Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
Grace refused to talk in the hospital.
She wanted the children transferred somewhere safer.
I agreed.
Within two hours, my private security team had secured an entire floor.
But security couldn't protect us from what was already inside our lives.
That afternoon, Grace finally told me everything.
Three years earlier, she had discovered she was pregnant.
Not with one baby.
Three.
She had wanted to tell me immediately.
But I had been away on a business trip.
When she returned home, my father had already visited her.
He knew.
"He told me you'd chosen your career over me," Grace said.
I stared at her.
"I never said that."
"I know."
"What else?"
"He showed me documents."
"What documents?"
"Emails."
My heart sank.
"What emails?"
"Messages supposedly written by you."
She pulled out her phone.
There were copies.
Messages telling Grace I didn't want children.
Messages saying I wanted a divorce.
Messages saying she was ruining my life.
I stared at them.
"They're fake."
"I know now."
"Why didn't you ask me?"
She looked at me.
"Because your father showed me something else."
"What?"
"A divorce agreement."
My stomach turned.
"You signed it?"
"No."
"But your signature was there."
"Forged."
She nodded.
"He convinced me you'd already decided to leave."
I remembered that period.
I had been overwhelmed.
My father had told me Grace wanted a divorce.
Grace had told me I didn't love her anymore.
We had argued constantly.
Everything suddenly made sense.
Someone had engineered our separation.
But why?
Grace continued.
"After I left, I gave birth."
"Where?"
"Indiana."
"Why?"
"Because your father had people watching Chicago."
I closed my eyes.
"You raised them alone?"
"I had help."
"From who?"
She hesitated.
"A woman named Nora."
"Who is Nora?"
"My former nurse."
"What happened to her?"
Grace looked away.
"She disappeared."
"When?"
"Six months ago."
My blood ran cold.
"Disappeared how?"
"She left her apartment one morning and never came back."
I stood.
"Did you report it?"
"Yes."
"Did anyone investigate?"
She laughed.
"No."
I knew why.
Someone powerful had made sure nobody looked.
Then Emma began coughing.
We rushed into her room.
Doctors surrounded her.
Her heart rate spiked.
I stood frozen.
Grace grabbed my hand.
"Don't leave me."
"I won't."
Emma stabilized after several terrifying minutes.
The cardiologist finally stepped outside.
"She needs surgery sooner than we expected."
"How soon?"
"Within days."
Grace's face crumpled.
"Can you do it?"
"We can."
"But?"
The doctor sighed.
"She's very small. The procedure is complex."
I looked at him.
"What are her chances?"
He hesitated.
"With surgery, we have a good possibility."
"And without?"
He didn't answer.
He didn't have to.
That night, I sat beside Emma.
She woke around midnight.
"Are you really my daddy?"
I nodded.
"Yes."
"Why didn't you come before?"
I swallowed.
"Because I didn't know."
She thought about it.
"Mommy said you were a good man."
I looked toward Grace.
"She did?"
Emma nodded.
"She said you were kind."
I smiled through tears.
"Your mommy is very kind."
Emma closed her eyes.
"Don't let the bad people take us."
My entire body went cold.
"What bad people?"
She was already asleep.
I looked at Grace.
She was standing in the doorway.
"She knows."
"Knows what?"
"She heard conversations."
"Between who?"
Grace whispered:
"Your father and his lawyer."
I stood.
"What conversations?"
Grace stared at me.
"They came to our house once."
"When?"
"After Emma was born."
"What did they say?"
Grace's face went pale.
"They said if Emma survived, your father would lose control."
I clenched my fists.
"Why?"
"Because your grandfather's trust would activate."
I turned toward the window.
"This was never about protecting the family."
"No."
Grace shook her head.
"It was about controlling the family."
A knock came at the door.
A nurse entered.
"Mr. Brooks?"
"Yes?"
"There's someone asking for you."
"Who?"
She handed me a card.
I read the name.
Nora Whitaker.
I looked at Grace.
Her mouth fell open.
"Nora?"
The nurse nodded.
"She's waiting downstairs."
We ran.
An elderly woman stood in the lobby wearing a dark coat and holding a cane.
She looked frightened.
Grace rushed toward her.
"Nora!"
The woman hugged her.
Then looked at me.
"You're Ryan."
"Yes."
Nora's eyes filled with tears.
"I've been trying to find you."
"Why?"
She reached into her bag.
"I found this."
She handed me an envelope.
It was addressed to me.
The handwriting was mine.
But I hadn't written it.
I opened it.
Inside was a single sentence.
Ryan, if you ever discover the children, do not trust your father.
I looked at Nora.
"Who wrote this?"
She shook her head.
"Your brother."
I stared at her.
"My brother is dead."
Nora's expression changed.
"No."
May you like
She whispered:
"He isn't."
