Chapter 3 - Harold Knows Sophia’s Mother
Harold Bennett had spent forty years as an estate attorney.
More specifically, he had represented the Whitmore family.
Vanessa’s family.
When Sophia told him her maiden name, his expression tightened.
“Sophia Marlowe?”
“Yes.”
“Your mother was Elena Marlowe?”
Sophia stopped breathing.
“Yes.”
Vanessa stepped forward.
“This is ridiculous.”
Harold ignored her.
“I knew your mother.”
Adrian looked at Sophia.
She had rarely spoken about Elena.
Elena died when Sophia was nineteen after years of working multiple
jobs.
She had never been wealthy.
Never lived near people like Vanessa.
Never owned designer jewelry.
But Harold said Elena had once spent summers at the Whitmore lake
estate.
Not as staff.
As family.
Sophia shook her head.
“That’s impossible.”
Harold looked toward Vanessa.
“No. What’s impossible is that nobody told her.”
Vanessa’s jaw tightened.
Tyler muttered:
“Vanessa, don’t.”
That was enough.
Adrian heard it.
“You knew too?”
Tyler looked away.
The humiliation had never begun with champagne.
May you like
It had begun years earlier with a family secret Sophia never knew
existed.
