Chapter 5 - THE TRAP INSIDE THE TRUST
Kiora read the medical report three times.
Each time, the words remained the same.
She felt sick.
"Why would my father have this?"
Elias searched the remaining files.
"He must have been investigating Daniel's medical history."
"That's illegal."
"So was forging your signature."
Kiora pressed both hands against the table.
"My baby is Daniel's."
"I believe you."
"There has never been anyone else."
"I know."
She looked at him desperately.
"Then how?"
Elias didn't speculate.
"We verify the report."
They did.
The clinic confirmed its authenticity the following morning through legal counsel.
Daniel had never told Kiora.
But the procedure wasn't the real revelation.
Elias finally explained the trust.
Arthur Harrington had placed one unusual clause inside it.
If Kiora died before age thirty-five, control of the Harrington voting shares would pass to her biological child.
If no biological heir existed, the shares would transfer into a foundation.
Daniel would receive nothing.
Kiora stared at Elias.
"So he needs the baby to be declared illegitimate."
"Possibly."
"And if I..."
She couldn't finish.
Elias did.
"If something happened to you and Daniel successfully challenged the child's inheritance, neither of you would control the trust."
"Then who would?"
"The foundation."
Kiora frowned.
"That doesn't help Daniel."
"Unless he controls the foundation."
Elias turned the laptop.
A recently amended board document appeared.
Three new trustees had been proposed.
Richard Harrow.
Vanessa Harrow.
And Daniel Bennett.
Kiora felt cold.
"They've been planning this."
"For years."
Her phone rang.
Daniel.
She stared at the screen.
Elias shook his head.
"Don't answer."
Kiora surprised him.
She did.
"Hello?"
Daniel sounded relieved.
"Thank God."
"Where are you?"
"Home."
"I've been worried sick."
Kiora closed her eyes.
The lie came so easily.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes."
"The baby?"
"Fine."
Daniel exhaled.
"Come home."
Kiora looked at Elias.
He shook his head again.
She ignored him.
"Okay."
Elias stared at her.
Daniel's voice softened.
"We can fix this."
"What about Vanessa?"
"She's emotional."
"She hit me."
"She made a mistake."
"Why was she at the courthouse?"
Silence.
Daniel answered carefully.
"I don't know."
Kiora looked at the photograph of him beside Vanessa.
Another lie.
"I'll come home."
"I love you."
Kiora's throat tightened.
"I know."
She ended the call.
Elias stood.
"Absolutely not."
"I need him to think I know nothing."
"That's dangerous."
"So is running."
"Kiora."
"If Daniel believes I'm frightened and confused, he'll make mistakes."
Elias stared at her.
She sounded exactly like Arthur.
He hated that.
Because Arthur had been brilliant.
And Arthur had also ended up dead.
"You're not going alone."
"Fine."
They prepared carefully.
Kiora returned home that evening.
Daniel met her at the door.
He hugged her.
She almost recoiled.
Instead, she forced herself to remain still.
"I'm sorry."
He kissed her forehead.
"For everything."
Kiora looked past him.
A suitcase stood near the staircase.
"Whose is that?"
Daniel hesitated.
Then Vanessa walked out of the living room.
Kiora stared at her.
Vanessa smiled.
"I think it's time we stopped pretending."
Daniel stepped away from Kiora.
His face changed.
The loving husband disappeared.
"Sit down."
Kiora looked at him.
"No."
Daniel sighed.
"You always make everything difficult."
Vanessa placed a folder on the table.
"Sign."
Kiora didn't move.
"What's that?"
Daniel answered.
"A settlement."
"For what?"
"Our marriage."
Kiora stared at him.
"You want a divorce?"
"I want this finished."
Vanessa smiled.
Kiora looked between them.
"How long?"
Neither answered.
"How long have you been together?"
Vanessa laughed.
"Longer than you've known him."
Kiora's stomach turned.
Daniel glared at Vanessa.
"Enough."
But it was too late.
Kiora understood.
The photograph.
The secret meetings.
The forged document.
Vanessa hadn't entered Daniel's life after Kiora.
Kiora had entered theirs.
Daniel pushed the folder closer.
"Sign it."
"And if I don't?"
His eyes moved toward her stomach.
Only for a second.
But Kiora saw it.
So did the hidden camera Elias had placed inside the clasp of her purse.
Daniel smiled.
"Then things become complicated."
Kiora looked at him.
"What does that mean?"
Daniel leaned closer.
"It means tomorrow morning, my attorneys file a petition declaring you mentally unfit to manage your own estate."
Kiora's heart pounded.
Vanessa added casually.
"And we'll request temporary guardianship."
Kiora stared at her.
"Of me?"
Vanessa smiled.
"Of everything."
May you like
Then Daniel said the sentence that revealed just how far their plan went.
"Including the baby."
