Chapter 2 - The Daughter He Never KnewThe room seemed to shrink around them.
Claire stared at Ethan as if she no longer recognized him.
Hannah kept Lily close.
Margaret slowly sat down.
Claire pointed at the photograph.
“You have a daughter?”
Ethan nodded.
“But you didn't know.”
Hannah answered for him.
“He didn't.”
Claire's anger turned into disbelief.
“How could a man not know his own daughter exists?”
Ethan looked at Hannah.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Hannah's eyes filled with pain.
“Because I was told you could never know.”
“Who told you?”
Hannah glanced at Margaret.
Everyone noticed.
Ethan turned toward his mother.
“Mom?”
Margaret lowered her head.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“You let me believe my child was dead.”
“I thought you were safer believing that.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“What happened to Lily's mother?”
Hannah hesitated.
“She died.”
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
“That isn't what the journal says.”
Claire opened the journal.
Several pages contained dates, bank records, names, and handwritten notes.
One name appeared repeatedly.
Victor Hale.
Ethan recognized it.
His expression changed.
“Victor.”
Margaret immediately stood.
“Don't say that name.”
Claire looked at her.
“Why?”
Margaret whispered.
“Because he knows about Lily.”
Lily's frightened voice broke through the tension.
“Who is Victor?”
Hannah hugged her.
“No one you need to worry about.”
A loud knock suddenly came from the front door.
Everyone froze.
Another knock followed.
Then the door opened.
A tall man in a black coat entered.
Margaret's face went completely white.
“Victor.”
The man smiled.
His eyes immediately found Lily.
“There she is.”
Hannah stepped in front of the child.
Ethan moved beside her.
Victor's smile disappeared.
“You still don't understand.”
Ethan's voice was cold.
“Leave my house.”
Victor looked at the journal.
“You found it.”
Claire held it tighter.
“What is in this book?”
Victor answered calmly.
“Enough to destroy this family.”
Then he placed a small envelope on the table.
“Open that.”
He turned and walked away.
Ethan rushed toward him.
But Victor was already outside.
Claire opened the envelope.
A photograph fell onto the table.
It showed Lily's mother standing beside Ethan.
Behind them stood Ethan's late father.
Daniel Reed.
Claire stared at the photograph.
May you like
Then she saw something in Daniel's hand.
A gun.
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