Chapter 10 - THE LAST BETRAYAL OF CHARLES COLE
Nathan didn't speak for hours.
Grace found him sitting outside Rebecca's room.
She sat beside him.
“He knew.”
Grace nodded.
“My father knew she was alive.”
“Yes.”
“He let me mourn her for twenty-seven years.”
Grace didn't defend Charles.
Nathan appreciated that.
Finally Grace said, “Why?”
Nathan showed her another recording.
Charles had explained it.
Rebecca suffered brain injuries after the attack.
Richard threatened to finish killing her if Charles ever brought her home.
Charles chose secrecy.
Again.
Always secrecy.
Always fear disguised as protection.
Nathan laughed bitterly.
“He loved us by lying to us.”
Grace looked at him.
“Then don't love Lily that way.”
Nathan turned.
Grace continued.
“When she's old enough, tell her the truth.”
“Even the ugly parts.”
“Especially those.”
Nathan nodded.
Rebecca slowly recovered fragments of memory.
Enough to identify Richard.
Enough to confirm Daniel had found her.
Daniel had visited Rebecca shortly before his death.
He promised to bring Nathan to her.
Richard discovered the plan.
Daniel died three days later.
That testimony completed the murder case.
Richard Sterling would never walk free again.
But Victoria still wanted to speak with Nathan.
He almost refused.
Grace told him to go.
“Why?”
“Because otherwise you'll spend years wondering what she wanted to say.”
Nathan visited the detention center.
Victoria looked different.
No makeup.
No diamonds.
No confidence.
She sat across from him.
“I loved you.”
Nathan said nothing.
“I know you don't believe me.”
“I believe you loved what I represented.”
Victoria's eyes filled.
“Maybe.”
Nathan waited.
She continued.
“My mother raised me to believe losing was the worst thing that could happen.”
“She was wrong.”
Nathan stared at her.
“What was worse?”
Victoria looked down.
“Becoming her.”
For once, Nathan believed her.
Victoria told him where Eleanor had stored additional evidence.
Then she apologized.
Not elegantly.
Not dramatically.
She simply said, “I hurt Grace.”
“I almost hurt Lily.”
“There isn't an excuse.”
Nathan nodded.
“No.”
“There isn't.”
Victoria looked at him.
“Will you ever forgive me?”
“I don't know.”
He stood.
“But forgiveness isn't something you get to ask me for.”
“You ask Grace.”
Nathan left.
Outside, Grace waited with Lily.
Lily ran toward him.
“Daddy!”
Nathan picked her up.
His ribs still hurt.
He didn't care.
“Did you miss me?”
Lily nodded dramatically.
“For a hundred years.”
“I was gone forty minutes.”
“Same thing.”
Grace laughed.
Nathan looked at her.
For the first time, the future didn't feel like something other people had designed for him.
Then Michael called.
Cole Industries had entered emergency restructuring.
Nathan would lose the company.
The estate.
Most of his remaining wealth.
Grace watched his face.
“What?”
Nathan put the phone away.
“I think I'm unemployed.”
Grace stared at him.
Then she laughed.
Nathan started laughing too.
Lily frowned.
“Are we poor?”
Nathan looked at her.
“Not exactly.”
“Can we still get ice cream?”
“Yes.”
Lily shrugged.
“Then we're okay.”
Nathan stared at his daughter.
May you like
Five years old.
And somehow wiser than three generations of billionaires.
