Chapter 7: The Man Who Claimed My Daughter
For two years, I had tried to forget Daniel Cross.
I had deleted his photographs, blocked his number, and stopped visiting the little Italian restaurant where we had celebrated our engagement.
I had convinced myself that the pain he left behind was something I could survive.
But I never imagined his name would appear on a legal document accusing me of lying about my daughter's identity.
I stared at the affidavit.
Daniel Cross.
The man who had once promised to spend the rest of his life with me.
The man who disappeared three months before our wedding.
The man who hadn't answered a single call when I discovered I was pregnant.
And now he was claiming to be Grace's father.
"Daddy, this is impossible.""
Richard took the affidavit from Laura.
"Have you spoken to him recently?""
"No.""
"Has he contacted you since Grace was born?""
"Not once.""
Laura studied the document.
"His attorney submitted this yesterday morning. The timing is suspicious.""
I shook my head.
"Yesterday? How could he know about the inheritance?""
Richard's expression darkened.
"Someone told him.""
"But who?""
Nobody answered.
My father looked toward the door.
"Daniel Foster, get me the number for the attorneys representing Mr. Cross.""
Daniel, the security director, nodded.
"Immediately.""
Laura placed the affidavit beside the trust amendment.
"There's something else, Richard.""
He looked at her.
"Go ahead.""
"Daniel claims he has documentary evidence that he was involved in Grace's conception and that Nia concealed the pregnancy from him.""
I almost laughed.
It was such an outrageous lie that I couldn't immediately process it.
"I never concealed anything.""
Laura nodded.
"I believe you. But we need evidence.""
I looked at the document again.
"There's no way he can prove that.""
Richard gently took my hand.
"Then we won't allow him to.""
My phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
I opened the message.
*Nia, we need to talk. I never wanted things to become this complicated. Daniel.*
I felt my stomach twist.
Another message arrived.
*I know you're at the Grand Meridian. Come downstairs. We can settle this privately.*
I showed my father.
His jaw tightened.
"Absolutely not.""
I typed a response.
You abandoned me. You have no right to contact me about Grace.
His reply arrived almost immediately.
*You don't understand what is at stake. I can explain everything, but you need to hear me out before Richard destroys both our lives.*
I looked at Laura.
"What does he mean?""
She shook her head.
"He's trying to frighten you.""
My father stood.
"He's not coming anywhere near you or Grace.""
But before he could say anything else, Daniel Foster's radio crackled.
"Security to Mr. Foster.""
Daniel answered.
"Go ahead.""
"Mr. Daniel Cross is at the main reception desk. He's demanding to see Ms. Bennett.""
My heart stopped.
He was here.
After two years of silence, Daniel had walked into my father's hotel carrying a legal accusation against my newborn daughter.
Richard looked at me.
"Do you want to see him?""
I stared at the door.
Part of me wanted to refuse.
To remain upstairs.
To let the lawyers deal with everything.
But another part of me remembered the nights I had spent crying after he disappeared.
The pregnancy tests.
The doctor's appointments.
The fear of raising a child alone.
And the silence.
His silence had been the cruelest part.
"Yes," I said.
My father frowned.
"Nia—"
"I want to look him in the eyes when he explains why he's doing this.""
Richard studied my face.
Then he nodded.
"All right. But you won't be alone.""
Ten minutes later, Daniel Cross entered the private conference room.
He looked almost exactly as I remembered him.
Dark hair.
Expensive watch.
Perfectly tailored suit.
The same confident smile he used to wear when he thought he could talk his way out of anything.
But something had changed.
He looked older.
More tired.
And when his eyes landed on Grace's photograph displayed on my phone, his expression briefly softened.
"Nia.""
I didn't stand.
"Don't.""
He stopped.
"I know you're angry.""
"Angry?""
I laughed bitterly.
"You disappeared when I needed you most. You ignored every message I sent. You didn't even ask whether I survived the pregnancy.""
He lowered his eyes.
"I made mistakes.""
"You made choices.""
Richard stepped between us.
"You have five minutes to explain why you've submitted a false affidavit about my granddaughter.""
Daniel looked at him.
"Mr. Bennett, I understand your concerns.""
"My concerns?""
Richard placed the document on the table.
"You are claiming to be the biological father of a child you have never met.""
Daniel looked toward me.
"That's not entirely true.""
My blood ran cold.
"What?""
He opened his briefcase.
"I have photographs.""
He placed several printed pictures on the table.
They showed me and Daniel together.
One was taken during our engagement party.
Another showed us standing outside my old apartment.
