The Mother Who Knew
Chapter 03 - The Mother Who Knew
Victoria Hale had always been elegant.
Even now, at sixty-four, she stood perfectly straight in a silver designer gown, her expression controlled while everyone else watched the family collapse.
Nathan crossed the lawn.
“Did you know?”
Victoria did not answer.
His voice rose.
“Mother.”
Madeline followed him.
Claire remained with the boys several feet away.
Victoria looked toward the children.
Something flickered across her face.
Recognition.
That was enough.
Nathan saw it.
“You knew.”
“Nathan, this is neither the time nor the place.”
“You knew I had sons?”
Victoria lowered her voice.
“I knew Claire claimed the children were yours.”
Claire stepped forward.
“Claimed?”
Victoria finally looked at her.
“You disappeared before a proper paternity test could be completed.”
Claire almost laughed.
“You sent your attorneys to my apartment.”
“I protected my family.”
“You threatened mine.”
Nathan turned sharply.
“What attorneys?”
Claire stared at him.
“You really don’t know.”
It was no longer a question.
Six years earlier, two attorneys representing Hale International had arrived at Claire’s apartment days after she brought the triplets home.
They offered money.
A great deal of money.
In return, Claire would sign a confidentiality agreement, withdraw any financial claim against Nathan, and never contact him again.
Claire refused.
Three days later, she lost her job at a hotel owned by the Hale family.
Two weeks later, her lease was suddenly terminated.
Then came a letter.
Nathan does not wish to have a relationship with you or the children.
It carried the signature of Nathan Hale.
Nathan read the copy Claire had saved.
His eyes stopped on the bottom of the page.
“That isn’t my signature.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
Madeline whispered, “Oh my God.”
Nathan looked at his mother.
“What did you do?”
Victoria finally lost some of her composure.
“I saved your future.”
Nathan turned toward the three little boys standing beneath the white roses.
Six birthdays.
Six Christmas mornings.
Six years of first words, scraped knees, fevers, laughter and bedtime stories.
All gone.
Because someone had decided his future mattered more than their childhood.
Then Ethan looked at Claire.
“Mommy?”
Claire knelt.
“Yes, baby?”
“Can we go home now?”
May you like
Nathan heard him.
And for the first time that day, the groom began to cry.
