Chapter 6 - THE NIGHT LILY WAS BORN
Grace finally told Nathan everything about Lily's birth.
She had gone into labor three weeks early.
She was alone.
At 2:00 a.m., a hospital social worker entered her room with questions that made no sense.
Did Grace hear voices?
Had she ever threatened self-harm?
Was the baby's father dangerous?
Did Grace have stable housing?
By sunrise, a lawyer arrived.
Martin Hale.
He told Grace Charles Cole had filed for emergency protective review because an anonymous source claimed Grace planned to sell information about the Cole family.
"I was twenty-seven and terrified," Grace said.
Nathan's jaw clenched.
"What happened?"
"A nurse helped me."
"Who?"
"Denise Ward."
Denise had noticed inconsistencies in the paperwork.
She delayed the social worker.
She called Grace's cousin.
She helped Grace leave through a private discharge process once doctors cleared Lily.
Then Grace disappeared.
Nathan asked, "Where is Denise now?"
Grace looked down.
"She died two years ago."
"How?"
"Car accident."
Owen immediately searched.
Denise Ward died after her brakes failed on a mountain road.
The report called it mechanical failure.
No criminal investigation.
Nathan looked at Grace.
"Do you think my father had her killed?"
"I don't know."
"But you thought it."
Grace nodded.
That fear was why she stayed gone.
Then something unexpected happened.
Denise's daughter, Camille, contacted Grace after seeing news reports about the estate incident.
She had a box her mother left behind.
"Mom told me if anything ever happened to her, I should give this to Grace Bennett."
Inside were copies of Lily's original hospital records.
And an audio recorder.
Nathan pressed play.
Charles Cole's voice filled the room.
"If Grace Bennett leaves this hospital with that child, every person who helps her becomes responsible for what happens next."
Martin Hale answered.
"We can still get a judge tonight."
Then a woman's voice.
Eleanor Ashford.
"Do it quietly. Victoria's future cannot be complicated by some waitress and a baby."
Grace covered her mouth.
Nathan stared at the recorder.
Victoria's family had been planning her place beside Nathan five years before the engagement.
The recording continued.
Charles said, "If the child survives long enough to become a legal problem, we use Robert's sample."
Nathan felt his skin crawl.
If the child survives.
He stood.
"I'm going public."
Owen said, "With what?"
"Everything."
Grace grabbed his arm.
"If you expose the company, thousands of employees could lose jobs."
"If I protect the company, I protect them."
"No. You protect the people who did this."
Nathan looked at her.
She was right.
But burning down a fraud-built empire without crushing innocent employees required more than anger.
It required evidence and control.
Then his corporate attorney, Samuel Price, called.
"Nathan, don't do anything publicly yet."
"Why?"
"Because the board just called an emergency vote."
"About what?"
May you like
Samuel hesitated.
"Removing you as CEO."
