Chapter 9 - Claire Returns to Harbor House
Claire agreed to return.
Not to the Bennett mansion.
Not to Ethan’s office.
To Harbor House.
The waterfront property had been converted into a private event venue.
Claire stood on the porch overlooking the bay.
Margaret arrived separately.
For several seconds, the two women simply looked at each other.
Margaret spoke first.
“I’m sorry.”
Claire nodded.
“I know.”
Margaret cried.
“I was awful to you.”
“Yes.”
“I believed Robert when he said you abandoned everything.”
“You wanted to believe him.”
Margaret lowered her eyes.
“Yes.”
Claire did not forgive her on command.
She did not attack her either.
Then Ethan arrived.
Claire studied him.
“You have Robert’s eyes.”
Ethan did not know whether that was a compliment.
Claire smiled faintly.
“It wasn’t.”
He laughed despite himself.
The tension broke for one second.
Claire explained she did not want Bennett Development.
She wanted a complete accounting of what Robert diverted from her.
She wanted Harbor House title corrected.
And she wanted the historical record fixed.
“I was not dead,” she said. “I did not abandon my property. And I did
not disappear because I was unstable.”
Ethan nodded.
“You’ll get that.”
Claire looked at him.
“You can’t promise what an audit hasn’t established.”
He realized she was right.
Another family habit.
Promising outcomes before facts.
“Then we’ll find out what the records show.”
May you like
Claire smiled.
“Better.”
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