Chapter 2: The Daughter He Never Knew He Had
The ballroom emptied within minutes.
Only family remained.
My husband still held his bleeding cheek.
His father sat quietly.
Looking twenty years older.
Finally...
William spoke.
"There is something your mother asked me to keep secret."
I frowned.
"My mother died when I was six."
He nodded.
"I know."
Then he slid an old envelope across the table.
My mother's handwriting.
Addressed...
To William.
Not to me.
Not to my father.
To him.
I opened it.
Inside...
A DNA report.
My hands started shaking.
Then William quietly said,
"Your father wasn't the man who raised you."
The room disappeared.
"What?"
He closed his eyes.
"Your mother and I..."
His voice cracked.
"...fell in love before either of us married."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
My husband laughed.
"This isn't funny."
William ignored him.
He looked at me.
"I've known for years..."
"...that you're my daughter."
My world collapsed.
"What?"
He nodded.
"I wanted to tell you."
"Why didn't you?"
"Because your mother begged me not to."
The room became very quiet.
Then came the second shock.
William turned toward his son.
"You and Claire..."
He swallowed hard.
"...are not related by blood."
Everyone stared.
Because William's late wife...
Had also kept a secret.
The DNA reports proved it.
Neither of us shared his blood.
There was no biological relationship.
The room exhaled.
But the nightmare wasn't over.
William opened another folder.
Company documents.
Trust agreements.
Board resolutions.
"My daughter..."
He looked directly at me.
"...has been the beneficiary of the Montgomery Family Trust for twelve years."
My husband jumped to his feet.
"What?"
William nodded.
"I transferred everything after your mother died."
My husband looked at me.
Then at the documents.
Then at Monica.
The company.
The mansion.
The vineyards.
The hotels.
The private jet.
The family trust.
Legally...
They belonged to me.
Not him.
Monica's face turned white.
She whispered,
"You told me you owned everything..."
My husband couldn't answer.
May you like
Because...
He never had.
