CHAPTER 3: THE LAWYER
Marcus Webb's office was in a nondescript building on the edge of town.
He was waiting for me in a small conference room, a stack of documents spread across the table.
"Charlotte," he said, "your grandmother told me she gave you the DNA test."
"She did."
"Good. Because the truth is... complicated."
"What do you mean?"
"Your father isn't your biological father. That part is true. But the man who is your biological father—he's someone you know."
"Who?"
"Your uncle. Harold Whitmore."
I stared at him.
"My uncle? My father's brother?"
"Your mother was in love with him. But your father wanted her. And when Harold disappeared—"
"Disappeared?"
"He was sent away. By your father. To Europe. He's been living there for thirty years."
"Why would my father do that?"
"Because he wanted to keep you. He wanted to raise you as his own. And he knew that if Harold ever came back, he'd lose you."
I felt the world tilt.
"So my real father is my uncle?"
"Yes. And he's been trying to get back to you for years. But your father has been blocking him."
"Why?"
"Because if the truth comes out, the inheritance goes to you. Not to your father. Not to Vivienne. To you."
"How much inheritance?"
"Your grandfather left you everything. The estate. The businesses. The trust. Everything."
"But I'm not a Whitmore—"
"You're a Whitmore by blood. Just not by the name everyone knows. Your grandfather knew the truth. And he wanted you to have everything."
I sat back in my chair.
"So my father has been lying to me. Stealing from me. All these years."
"Yes."
"And my grandmother—"
"She's been trying to protect you. But she's old. And she's scared."
I stood up.
"I need to see my grandmother."
"Charlotte, wait. There's more."
"What?"
"Your grandmother isn't in that hospital because she fell. She's there because your stepmother had her committed."
"Committed?"
"Your father signed the paperwork. He had her declared incompetent. She's being held against her will."
I felt the rage building.
"Can we get her out?"
"It's going to take time. But yes. I'm already working on it."
"Then let's get started."
I walked out of the office with a new purpose.
I was going to save my grandmother.
May you like
I was going to expose the truth.
And I was going to take back everything that was mine.
