Chapter 10 - The Woman Who Watched Everything
The leak came from Margaret Caldwell.
Ethan’s grandmother.
At eighty-four, Margaret Caldwell had spent most of the last decade living in a separate wing of the estate.
She rarely attended board meetings.
She rarely gave interviews.
But nobody in the Caldwell family underestimated her.
Margaret had inherited a significant portion of the original fortune.
She also believed the Caldwell name was an institution that required protection.
Ethan entered her sitting room alone.
She was drinking tea.
“You finally came.”
“You leaked Rosa’s employment file.”
Margaret did not deny it.
“I released accurate information.”
“You released private information about the mother of my child.”
She placed down her cup.
“She concealed that child from you.”
“That is between Rosa and me.”
“Nothing involving a Caldwell heir is merely between two people.”
Ethan stared at her.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“The reason you don’t see Lily as a child.”
Margaret frowned.
“I see her very clearly.”
“No.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“You see shares.”
“Inheritance.”
“Control.”
Margaret’s voice hardened.
“I see a woman who entered this family through the servants’ entrance after hiding your daughter for years.”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
“She entered through the servants’ entrance because she needed a job.”
“She could have asked you for anything.”
“She didn’t.”
“That makes her more dangerous.”
Ethan stared at his grandmother.
Margaret continued.
“A greedy person can be bought.”
“A proud person cannot.”
Ethan almost admired the brutal honesty.
Almost.
“What do you want?”
“A private custody agreement.”
“No.”
“You haven’t heard it.”
“I don’t need to.”
Margaret’s eyes narrowed.
“Lily should be raised as a Caldwell.”
“She is being raised by her mother.”
“She could attend the best schools.”
“She can.”
“She could have protection.”
“She will.”
“She could have your name.”
“If Rosa agrees.”
Margaret leaned back.
“And if she doesn’t?”
Ethan’s answer came immediately.
“Then Lily keeps Martinez.”
Margaret looked genuinely shocked.
“You would allow that?”
“I would respect her mother.”
Margaret’s face hardened.
“Your mother would be disappointed.”
That was the wrong thing to say.
Ethan removed Elizabeth’s notebook from his coat.
“She already gave me her opinion.”
He placed it on the table.
Margaret recognized the handwriting.
Color drained from her face.
“Where did you find this?”
“Behind the piano.”
Margaret reached for it.
Ethan stopped her.
“Why are you afraid of it?”
“I am not.”
“You are.”
Margaret stood slowly.
“That notebook belongs to this family.”
“So does Lily.”
The words struck harder than Ethan intended.
Margaret looked away.
Then something strange happened.
Her eyes filled with tears.
Not anger.
Fear.
“Ethan.”
Her voice changed.
“There are things in that notebook your mother never intended you to understand.”
Ethan stared at her.
“What things?”
Margaret did not answer.
Instead, she looked toward the closed door.
Then she whispered.
“Your uncle Richard cannot know you found it.”
Ethan’s pulse changed.
“Why?”
Margaret’s fingers trembled around her teacup.
“Because the last time Richard went looking for that notebook...”
May you like
She looked directly at Ethan.
“Your mother was still alive.”
