Chapter 8: Sophia's Perfect Little Lie
The next morning, Sophia arrived at the hospital carrying a white leather handbag.
She wasn't alone.
A little boy with blonde hair walked beside her.
Noah.
He looked about six years old.
His small hand was wrapped around Sophia's fingers.
"Claire!""
Sophia smiled as though we were old friends.
"I hope we're not disturbing you.""
I glanced at Marcus.
He stood near the door.
"Why is she here?""
Sophia sighed.
"Honestly, Claire. Must everything become a confrontation?""
Noah looked at me.
"Are you Daddy Vincent's wife?""
The question landed like a stone.
I looked at Sophia.
She gave him a gentle smile.
"Why don't you say hello to Claire, sweetheart?""
I stared at the little boy.
"Hello, Noah.""
He waved.
"Hi.""
Sophia sat down without asking permission.
"Vincent wanted me to bring him. He thought you might like to meet him properly.""
I looked at the child.
"Does Vincent spend a lot of time with you?""
Noah nodded enthusiastically.
"Daddy takes me to the aquarium and buys me dinosaurs.""
Sophia smiled.
"He's wonderful with him.""
I looked at her.
"Why are you really here?""
Her smile faded.
She reached into her handbag and pulled out a folder.
"Because we need to settle something.""
I didn't touch it.
"What?""
"The trust.""
I almost laughed.
"Vincent already tried that.""
"This is different.""
She opened the folder.
Inside were several legal documents.
"Vincent wants to offer you a settlement. You sign over your controlling interest, and in exchange, you receive a generous financial package.""
I glanced at the papers.
"How generous?""
"Twenty million dollars.""
I stared at her.
Twenty million.
A staggering amount of money.
But a fraction of what Richard had described.
I looked up.
"And what do you get?""
Sophia's lips tightened.
"Excuse me?""
"You're here representing Vincent. What do you get when I sign?""
She closed the folder.
"That's none of your business.""
"Then this conversation is over.""
Sophia leaned forward.
"Claire, don't be foolish. You're sick. You have no children. Vincent needs someone who can help him build a family.""
I looked at Noah.
He was playing with a small toy dinosaur.
"Does he know you're using him in this conversation?""
Sophia's expression changed.
"Don't involve my son.""
"You're the one who brought him.""
She stood abruptly.
"You're impossible.""
I looked at Marcus.
"Please escort her out.""
Sophia grabbed Noah's hand.
"Come on, sweetheart.""
As she reached the door, she turned.
"Enjoy your little inheritance, Claire. Just remember that money doesn't make you a family.""
The door closed.
I looked at Marcus.
"Can you find out more about her?""
He nodded.
"Her background?""
"Everything that's relevant to the trust, her connection to Vincent, and the night of the fire.""
He made a note.
"Understood.""
That afternoon, Alexander returned with a lawyer.
Her name was Evelyn Carter.
She was a sharp-eyed woman in her early fifties who carried a thick leather briefcase.
"Mrs. Moretti," she said, shaking my hand.
"I've represented the Hayes family for more than twenty years.""
I looked at Alexander.
"Why didn't I know about her?""
He gave me a sad smile.
"Because I was afraid you'd be used against me.""
Evelyn opened her briefcase.
"We need to discuss the trust, but first, I want you to understand your legal position.""
She placed several documents on the table.
"Your beneficial interest is protected by a series of irrevocable agreements. Vincent cannot legally transfer those assets without your consent.""
I looked at the papers.
"Then why has he been trying to get me to sign?""
"Because your signature would give him control over the voting rights attached to the trust.""
"And if I refuse?""
"His current management authority can be challenged.""
Richard nodded.
"Which is why we filed the injunction.""
Evelyn continued.
"However, there is a complication.""
I looked up.
"What complication?""
"Several financial records appear to have been altered. We believe someone used a subsidiary company to divert funds from the trust.""
Alexander's expression hardened.
"Vincent.""
"Possibly," Evelyn replied.
"But we need evidence.""
She turned another page.
"And there's another issue. The original trust contains a clause requiring all direct heirs to be identified before the controlling interest can be transferred.""
