Chapter 5 - The Warning His Mother Hid
I found Diane alone in the kitchen after everyone else had left.
She looked exhausted.
“Tell me everything,” I said.
She stared at the note in my hand.
“Before Hailey was born, Richard Reed approached Liam with a proposal. He wanted the two families connected permanently. Liam refused at first.”
“And then?”
“His company nearly collapsed. Richard offered money. Liam changed his mind.”
I felt sick.
“Did you know about Vanessa?”
“I knew she wanted him. I didn't know they were having an affair until recently.”
“Recently? How recently?”
Diane closed her eyes.
“Three months ago.”
The betrayal hurt more than I expected. She had held my daughter, attended our dinners, and smiled at me while knowing another woman was trying to take my husband.
“Why didn't you warn me?”
“Liam said he would end it.”
I laughed bitterly.
“Men like Liam always promise to end things when they want to keep everything.”
Diane accepted my anger without defending herself.
Then she revealed something even worse.
Richard Reed had not merely invested in Liam's company. He had acquired a controlling interest in a subsidiary that handled some of Liam's most profitable contracts.
Vanessa had been told she would eventually become Liam's wife and gain influence over his business.
But that still didn't explain Hailey's medical records.
Diane hesitated before answering.
“Richard has a hereditary blood disorder in his family. Vanessa once told me she wanted to know whether Hailey might carry it.”
“Why would she care about my daughter?”
Diane looked away.
“Because Richard believes Liam's company should belong to his future family.”
My phone rang.
It was the hospital's patient records department.
The woman on the line asked me to verify my identity.
May you like
Then she said, “Mrs. Carter, someone attempted to change the authorized contacts on Hailey's account.”
The name they had submitted was Vanessa Reed.
