
“Yes.”
“I told her no.”
Rachel’s voice shook.
“She started screaming.”
“What happened?”
“Then your father came in.”
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
“They said they were Sophie’s grandparents and you had authorized them.”
“I didn’t.”
“I knew that.”
Rachel took a breath.
“So I grabbed Sophie’s clothes and walked out through the pediatric stairwell.”
“Where are you now?”
“A police station.”
Relief flooded me.
“Stay there.”
“We’re not moving.”
I looked toward Brooks.
“Sophie is safe.”
The detective nodded and immediately began calling Chicago officers.
Nathan stood several feet away.
For once, his fear looked real.
“My parents tried to take her.”
He stared at me.
“Why?”
Arthur answered.
“Because they know what the trust contains.”
Nathan turned toward him.
“How would they know?”
Arthur looked at me.
“Your father probably knew more about Henry’s estate than he admitted.”
I thought about years of family resentment.
My parents had always treated Sophie’s six-million-dollar trust as an insult.
If they knew the real amount was closer to eighty million, that resentment made more sense.
Brooks ended her call.
“Chicago PD confirmed your parents left the hospital five minutes ago.”
“Are they being arrested?”
“Not yet.”
“Why not?”
“Because entering the hospital room isn’t enough by itself.”
“They tried to take my child.”
“We’re documenting everything.”
I hated how calm she sounded.
Then her eyes hardened.
“But if they attempt it again, they’ll have a much bigger problem.”
I looked at Nathan.
“You knew they wanted control of Sophie’s trust.”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“A year.”
“And you said nothing?”
“I thought we could negotiate.”
“We?”
Nathan rubbed both hands over his face.
“You don’t understand how powerful your father is.”
“No.”
“I understand perfectly.”
I held up the flash drive.
“He was powerful because everybody was afraid of him.”
Nathan stared at the device.
“He’ll destroy you.”
“He already tried.”
My phone buzzed.
A message from my mother.
I expected another threat.
Instead, there was a photograph.
Sophie’s bedroom.
Her pink blanket had been thrown aside.
Her drawers were open.
Her stuffed animals were scattered across the floor.
Underneath the photograph were six words.
GIVE US WHAT HENRY LEFT YOU.
My hands began shaking.
Another message arrived.
THIS CAN STILL STAY IN THE FAMILY.
Then another.
PRESTON MADE A MISTAKE.
Then the last one.
DON’T MAKE A BIGGER ONE.
I showed Brooks.
Her expression changed immediately.
“That’s enough.”
“For what?”
“A warrant application.”
Nathan moved toward me.
“Evelyn, listen to me.”
I stepped back.
“No.”
“They’re desperate.”
“I know.”
“You need protection.”
I looked at the man who had betrayed our daughter.
“From you too.”
His face crumpled.
Before he could answer, Arthur spoke from across the room.
“Evelyn.”
I turned.
He was staring at the flash drive connected to his laptop.
“What?”
“I opened Henry’s files.”
“And?”
His face had gone gray.
“There’s an audio recording you need to hear.”
“Of Preston?”
Arthur shook his head.
“Your mother.”
He clicked play.
My mother’s voice filled the room.
“If that little girl didn’t exist, all of this would be much easier.”
Then my father answered.
“Children can be removed from trusts.”
My blood went cold.
May you like
My mother laughed softly.
“Only if Evelyn loses custody first.”
