Chapter 5 - THE CLAUSE IN THE WILL
Daniel spent the night reading his father's old documents.
By sunrise, he had found it.
A clause buried inside a trust agreement.
If Daniel married before his thirty-ninth birthday, he would gain full control of Harden Enterprises.
But there was another condition.
His father's handwritten amendment stated:
Daniel must have no recognized biological heirs outside the Harden family trust.
Daniel read the sentence three times.
Then he understood.
His father hadn't simply wanted Rachel gone.
He wanted the twins erased.
Because if Daniel discovered them before the wedding, the inheritance structure could collapse.
Rachel sat across from him.
“So your father knew.”
“Yes.”
“And he deliberately kept you from us.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Daniel looked at the document.
“Because my father believed anyone I loved could be used against me.”
Rachel laughed without humor.
“He thought I was a weakness.”
Daniel looked up.
“He was wrong.”
She didn't answer.
Daniel slid another document toward her.
“This is worse.”
Rachel read it.
Her face went pale.
It was an agreement signed by Richard Vale.
Eight years earlier.
It stated that Rachel Monroe had voluntarily surrendered all claims against Harden Enterprises and agreed never to contact Daniel Harden again.
Rachel stared.
“I never signed this.”
“I know.”
Daniel's voice was cold.
“It was forged.”
Rachel looked at him.
“Then why did you believe I abandoned you?”
Daniel's eyes dropped.
“Because Richard showed me another document.”
“What document?”
“A resignation letter.”
Rachel remembered.
The resignation email.
Daniel had seen it.
She had written:
I can't continue working here. Please accept my resignation effective immediately.
Richard had presented it as proof that Rachel had left because she wanted nothing to do with Daniel.
Daniel had believed him.
Rachel whispered:
“I was pregnant.”
“I know.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You don't know.”
She stood.
“I wasn't pregnant with one baby.”
Daniel looked at her.
“I was pregnant with twins.”
His eyes widened.
“You knew?”
“The doctor told me at eight weeks.”
Rachel's voice broke.
“I was terrified.”
Daniel stood.
“Why didn't you come back?”
“Because I thought you chose the company.”
“I would have chosen you.”
“You don't know that.”
“I do.”
Rachel looked away.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Rachel, I loved you.”
She closed her eyes.
“Past tense?”
“No.”
Silence.
“I never stopped.”
Rachel turned.
“You're getting married tomorrow.”
Daniel froze.
Amanda's wedding was the next morning.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Daniel said:
“I'm not.”
Rachel stared.
“What?”
“I won't marry Amanda.”
“You can't cancel a billion-dollar wedding because you discovered you have daughters.”
“No.”
May you like
He looked directly into her eyes.
“I'll cancel it because I realized I've been living someone else's life.”
