Chapter 15 - Megan’s Secret
Claire called Megan immediately.
Her sister answered on the first ring.
“Tell me this is fake.”
Megan was silent.
“Megan.”
“I was going to tell you.”
“When? After you testified for the man who tried to take my child?”
“I’m not testifying for him.”
“His lawyer listed you as a witness.”
“Because they subpoenaed me.”
Claire’s anger faltered. “For what?”
Megan exhaled. “Three years ago, you came to my house after a fight with Grant. You said you were done. You said you wanted to take Lily and disappear for a while.”
Claire remembered.
Grant had smashed a lamp during an argument, then spent two days apologizing. Claire had told everyone it was an accident.
“I was scared,” Claire said.
“I know. But Grant recorded part of our conversation from your phone.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Megan continued, “They’re going to make it sound like you planned to abduct Lily.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“I know. But there’s more.”
“What?”
Megan’s voice dropped. “I knew about Vanessa.”
Claire went still.
“For how long?”
“Eight months.”
The answer hurt more than Claire expected.
“You knew.”
“I saw them at a restaurant. I confronted Grant. He told me if I told you, he would destroy Dad’s company with information he had from the trust.”
“And you believed him?”
“I saw the documents.”
Claire’s throat tightened. “So you protected Dad by letting me live with a man who was lying to me.”
“I made the wrong choice.”
Claire looked out the hospital window.
“Everybody keeps saying that after the damage is done.”
Megan began crying. “I’m sorry.”
Claire did not answer.
An hour later, Nina Patel returned.
“We found something useful,” she said.
“What?”
“The recording Grant plans to use.”
Claire frowned. “How?”
“It was included in discovery.”
Nina played the clip.
Claire’s voice came through first: I want to take Lily and go somewhere he can’t find us.
Then the recording cut.
Nina tapped the screen.
“That cut matters. Because the original file continues.”
She pressed play again.
Megan’s voice followed:
Then we call the police, Claire. You don’t run. You document everything.
And Claire answered:
I know. I’m just scared he’s going to hurt me.
Nina smiled without warmth.
“Grant edited the recording.”
Claire stared at her.
May you like
“And now,” Nina said, “we can prove it.”
SOFT PINK
