Chapter 5 - Claire’s Birth Certificate Was Altered
Claire laughed.
Not because anything was funny.
Because her mind had reached its limit.
“Of course.”
Daniel watched her carefully.
“Claire.”
“First I’m the maid. Then I’m worth sixty million dollars. Now
apparently I’m not my mother’s daughter.”
Richard said, “You are Eleanor’s daughter.”
Claire turned.
“You’ve lied about everything else.”
“I am not lying about this.”
“Then who challenged it?”
Richard looked at Samuel.
Samuel answered.
“Victoria.”
Claire stared.
“My stepmother?”
“She filed a confidential challenge three years ago.”
“Why?”
Samuel hesitated.
“To redirect the trust to Eleanor’s nearest qualifying blood relative.”
“Who?”
“Eleanor’s sister, Catherine.”
Claire frowned.
“My mother didn’t have a sister.”
Richard muttered, “She did.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Another erased relative.
“Where is Catherine?”
“No one knows.”
Samuel continued.
“Victoria submitted documents claiming Eleanor adopted you privately as
an infant.”
Claire looked at Richard.
“Did she?”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“I was there when you were born.”
“Where?”
Richard hesitated.
Daniel noticed.
“Richard.”
“A private clinic in Vermont.”
Claire frowned.
“I thought I was born in Boston.”
“That’s what your birth certificate says.”
Samuel removed a copy.
“It was amended when Claire was six months old.”
Claire looked at him.
“Why?”
Richard’s face tightened.
“Because Eleanor wanted privacy.”
“From whom?”
No answer.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Who was Catherine?”
Richard looked at him.
“Eleanor’s younger sister.”
“What happened to her?”
“She disappeared.”
“When?”
“Two months before Claire was born.”
Claire’s skin prickled.
Daniel asked the obvious question.
“Was Catherine pregnant?”
Richard said nothing.
Claire stared.
“Oh my God.”
Samuel looked sick.
Richard finally answered.
“Yes.”
Claire sat down.
“You think Catherine was my mother.”
“No.”
“But Victoria does.”
“Victoria believes whatever benefits Victoria.”
Claire looked at Daniel.
“Why would Mom raise me as hers?”
Richard snapped, “Because you were hers.”
“Then prove it.”
Richard stopped.
Claire realized he could not.
Daniel crouched beside her.
“We can get a DNA test.”
“With who? Mom is dead.”
Samuel spoke.
“Eleanor’s medical center may retain pathology samples from her cancer
treatment.”
Claire looked at him.
“Enough for DNA?”
“Possibly.”
Richard suddenly seemed afraid.
Claire noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You don’t want me tested.”
“I know the truth.”
“Then the test should help you.”
Richard’s silence answered.
Daniel stood.
“What happened in Vermont?”
Richard turned toward the door.
Claire blocked him.
For years she had stepped aside whenever her father approached.
Not today.
“Tell me.”
Richard’s eyes filled with something she had rarely seen.
Not anger.
Guilt.
“Eleanor could not have children.”
Claire stared.
“What?”
“She had been told since college.”
Claire felt the floor disappear beneath her.
“Then I’m not hers.”
Richard grabbed her shoulders.
“You were hers in every way that mattered.”
Claire pulled away.
“Whose baby was I?”
Richard whispered, “Catherine’s.”
Silence.
“Why did Catherine give me up?”
“She didn’t.”
Claire’s breath caught.
“What does that mean?”
Richard looked toward Daniel.
Then Samuel.
Finally back to Claire.
“She vanished after giving birth.”
“Vanished?”
“We searched.”
“Police?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because Catherine was involved with someone dangerous.”
“Who?”
Richard’s face hardened.
“I never knew his real name.”
Claire laughed bitterly.
“Convenient.”
“It’s true.”
Samuel stepped forward.
“Richard, tell her about the note.”
Claire turned.
“What note?”
Richard glared at Samuel.
Samuel ignored him.
“Catherine left a note asking Eleanor to protect the baby.”
“Where is it?”
Richard said nothing.
Samuel’s voice dropped.
“Robert Whitmore had it.”
Daniel stared.
“My father again.”
Claire looked at Daniel.
The Whitmores were tied to every missing piece.
“Where are your father’s private papers?”
Daniel answered immediately.
“In our family archive.”
“Where?”
“Boston.”
Claire stood.
“Then we’re going to Boston.”
Richard grabbed her arm.
“No.”
Claire looked down at his hand.
Richard released her.
“Catherine disappeared for a reason.”
“So did my money.”
“This is different.”
“How?”
Richard’s voice dropped.
“Because if Catherine is alive, finding her could put you in danger.”
Claire stared at him.
“You’ve treated me like a servant for eleven years and now you’re
worried about my safety?”
Pain crossed his face.
“You think I made you invisible because I hated you.”
Claire said nothing.
Richard continued.
“I made you invisible because someone was looking for Catherine’s
daughter.”
Daniel frowned.
“Who?”
May you like
Richard looked at Claire.
“The man who killed Catherine.”
