Chapter 6 - Vanessa Met Claire Before the Restaurant
Vanessa found Claire in Maine.
She was sixty-one and living under her original surname, Collins.
Claire had built a quiet life.
She never remarried.
She knew Robert had died.
She knew Ethan existed.
That shocked him.
“She knew about me?”
“Yes.”
“Did she know I inherited the company?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t she come back?”
Vanessa answered carefully.
Claire had tried once.
Seventeen years earlier, she contacted Robert through an attorney.
Robert responded with a settlement offer and a threat to accuse her of
financial misconduct.
Claire withdrew.
The attorney who handled Robert’s response was Richard.
Richard looked sick.
“I never knew she was behind that inquiry.”
Claire used an intermediary.
Richard believed he was responding to a hostile ownership claim.
The family had built so many layers of secrecy that people harmed one
another without even knowing whom they were harming.
Vanessa met Claire because Harbor House title records led to her.
Claire agreed to sign documents confirming her identity and beneficial
ownership.
Vanessa signed as witnessing attorney.
That was the paper Margaret found.
Ethan looked at his wife.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Vanessa’s answer was painfully simple.
“Because Claire asked me for forty-eight hours.”
“And you agreed?”
“Yes.”
“Then why meet me for lunch like nothing was happening?”
Vanessa looked down.
“I was going to tell you tonight.”
Margaret laughed once.
The same sentence families used before every secret exploded.
May you like
Ethan did not laugh.
He had heard enough delayed truth for one day.
