Chapter 6: The Night Adam Was Born
I couldn't speak.
The woman's voice came through the phone again.
"Margaret, are you there?""
"Yes.""
My voice sounded foreign to me.
"Tell me what happened.""
There was a long pause.
"I can't explain this over the phone.""
"Then explain it here.""
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because they may be listening.""
Graham moved toward the door.
I looked at him.
He stopped.
Claire continued.
"Margaret, you have to trust me.""
I almost laughed.
"After twenty-six years?""
"I'm not asking you to forgive me.""
"Good.""
"I'm asking you to protect Adam.""
My son's face tightened.
"Protect me from what?""
Claire went silent.
Then she said, "From the people who have been trying to reach him.""
Adam stepped closer to the phone.
"Are you my mother?""
Claire took a shaky breath.
"Yes.""
He closed his eyes.
I watched him absorb the word.
It should have destroyed him.
Instead, he looked strangely calm.
"Why did you leave me?""
"I didn't.""
His eyes opened.
"What?""
"I never abandoned you.""
"Then what happened?""
"I was told you were dead.""
The room went silent.
Adam's face drained of color.
"What?""
Claire began crying.
"I gave birth to you at St. Vincent's Hospital. You were premature. They told me you didn't survive.""
I looked at Adam.
He looked at me.
"I saw you," Claire continued.
"They brought me a blanket. There was a nurse. She said you had stopped breathing.""
My hands went cold.
I remembered that hospital.
Not as a mother.
As a visitor.
Thomas had told me he'd found the baby through a family connection.
But I'd never asked enough questions.
Claire continued.
"Two days later, I discovered you were alive.""
Adam whispered, "How?""
"I saw Thomas.""
My heart stopped.
Claire said, "He was carrying you.""
I covered my mouth.
"Thomas?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"He told me your life was in danger.""
"From whom?""
"I don't know.""
"You must know something.""
"I know there was money.""
I looked at Graham.
He was staring at the floor.
Claire continued.
"Someone had been stealing from Bellavita. Someone who knew about my investment. Someone who knew I was pregnant.""
Adam looked at Graham.
"Was it you?""
Graham's head snapped up.
"No.""
Claire heard him.
"Graham?""
He stepped backward.
"You know my father?"" Adam asked.
Claire's voice became cold.
"Yes.""
Graham said nothing.
I looked at him.
"Tell us.""
He shook his head.
"Not here.""
I slammed my palm against the desk.
"Everyone has been telling me that.""
The room fell silent.
"I spent twenty-six years believing my husband trusted me.""
I looked at Adam.
"I spent forty years believing I knew my son.""
Then I looked at Graham.
"And I spent one evening discovering that apparently everyone except me knew the truth.""
Claire's voice softened.
"Margaret, Thomas loved you.""
"Then why did he lie?""
"Because he believed the truth would get you killed.""
I froze.
"What?""
"There were people watching your family.""
"Who?""
"I don't know all of them.""
"You expect me to believe that?""
"No.""
She paused.
"But I know one.""
"Who?""
"Richard Hale.""
Sofia's eyes widened.
Claire continued.
"He was supposed to protect me.""
I looked at the computer.
The message from Richard was still on the screen.
"He represented you?""
"Yes.""
"Then why is he contacting my son?""
"I don't know.""
A pause.
"Unless he's trying to finish what he started.""
Adam stepped closer.
"What did he start?""
Claire's voice trembled.
"The theft.""
Graham suddenly spoke.
"Claire, stop.""
Everyone looked at him.
She went silent.
Graham stared at the phone.
"You don't understand.""
I turned toward him.
"Then explain.""
He shook his head.
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because if I tell you, Adam becomes a target.""
Adam laughed bitterly.
"Apparently I'm already one.""
He looked at me.
"Mom, I need to know.""
I nodded.
"So do I.""
Graham rubbed his face.
Then he sat down.
"It started with Claire's investment.""
He spoke slowly.
"She invested a significant amount of money into Bellavita's expansion. Thomas was responsible for managing the business side.""
"Yes.""
"Richard handled the legal documents.""
"And you?""
"I was an accountant.""
I stared at him.
"At Bellavita?""
"Yes.""
Sofia looked shocked.
Graham continued.
"I discovered discrepancies.""
"What kind?""
"Money moved between accounts.""
"Who moved it?""
"Richard.""
Claire's voice came through the phone.
"Not alone.""
Graham closed his eyes.
"You're right.""
I looked between them.
"Who else?""
He didn't answer.
"Who?""
Graham finally whispered, "Evelyn.""
My heart stopped.
"Thomas's sister?""
"Yes.""
Adam stared at him.
"Why?""
"She was helping Richard.""
I shook my head.
"No.""
"She was desperate.""
"For money?""
"For her son.""
"What son?""
Graham looked at Adam.
"Your cousin.""
I understood.
Evelyn had been drowning in debt.
Richard offered to help.
But the help came with a price.
She gave him access to Bellavita's records.
And from there, money disappeared.
But that still didn't explain Adam.
I looked at Claire.
"What does this have to do with my son?""
Claire was crying again.
"When I discovered the theft, I threatened to expose Richard.""
"What happened?""
"He threatened me.""
"With what?""
"He knew about my pregnancy.""
I felt sick.
"He told me that if I went to the police, he would make sure my baby disappeared.""
Adam whispered, "And then he did.""
"No.""
Claire's voice broke.
