Chapter 11 - Emma’s Secret
William shut the nursery door.
“You had better start talking.”
Emma nodded.
“My real name is Emily Harper. Rachel was my older sister. After she died, I became convinced the crash wasn’t an accident. I tried to investigate Arthur Sterling, but I had no money, no access, and no proof.”
“So you came here under a fake name.”
“Years ago. I worked nights. That’s when I met Claire.”
Eleanor’s mouth tightened. “Claire should have fired you.”
“She trusted me.”
William turned to his mother. “Be quiet.”
Emma continued. “Claire found me reading old foundation files. I told her why. I expected her to call the police. Instead she started helping me.”
“Why didn’t either of you tell me?”
“Because Claire didn’t know who you would believe.”
William flinched.
Emma did too.
“She loved you,” Emma said quickly. “But your father was dead. Your mother controlled the household. Marcus controlled the foundation. And Isabella had already started appearing at donor events.”
William stared at her. “Isabella knew Claire?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“She approached Claire first. She said she wanted justice for Rachel.”
“And Claire believed her?”
“At first.”
“What changed?”
Emma looked toward Charlotte.
“Isabella didn’t want justice. She wanted leverage.”
Eleanor gave a bitter smile. “Finally, something true.”
Emma ignored her. “She discovered Arthur’s old network and realized how much money was still hidden. She wanted it. She thought if she controlled the evidence, she could control everyone connected to it.”
William felt anger rise. “Including me.”
“Yes.”
He remembered Isabella entering his life after Claire’s death. The sympathy. The patience. The way she never pushed too quickly.
It had all felt natural.
Maybe none of it was.
Charlotte tugged his sleeve. “Daddy.”
“What is it?”
She held up the rabbit.
Something hard shifted inside its head.
William carefully opened a second hidden seam near the neck.
A tiny flash drive dropped into his hand.
Eleanor lunged for it.
Daniel caught her wrist.
William stepped back.
His mother’s mask vanished completely.
“Do not plug that in,” she hissed.
May you like
William stared at her.
“Now I absolutely will.”