I frowned.
"Direct heirs?""
"Yes. That includes your mother, your father, Richard, and you.""
I looked at Richard.
"Is there someone else?""
His expression became troubled.
"There was another child.""
My heart skipped.
"Who?""
Richard stared at the floor.
"My daughter. Your aunt.""
"Where is she?""
"She disappeared years ago.""
Evelyn shook her head.
"She's listed as deceased, but there is no verified death certificate.""
I felt a chill.
"Another person who supposedly died but might be alive?""
Alexander nodded slowly.
"Vincent's father wasn't the only person who knew how to disappear.""
Before I could ask more, Evelyn's phone rang.
She answered.
Listened.
Then her face changed.
"What do you mean the records are missing?""
She stood.
"Which records?""
A pause.
"Understood.""
She ended the call.
I looked at her.
"What happened?""
"The original trust documents were stored in a private archive.""
"And?""
"Someone broke into the archive last night.""
Richard struck his cane against the floor.
"Vincent.""
Evelyn shook her head.
"Not necessarily. The security footage shows someone entering with an authorized access card.""
Alexander frowned.
"Whose card?""
She looked directly at me.
"Yours, Mrs. Moretti.""
I stared at her.
"That's impossible.""
"The access record shows your biometric authorization.""
I shook my head.
"I've never been there.""
Evelyn placed a printed photograph on the table.
It showed a woman entering the archive.
She had blonde hair.
A familiar cream-colored coat.
And a diamond bracelet.
Sophia.
I looked at the photograph.
"She used my identity?""
"That's what it appears to show.""
Richard stood.
"We need to find her.""
I looked at the little boy's toy dinosaur still sitting on the chair where Noah had been.
"She brought her son here this morning.""
Alexander looked at me.
"Why?""
I remembered Sophia's words.
Money doesn't make you a family.
Then I remembered the way Noah had called Vincent Daddy.
Something didn't fit.
"How old is Noah?""
"Six," Evelyn answered.
I looked at Alexander.
"When did Vincent first meet Sophia?""
"About seven years ago.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
Seven years.
The same year my mother disappeared.
The same year Richard faked his death.
The same year Vincent began searching for me.
I picked up the photograph again.
"Find Noah's birth certificate.""
Evelyn raised an eyebrow.
"Why?""
"Because I think we're looking at the wrong person.""
An hour later, Marcus returned with a preliminary report.
He placed a document on my bedside table.
"Mrs. Moretti, Noah Reynolds was born six years and four months ago.""
I looked at the date.
Then I looked at Alexander.
He went pale.
"What?"" I whispered.
Alexander slowly sat down.
"That was the month your mother disappeared.""
I stared at the paper.
Marcus continued.
"His birth certificate lists his mother as Sophia Reynolds. The father's information is sealed.""
Richard reached for the document.
"Can we obtain the original?""
Marcus nodded.
"We're working on it.""
Then his phone rang.
He listened.
His expression hardened.
"What?""
A pause.
"Where?""
He looked at me.
"Mrs. Moretti, we have a situation.""
"What happened?""
"Someone just attempted to remove a sealed birth record from the county archive.""
I swallowed.
"Whose record?""
Marcus turned his phone toward me.
The screen showed a name.
*Noah Alexander Hayes.*
My heart stopped.
Alexander slowly lowered himself into the chair.
Richard whispered something under his breath.
I looked from one man to the other.
Then I understood.
Noah wasn't simply Vincent's favorite little boy.
He was my father's son.
My half-brother.
And Sophia had been hiding his identity for six years.
But before anyone could speak, my phone rang.
This time, it was Vincent.
I answered.
His voice was no longer calm.
"Claire, I want you to listen very carefully.""
I said nothing.
"Whatever they have told you about Noah, don't believe it.""
I looked at the birth certificate.
Then I asked the question that made him go silent.
"Why did you register your mistress's son under my father's name?""
Vincent's breathing changed.
Then he said quietly:
"Because Sophia isn't the person you should be afraid of.""
May you like
A pause.
"Your mother is.""