"He tried.""
I looked at her.
"Then what happened?""
"Thomas found out.""
She continued.
"He confronted Richard.""
"What did Richard do?""
"He arranged for me to be taken away.""
My stomach dropped.
"Taken where?""
"I don't know.""
"You escaped?""
"Yes.""
"And Adam?""
"I went back to the hospital.""
She paused.
"He was gone.""
Adam stared at the phone.
"Thomas took me.""
"Yes.""
"Why didn't you find me?""
"I did.""
"When?""
"Three months later.""
My heart pounded.
"You found us?""
"Yes.""
"Then why didn't you come home?""
"Because I saw who was watching your house.""
I froze.
Claire continued.
"Richard had people watching Thomas. They were watching you too.""
"Why?""
"Because Thomas had discovered the missing money.""
I looked at Graham.
"And the restaurant?""
"Thomas transferred control of the shares to you.""
I remembered the ownership documents.
"Why me?""
"Because Richard believed Thomas controlled everything.""
Claire's voice softened.
"But Thomas had already moved the controlling interest.""
I whispered, "To me.""
"Yes.""
"Why didn't he tell me?""
"Because if Richard knew you controlled Bellavita, you would become his target.""
I stared at the floor.
Thomas had spent years protecting me without letting me know what he was protecting me from.
But one question remained.
"Why did Adam believe he could access the trust now?""
Claire went silent.
Adam looked at me.
"Because someone told me.""
"Richard?""
"I don't know.""
"Who?""
Adam shook his head.
"I received emails.""
"From whom?""
"Anonymous.""
I looked at Sofia.
"Can you trace them?""
She nodded.
"Possibly.""
Adam pulled out his phone.
"I saved them.""
He handed it to Sofia.
She examined the messages.
Her expression changed.
"What?""
She looked at me.
"The messages weren't sent anonymously.""
"Then who sent them?""
She turned the screen around.
The sender address was visible.
I recognized the domain.
It belonged to an accounting firm.
Graham's old company.
Graham stared at the phone.
"I didn't send those.""
Adam looked at him.
"Then someone used your system.""
Graham went pale.
"That's impossible.""
Sofia looked at the timestamp.
"Not impossible.""
She tapped the screen.
"Someone accessed the firm's server three months ago.""
"Three months?"" I asked.
"Yes.""
"Who?""
She stared at the information.
Then she looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa's face collapsed.
Adam turned toward his wife.
"What?""
She shook her head.
"I didn't know.""
"Know what?""
"I swear.""
I stepped closer.
"Vanessa.""
She began crying.
"I only knew about the money.""
"What money?""
"The money your father gave Adam.""
I looked at Graham.
He was silent.
Vanessa continued.
"He said Adam needed it to pay a debt.""
"What debt?""
"Thirty-eight thousand.""
My blood ran cold.
"The exact amount.""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
Adam stared at her.
"You told me it was a business expense.""
"I lied.""
"Why?""
"Because I was scared.""
"Of whom?""
She looked at me.
"Richard.""
I felt the room go still.
"What did Richard want?""
Vanessa wiped her eyes.
"He said if Adam didn't gain control of the Bellavita shares, he would expose something.""
"What?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"You're lying.""
"I swear I'm not.""
Adam grabbed the back of the chair.
"Then why did you push me to do this?""
"Because Richard said your family would be destroyed if you didn't.""
"What did he have?""
Vanessa looked at me.
"Proof.""
"Of what?""
She hesitated.
Then whispered:
"Proof that Margaret Whitmore wasn't Adam's mother when he was born.""
Adam stared at her.
I felt something inside me snap.
"That's it?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"No.""
"What else?""
Her voice dropped.
"Proof that Thomas didn't adopt Adam legally.""
Silence.
Sofia stopped typing.
Adam looked at me.
"Was I stolen?""
I couldn't answer.
Claire's voice came through the phone.
"No.""
Adam closed his eyes.
Claire continued.
"Margaret saved your life.""
I looked at the speaker.
"What do you mean?""
"You were not supposed to leave that hospital alive.""
My heart stopped.
Claire said, "Richard had arranged for you to be declared dead.""
Adam's eyes filled with tears.
"But Thomas took me.""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because he found the nurse.""
"What nurse?""
"The one who was supposed to sign your death certificate.""
I remembered the nurse.
The woman who had pulled Thomas aside.
The woman who had said something about blood type.
I whispered, "She knew.""
Claire answered.
"She was the one who saved you.""
I looked at Adam.
"Your father didn't steal you.""
My voice broke.
"He rescued you.""
Adam covered his face.
For the first time that night, he looked like the little boy who had once tied three dandelions together with a blue shoelace.
Not the man who had tried to use my account.
Not the husband caught in a family conspiracy.
Just my son.
Then Sofia's computer made another sound.
She stared at the screen.
"Mrs. Whitmore.""
I turned.
"What?""
"Someone has entered the building.""
"Who?""
She checked the security monitor.
Her face went pale.
"Richard Hale.""
Adam stood.
"How did he get inside?""
Sofia looked toward the office door.
"He didn't.""
"What?""
She pointed at the monitor.
"He's already upstairs.""
I felt my blood turn cold.
Then the office door handle began to move.
And a man's voice came from the other side.
"Margaret.""
Richard paused.
"You've had enough time.""
May you like
The handle turned.
"I think it's time we finished what Thomas started.""
