Chapter 6 - THE SECRET RACHEL COULDN'T HIDE|
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Rachel stood in the doorway with her phone clutched in one hand.
“What did you just say?”
Her eyes filled.
“Grant has told people Sophie is his daughter.”
I looked at Eli.
He was still watching his cartoon, unaware that the ground beneath his family had shifted again.
“Is she?”
Rachel shook her head quickly.
“No. Her father died before she was born.”
“Then why would Grant say that?”
“Because he wanted people to understand why he was involved. He told the board Sophie was family. He told the hospital she was his goddaughter. But when the foundation needed a beneficiary with a direct connection to the Whitmore family, he said she was his child.”
I felt sick.
“Did he tell the hospital that?”
Rachel nodded.
“He said it was a harmless way to get her priority care.”
“Priority over children waiting for emergency blood?”
“I didn't know he was taking emergency units.”
“You knew he was using the company.”
Rachel lowered her eyes.
“I thought it was temporary.”
I stared at her.
“How long have you and Grant been together?”
She didn't answer.
“Rachel.”
“Since before your wedding anniversary.”
The room seemed to tilt.
“How long?”
“Four years.”
I looked at the calendar on the wall.
Four years.
Eli had been one year old when it began.
Four years of missed birthdays, canceled family dinners, late nights, and explanations that I had accepted because I wanted to believe my husband was simply overwhelmed.
“Did he ever tell you he was going to leave me?”
Rachel nodded.
“He said the marriage was over.”
“It wasn't.”
“I know that now.”
“No. You knew then. You just didn't care.”
Rachel began to cry.
“I loved him.”
I looked at her.
“And I loved him too. But I didn't make another child pay for it.”
Rachel's phone vibrated again.
This time, she didn't answer.
She turned toward the door.
“There's something else you should know.”
I waited.
“Grant has been keeping a second set of company records. He told me the original ownership agreement was invalid because you signed it while you were pregnant.”
I stared at her.
“That agreement was signed eleven years ago. I wasn't pregnant.”
Rachel looked confused.
“He said you were. He said the agreement was amended after Eli was born.”
“That's a lie.”
“He showed me documents.”
“Where are they?”
“His private office. A locked cabinet behind the bookcase.”
Holly stepped forward.
“Why are you telling us this?”
Rachel swallowed.
“Because Grant just told me he was going to make sure I took the blame for everything.”
She placed a small flash drive on the table.
“I copied some of his files.”
Holly picked it up.
“What's on this?”
“Emails. Payment records. And a recording.”
“What recording?”
Rachel looked at me.
“Grant talking about the blood transfer.”
My pulse quickened.
“Does he admit he knew Eli might need it?”
Rachel nodded.
“He says he doesn't care about the regional reserve rules because the company can replace the units later.”
Holly inserted the drive into her secured laptop.
The file list appeared.
One recording was dated the afternoon before Eli's accident.
Holly pressed play.
Grant's voice filled the room.
“Move the units. Sophie gets what she needs. If another hospital complains, tell them the replacement shipment is already scheduled.”
A second voice asked, “What if there's an emergency?”
Grant answered without hesitation.
“Then they'll have to wait.”
I gripped the edge of the table.
The recording ended.
Holly looked at me.
“That's evidence of intent.”
Rachel covered her face.
May you like
Then she whispered the words that made everything worse.
“There's another recording. One Grant doesn't know I have.”
