Rebecca
Chapter 06 - Rebecca
Rebecca returned that evening.
Claire had imagined Andrew’s first wife a thousand different ways during the drive.
Angry.
Jealous.
Dangerous.
Instead, Rebecca looked exhausted.
She stopped when she saw Claire.
Neither woman spoke.
Finally Rebecca said:
“I’m sorry.”
Claire laughed bitterly.
“I’ve heard that a lot lately.”
Rebecca sat down.
She told Claire everything.
Andrew had wanted to reveal the truth after Lily was born.
Rebecca stopped him.
Charles still controlled powerful people.
Attorneys.
Bankers.
Local officials.
Rebecca believed remaining hidden was safer.
Then Andrew discovered stronger evidence.
He planned to go to federal investigators.
Three days later, his car crashed.
Police called it an accident.
Claire’s stomach tightened.
“You think Charles killed him.”
Rebecca looked at her.
“I don’t know.”
That answer frightened Claire more than certainty.
Samuel entered holding Lily’s hand.
The two children had spent hours talking.
Lily looked at Claire.
“Mommy, Samuel is my brother.”
Claire smiled through tears.
“Yes.”
Lily looked delighted.
Samuel did too.
And suddenly Claire understood something.
Whatever Andrew had done wrong, the children had done nothing.
They had already lost enough years.
Claire looked at Rebecca.
“What do we do now?”
Rebecca stared at her.
“You go home.”
“No.”
“Claire—”
“No more women running because men made dangerous choices.”
Rebecca looked surprised.
Claire continued.
“Andrew lied because he thought he was protecting me.”
May you like
She looked at Samuel and Lily.
“I’m done letting fear make decisions for this family.”
