Chapter 6 - THE MAN WHO STOLE THE FAMILY
Nicholas Vale arrived at the estate the next morning.
He was thirty-one, impeccably dressed, and carried himself with the quiet confidence of someone who had never been told no.
Raymond stood beside him.
Adrian waited in the study.
Claire remained upstairs until she heard Raymond's voice.
“You've made a terrible mistake.”
Adrian answered calmly.
“Which one?”
“Marrying a woman who has no understanding of this family.”
Claire entered.
“I'm beginning to understand it better than you expected.”
Nicholas glanced at her.
His expression barely changed.
“So this is the contract wife.”
“That's me,” Claire said.
“Congratulations.”
“On what?”
“Your pregnancy.”
Claire's stomach tightened.
“How do you know?”
Nicholas smiled.
“News travels.”
Adrian stepped between them.
“Explain why your name appears in my grandfather's adoption records.”
Nicholas adjusted his cuff.
“Because your grandfather wanted an alternative heir.”
“You're Raymond's son.”
“Biologically, yes.”
“And he concealed you?”
“Your grandfather believed the family needed someone capable of continuing the business without distractions.”
Adrian's expression hardened.
“You mean without a wife and children.”
Nicholas smiled.
“Exactly.”
Claire watched Raymond.
He looked almost pleased.
“Your grandfather changed the trust,” Nicholas continued. “He made arrangements that would allow me to assume control if you failed to meet certain conditions.”
“Then why did you need to falsify my medical records?”
Nicholas looked at Raymond.
For the first time, the older man appeared uncomfortable.
Adrian noticed.
“Answer me.”
Raymond stepped forward.
“You were never supposed to become a father, Adrian. Your grandfather understood that you were too sentimental.”
“You arranged the surgery?”
Raymond said nothing.
“You arranged the diagnosis?”
Still nothing.
Nicholas answered instead.
“The surgery was real. The diagnosis was not.”
Claire felt sick.
“What does that mean?”
Nicholas turned toward her.
“Adrian had a treatable complication. It was corrected. But his follow-up results were altered.”
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“By Hayes?”
Nicholas smiled.
“Dr. Hayes was paid very well.”
“You let me believe I could never have children.”
“You were easier to control that way.”
Adrian moved so quickly that Marcus had to step forward.
Raymond raised a hand.
“Careful, nephew.”
Adrian stopped.
Not because he was afraid.
Because Claire was watching.
“You took eleven years from me,” Adrian said.
Raymond's face hardened.
“I protected the family.”
“You stole my children.”
“Your children were a threat.”
“They were babies.”
“They were heirs.”
The room fell silent.
Nicholas stepped forward.
“There's no point discussing the past. The trust vote is tomorrow. The family has already agreed that I'm the rightful successor.”
Adrian looked at him.
“Based on what?”
“Your marriage contract.”
Claire frowned.
“What?”
Nicholas opened a folder.
“The contract contains a clause stating that any child born during the marriage will not receive automatic succession rights unless the marriage is recognized as a permanent family union.”
Adrian turned toward Claire.
“That's not the version I signed.”
Raymond smiled.
“Perhaps you should read more carefully.”
Claire took the document.
She recognized the first pages.
But the final page contained language she had never seen.
A clause stating that any child born to the marriage would be legally excluded from the family trust.
And another clause.
If Adrian challenged the trust, his wife would lose all financial protections.
Claire looked up.
“You forged the contract.”
Raymond's smile disappeared.
“Prove it.”
“I can.”
Adrian looked at her.
“How?”
Claire pointed to the paper.
“Because I restored the original document you altered.”
She walked to the desk and placed a sealed archival sleeve on it.
Inside was a photograph of the original marriage agreement.
“I photographed every page before signing. The final clause wasn't there.”
Raymond's face changed.
For the first time, he looked afraid.
Nicholas took a step toward the sleeve.
Marcus blocked him.
Adrian looked at Claire.
“You kept a copy?”
“I restore documents for a living. I don't trust damaged originals.”
Despite everything, Adrian almost smiled.
Then his phone rang.
The caller ID displayed Dr. Samuel Hayes.
Adrian answered.
Hayes spoke quickly.
“Listen carefully. Raymond knows you have the original records.”
“Where are you?”
“Not important.”
“Where is Michael?”
Silence.
Then Hayes whispered:
“Your brother is closer than you think.”
The call ended.
A second later, Marcus received an alert.
May you like
Someone had entered the east wing.
And the security cameras showed a man carrying a newborn-sized hospital blanket.
