Chapter 7 - DIANE’S CONFESSION
Claire went to her parents’ house at 1:15 in the morning.
Maya came with her.
Robert opened the door.
He looked twenty years older than he had at the party.
“Claire.”
“Where’s Mom?”
“Upstairs.”
“Get her.”
“This can wait until morning.”
“No.”
Robert glanced at Maya.
“This is family business.”
Maya smiled without warmth.
“You turned it into legal business.”
Diane appeared at the top of the stairs.
She wore a robe.
Her eyes were swollen.
“Claire.”
Claire placed the notarized transfer on the entry table.
“Why were you there?”
Diane came downstairs slowly.
“I can explain.”
“Everybody keeps saying that.”
“Because you don’t understand the whole situation.”
“Then explain.”
Diane looked at Robert.
Robert said nothing.
That silence infuriated Claire more than yelling would have.
Diane sat down.
“Twelve years ago, Brooke came to us.”
Claire folded her arms.
“Pregnant.”
“Yes.”
“With Julian’s child.”
Diane nodded.
“And you decided I didn’t need to know.”
“Julian said it happened once.”
Claire laughed.
“He lied.”
“I know that now.”
“No. You knew enough then.”
Diane’s eyes filled.
“You were happy.”
“That was your excuse?”
“You had finally stopped worrying about everything. Your career was taking off. You loved him.”
“So you protected my happiness by making it fake?”
Diane flinched.
Robert interrupted.
“We thought the affair was over.”
Claire turned.
“You signed the competency statement.”
Robert’s face tightened.
“Your behavior has changed.”
“My behavior changed because my family is stealing from me.”
“You’ve always been difficult under pressure.”
Maya stepped forward.
“Be careful, Mr. Bennett.”
Robert ignored her.
Claire looked at her mother.
“The forged transfer.”
Diane stared at her hands.
“Julian said it was temporary.”
“What?”
“He said the company needed to secure financing.”
“You watched someone forge my signature.”
“I thought Robert had approved it.”
Claire looked at her father.
Robert looked away.
That was enough.
“You all did.”
Nobody answered.
Claire whispered, “You all decided my life belonged to you.”
Diane suddenly stood.
“No.”
For the first time, anger entered her voice.
“You don’t understand what your grandmother did.”
Claire paused.
“What does Grandma have to do with this?”
Robert snapped.
“Diane.”
“No. She deserves to know.”
Robert stepped toward his wife.
“Not tonight.”
Claire moved between them.
“Know what?”
Diane’s face crumpled.
“Margaret knew about Julian.”
Claire stared.
Her grandmother had died eight years ago.
“She knew about the affair?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“She found them together.”
Claire felt dizzy.
“When?”
“Ethan was a baby.”
“And she never told me?”
Diane shook her head.
“She confronted Julian.”
Claire whispered, “Why didn’t she tell me?”
“Because she was afraid of what Robert would do.”
Claire looked at her father.
“What would Dad do?”
Diane began crying.
“Your grandmother changed the family trust after she found out.”
Robert slammed his hand against the table.
“Enough!”
Everyone went silent.
Claire looked at him.
“What did she change?”
Robert’s face was pale.
Diane whispered, “She made sure Julian could never control the company through you.”
Claire frowned.
“But the documents say—”
“The documents are trying to undo what she did.”
Claire stepped closer.
“What exactly did Grandma do?”
Diane looked toward Robert.
Then back at Claire.
“She left a sealed amendment.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
Robert suddenly grabbed his coat.
Claire blocked the door.
“Where are you going?”
“Move.”
“No.”
He looked at her with open anger.
Then Diane said quietly, “He knows where it is.”
Robert froze.
Claire felt the room change.
May you like
Diane pointed toward him.
“Your father has been looking for that amendment for eight years.”
