She Poured Orange Juice on Me in Front of Everyone—Then the Yacht Captain Answered My Call

Maya stared at Claire.

"Grant invited me because we're engaged."

Vivian gave a brittle laugh. "You actually believe that?"

Grant turned on her. "Mom."

Claire closed the safe.

"Maya, your father invested in Hawthorne Marine twenty-one years ago."

Maya shook her head. "My father was a mechanic."

"Your biological father," Claire said.

The room went silent.

Maya's breath caught.

Claire had adopted her when she was nine. They had talked about Maya's birth mother, who died young. Her father had always been a blank space: a name missing from forms, a face nobody discussed.

"You told me you didn't know who he was."

Claire's eyes softened. "I told you I couldn't prove who he was. That was true then."

"Then?"

Vivian snapped, "This is grotesque."

Claire ignored her. "His name was Daniel Cole. He wasn't a mechanic. He was a marine engineer and early partner in Hawthorne Marine Systems. He died before the company became what it is now."

Maya looked at Grant.

He looked stunned.

"You knew?" she asked.

"No."

She believed him. For once, she hated that she did.

Claire continued, "Daniel's ownership was supposed to pass to his child if one could be legally identified. The trust amendment was signed before his death."

Maya's heart started pounding.

"Me."

"Yes."

Vivian stepped between them. "There was never proof."

Claire looked at her. "There is now."

Brooke whispered, "Oh my God."

Maya felt the room tilt.

"How much?"

Claire hesitated.

That scared her.

"How much, Claire?"

"Enough to block a sale of the company. Enough to trigger a board review. Enough that the Hawthornes need your signature before Monday."