Chapter 12 - The Marriage They Planned

My first reaction was anger.

"What does that even mean?"

Margaret looked at Gideon, then Charles, then me.

Gideon answered.

"Your marriage was arranged."

Ethan stepped in front of me.

"No."

Gideon smiled.

"You think you met by accident?"

We had met at a charity gala in Boston.

He spilled champagne on my dress.

I called him arrogant.

He bought me coffee the next morning.

It had become one of our favorite stories.

Now every memory felt contaminated.

Gideon continued.

"The gala invitation came from the Cole Foundation."

Margaret whispered, "Stop."

"Claire was on the guest list because Linda was."

I looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because we needed to know what Linda had."

Ethan stared at his mother.

"You used me?"

Margaret cried, "I didn't know you'd fall in love with her."

That was not a denial.

My knees went weak.

Ethan looked at me.

"Claire—"

I backed away.

Not because he had done it knowingly.

Because suddenly our entire beginning belonged to people I hated.

Gideon seemed pleased.

He wanted fracture.

Victor saw it.

"He's trying to separate you."

"He's telling the truth," Margaret said.

That hurt more.

Charles lifted the gun.

"The folder."

I looked down at it.

Then opened it.

Names.

Dates.

Patient numbers.

Doctors.

Payments.

Photographs.

Thirty years of crimes.

And clipped to the back page—

My wedding photograph.

A red circle around my face.

Under it:

LINDA PARKER - CONTROL THROUGH DAUGHTER.

I stopped breathing.

My marriage had been used as leverage against my mother.

Ethan saw the note.

His face broke.

"Oh God."

Gideon said, "Give me the folder."

I tore out the wedding photograph.

Then held the rest over a candle.

Charles shouted, "Don't!"

I smiled.

For the first time that night, I understood something.

They did not know I had already photographed every page while they were arguing.

My phone had uploaded them automatically.

I let the corner of the folder catch fire.

Gideon lunged.

Ethan tackled him.

The gun went off.

Stained glass exploded.

Victor hit Charles from the side.

Margaret screamed.

I dropped the burning folder and kicked it away.

Police rushed the chapel.

Charles fired again.

Then froze.

His gun clicked empty.

Within seconds, both men were on the floor.

Handcuffed.

I thought it was over.

Then Gideon started laughing.

Victor grabbed his coat.

"What's funny?"

Gideon looked at me.

"The folder was bait."

My stomach dropped.

"What?"

"The real evidence isn't in that house."

"Then where?"

He smiled.

"Ask Ethan."

Every eye turned toward my husband.

Ethan looked confused.

"I don't know what he's talking about."

Gideon tilted his head.

"Check the company you inherited when you turned thirty."

Ethan went pale.

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"What company?"

And I realized he knew exactly what Gideon meant.