Chapter 3 - THE LETTER DELILAH LEFT BEHIND
Hudson found his mother's claim impossible to ignore.
By midnight, Foxbridge Manor was silent again.
But this silence felt different.
Heavy.
Watching.
The babies were sleeping upstairs.
Naomi sat outside the nursery, refusing to leave until all five girls were completely settled.
Hudson stood at the end of the hallway.
He had spent the last hour thinking about what Vivian had said.
A letter.
From Delilah.
Why had his wife written something?
Why had she never told him?
And why had Vivian waited a year to mention it?
Hudson walked downstairs.
Vivian was already there.
She stood beside the fireplace in a black designer coat, holding a cream-colored envelope.
"You're late," she said.
"This is my house."
"And yet you still seem like a stranger in it."
Hudson ignored the insult.
"Give me the letter."
Vivian held it out.
He didn't take it.
"Where did you find it?"
"In Delilah's bedroom."
"Where exactly?"
"Inside an old jewelry box."
"Why were you searching her room?"
Vivian's face hardened.
"I was looking for family documents."
"You were trespassing."
"I am their grandmother."
"They are my daughters."
"And what kind of father are you?"
Hudson's eyes narrowed.
"Don't."
"You abandoned them."
"Enough."
"You barely looked at them."
"I said enough."
Vivian smiled coldly.
"Then open the letter."
Hudson took it.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
Delilah.
His hands trembled.
He opened the envelope.
One sheet.
Only a few lines.
Hudson,
If you're reading this, then something has happened to me that I feared might happen.
Please listen carefully.
Do not let my mother-in-law take control of the girls.
And whatever you do...
Trust Naomi.
Hudson stopped breathing.
He read it again.
Trust Naomi.
His eyes moved toward the staircase.
Vivian watched him.
"Interesting, isn't it?"
Hudson looked up.
"Why would Delilah tell me to trust Naomi?"
"I was hoping you'd ask."
"What aren't you telling me?"
Vivian's expression became unreadable.
"Ask the maid."
Hudson walked toward the stairs.
Vivian called after him.
"Son."
He stopped.
"Your wife was afraid."
He turned.
"Afraid of what?"
Vivian smiled.
"Ask Naomi."
Hudson found Naomi in the nursery.
She was sitting beside Evelyn's crib.
Her eyes were closed.
But she wasn't sleeping.
She opened them when he entered.
"Mr. Vale."
"Don't call me that."
She blinked.
"Then what should I call you?"
"Hudson."
Naomi looked uncomfortable.
"Okay."
He held up the letter.
"Delilah wrote this."
Naomi went completely still.
"You knew?"
"No."
"Don't lie."
Naomi's eyes filled with tears.
"I didn't know she wrote you something."
"But she told me to trust you."
Naomi looked down.
Hudson waited.
Finally, she whispered:
"She trusted me."
"Why?"
"Because she had no one else."
"Explain."
Naomi wiped her eyes.
"Your wife was scared."
"Of my mother?"
"Not only her."
Hudson stepped closer.
"Who?"
Naomi shook her head.
"I can't."
"Can't or won't?"
"I promised."
"To Delilah?"
"Yes."
Hudson stared.
"What did you promise?"
"That I'd protect the girls."
The words hit him hard.
"And you did."
Naomi nodded.
"Every day."
Hudson looked toward the cribs.
"Tell me everything."
"I can't."
"You can."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because the person who hurt your wife is still here."
Hudson's blood ran cold.
"Who?"
Naomi looked toward the nursery door.
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"I know someone was threatening her."
"Who?"
"She never told me."
"Then how do you know?"
"Because I saw the messages."
"What messages?"
Naomi hesitated.
"Someone kept sending her photographs."
"Of what?"
"The babies."
Hudson's face changed.
"Photographs?"
"Before they were born."
He stared at her.
"That's impossible."
"That's what I thought."
"How did they have pictures?"
"I don't know."
Hudson's mind raced.
"Where are those photographs?"
Naomi's lips parted.
"I gave them to Delilah."
"Where are they now?"
"I don't know."
Hudson's phone buzzed.
Richard.
Hudson answered.
"Yes?"
"Sir, you need to come downstairs."
"Why?"
"There's been a break-in."
Hudson immediately looked at Naomi.
"Where?"
"The office."
They rushed downstairs.
A window had been shattered.
Hudson's safe was open.
Richard stood beside it.
"Nothing valuable was taken."
Hudson stared.
"Then what was stolen?"
Richard swallowed.
"One file."
"What file?"
"Your wife's medical records."
Hudson's stomach dropped.
Naomi whispered:
"Oh God."
Hudson turned toward her.
"You knew."
"I didn't."
"You knew someone wanted those records."
Naomi shook her head.
"No."
Richard looked at Hudson.
"Sir, there's something else."
"What?"
"We found this."
He held up a small black envelope.
Hudson opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Five newborn babies.
Taken inside the hospital.
On the back, six words had been written.
One of them isn't Delilah's.
Hudson stared.
Naomi covered her mouth.
Richard whispered, "Sir..."
Hudson looked at the five sleeping girls upstairs.
For the first time since their birth, a terrifying thought entered his mind.
What if the five babies weren't all his?
The next morning, Hudson ordered DNA tests.
Every one of them.
Naomi tried to stop him.
"Please."
"Why?"
"Because whoever sent that photograph wants you frightened."
"I'm already frightened."
"That's exactly what they want."
Hudson stared at her.
"You keep protecting people."
"Someone has to."
"What does that mean?"
Naomi looked away.
"Nothing."
Hudson stepped closer.
"Naomi, I am done being lied to."
Before she could answer, Vivian entered.
"I can explain."
Hudson turned.
"You?"
Vivian looked at the photograph.
Her face changed.
"You found it."
"You knew?"
"I suspected."
"How long?"
Vivian didn't answer.
Hudson's voice became dangerously calm.
"How long?"
"Since the hospital."
Hudson stared at his mother.
"You knew there was a question about my daughters' parentage and you said nothing?"
"I was protecting you."
"No."
He stepped closer.
"You were controlling me."
Vivian's eyes hardened.
"You don't understand what happened."
"Then explain it."
"I can't."
"Everyone in this house keeps saying that."
Vivian looked toward Naomi.
"Except her."
Naomi went pale.
Hudson turned.
"What is she talking about?"
Vivian smiled.
"Ask Naomi who the father of those babies really is."
The room fell silent.
Hudson looked at Naomi.
Naomi's eyes filled with tears.
And then she whispered:
"I know who their father is."
Hudson's heart stopped.
"Who?"
May you like
Naomi looked directly into his eyes.
"Your brother."