The third was a photograph of me sitting in a restaurant, holding a glass of water.
I recognized it.
It had been taken shortly before he disappeared.
"What are these supposed to prove?"" I asked.
Daniel sat down.
"That we were together during the period when Grace was conceived.""
"Of course we were. We were engaged.""
He nodded.
"Exactly.""
I stared at him.
"Are you seriously suggesting that these photographs establish paternity?""
"No. But they establish a relationship.""
Richard leaned forward.
"Which ended when you abandoned her.""
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"I had reasons.""
"Then explain them.""
Daniel looked at me.
"I was approached by someone who told me our relationship was a mistake.""
"Who?""
He hesitated.
"Ethan Whitmore.""
Laura immediately looked up.
My father went still.
Daniel continued.
"He offered me money to walk away.""
I stared at him.
"How much?""
"Five hundred thousand dollars.""
The room fell silent.
"Did you take it?""
Daniel looked down.
"Yes.""
My stomach twisted.
"You sold our future for five hundred thousand dollars?""
"I thought I was protecting you.""
"Protecting me?""
He rubbed his forehead.
"Ethan told me your father would never accept me. He said the family would destroy my career if I married you.""
"So you took his money and disappeared?""
Daniel didn't answer.
I felt tears gathering.
"Did you know I was pregnant?""
His expression changed.
"Not at first.""
"When did you find out?""
"Six months later.""
I stared at him.
"Six months?""
He nodded.
"By then, Ethan had already told me that the company was facing a major legal restructuring. He said if I contacted you, I would be dragged into something dangerous.""
Richard's voice became cold.
"And you believed him?""
Daniel looked at him.
"I didn't know what to believe.""
I leaned forward.
"Did you ever try to find out whether I was safe?""
He looked at me.
"No.""
The honesty hurt more than another lie would have.
I looked away.
"Then why are you here now?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Ethan contacted me again last month.""
My father folded his arms.
"What did he want?""
"He said there was a way to recover the money I lost and protect my future.""
Laura interrupted.
"By submitting this affidavit?""
Daniel nodded.
"He said the trust needed a biological father to challenge the beneficiary designation. If I could establish my rights as Grace's father, I could request temporary control over her inheritance.""
I stared at him.
"You're trying to take my daughter's money?""
He quickly shook his head.
"No. I was told it would be temporary.""
Richard laughed without humor.
"Of course.""
Daniel continued.
"I would receive a consulting payment. Ethan said I wouldn't have to raise the child or interfere with your life.""
I felt sick.
"You were willing to claim my daughter without even wanting to know her?""
He lowered his head.
"I didn't think it would come to this.""
I stood carefully.
"Get out.""
"Nia, please—"
"Get out.""
He looked toward Richard.
"Mr. Bennett, I can help you. I have messages from Ethan. I have proof that Diane was involved.""
Laura immediately stood.
"Then you'll provide them to our legal team.""
Daniel looked relieved.
"Of course.""
I shook my head.
"Don't pretend you're helping us because you suddenly care about Grace.""
He looked at me.
"I do care.""
"Then you should have cared when I was alone in a hospital room giving birth.""
His expression collapsed.
For a moment, I saw the man I had once loved.
Then I remembered what he had done.
And that was enough.
Daniel left the room under security supervision.
As soon as the door closed, Laura opened her laptop.
"I want his messages preserved before Ethan realizes he has started talking.""
Richard nodded.
"Do it.""
Then Laura's phone rang.
She answered.
Listened.
And slowly stood.
"What happened?"" Richard asked.
Laura covered the microphone.
"Mr. Whitmore has filed an emergency motion.""
"For what?""
She looked at me.
"For temporary guardianship of Grace, pending the paternity dispute.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
Richard grabbed the back of a chair.
"He's trying to take my granddaughter?""
Laura nodded.
"And the hearing has been scheduled for tomorrow morning.""
I looked down at Grace's photograph.
My daughter.
My baby.
The little girl who had never done anything except exist.
Now powerful people were fighting over her future.
And somewhere in the middle of all of it, someone had decided that taking her away from me was the easiest way to steal our family's inheritance.
My father picked up his phone.
"Get me the best family attorney in the country.""
Laura nodded.
But before she could make the call, another message arrived on my phone.
This time, it came from Daniel.
*Nia, I need to tell you something before tomorrow. Ethan isn't the one who came up with the plan. Your mother was involved.*
I stared at the screen.
My mother?
That couldn't be right.
She had been dead for four years.
May you like
And yet the message ended with one final sentence.
*Find the recording she left for you. It's the only thing that can stop them.*
