Chapter 3 - The Secret About Ellie
Adrian stared at Lily.
“What did you just say?”
She stepped into the room.
“I said you need to sit down.”
“I don't need to sit down.”
“You do.”
“Tell me the truth.”
Lily swallowed.
“Your father wasn't Ellie's biological grandfather.”
Adrian froze.
“What?”
“Your mother died believing that.”
“But she wasn't.”
“No.”
“Then who is?”
Lily looked at him.
“Eleanor.”
His aunt.
The woman his father had claimed was dead.
Adrian felt dizzy.
“Why would my father hide my aunt?”
“Because she knew what he had done.”
“What had he done?”
Lily hesitated.
“Your father stole the company.”
Adrian laughed.
“My father built Mercer Urban Holdings.”
“No.”
Lily placed another file on the desk.
“Your grandfather built it.”
Adrian opened it.
Old incorporation records.
Stock certificates.
Trust documents.
His father had transferred the majority of shares after his grandfather's death.
But the transfer had been challenged.
By Eleanor.
His aunt.
“She knew the transfer was fraudulent,” Lily said.
“Why didn't she go to court?”
“Because your father threatened her daughter.”
Adrian looked up.
“Her daughter?”
Lily nodded.
“Your cousin.”
He stared.
“I don't have a cousin.”
“You do.”
“Who?”
Lily touched her stomach.
Adrian's eyes widened.
“No.”
“The baby I'm carrying is your cousin's child.”
He stared at her.
“That's impossible.”
“Your cousin is dead.”
Silence.
“She died six months ago.”
“Then why are you carrying her child?”
“Because she asked me to protect him.”
Adrian's world shifted.
“You're saying your baby belongs to my family?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because your father wasn't the only person I was afraid of.”
“Who?”
“Someone inside your company.”
Adrian's phone rang.
His chief financial officer.
He answered.
“Sir, there's been a problem.”
“What?”
“Someone accessed the family trust.”
“When?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
Adrian looked at Lily.
“Who?”
“We're tracing it.”
Then the call ended.
Lily whispered:
“They know you found out.”
Adrian turned toward her.
“Who?”
Before she could answer, the study door slammed shut.
The lights went out.
Lily gasped.
Adrian grabbed her hand.
“Stay behind me.”
A noise came from the hallway.
Then another.
Footsteps.
Adrian reached for his phone.
No signal.
Someone had jammed the house.
The door opened.
A shadow entered.
Adrian lunged.
The man escaped through the side entrance.
On the floor was a single object.
A hospital bracelet.
Adrian picked it up.
The name read:
ELLIE MERCER.
He stared.
“Why would someone have my daughter's hospital bracelet?”
May you like
Lily whispered:
“Because your daughter isn't the only child they've been watching.”
