Chapter 5
Her name was Anna Bell.
That was the first truth Julian gave.
Not because he wanted to.
Because Detective Cole told him the files had already been copied.
Anna had been a freshman at the same college as Julian.
Poor.
Brilliant.
Alone.
Julian came from money, status, and a mother who believed scandal was worse than sin.
When Anna became pregnant, Julian promised to help.
Elaine promised to make it disappear.
I stood in the bridal suite while police separated witnesses downstairs.
Noah sat beside me on a velvet bench, holding my hand.
Victoria paced in her wedding dress.
Her mascara had run.
“You knew nothing?” she asked me.
“No.”
She looked like she wanted to blame me anyway.
Then she saw Noah.
She stopped.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Noah didn’t answer.
Samuel entered with Detective Cole.
“The flash drive contains a video,” Samuel said.
My stomach twisted.
Cole looked at me.
“You don’t have to watch it.”
“Yes,” I said.
My voice sounded far away.
“I do.”
The video showed a hospital room.
A young woman in bed.
Anna.
Pale.
Crying.
A nurse stood beside Elaine.
A newborn cried off camera.
Elaine’s voice was sharp.
“You signed the papers.”
Anna sobbed.
“I didn’t. I want my baby.”
Elaine leaned close.
“No one will believe you.”
The nurse carried a bundle toward the door.
Anna screamed.
“My daughter! Please!”
The video shook.
Someone had recorded secretly.
Maybe Anna.
Maybe someone with a conscience.
Then Elaine said, “Julian will not ruin his life over trailer trash.”
I looked at Julian’s mother through the doorway.
May you like
For years, that family had called me trash.
Now I knew the word was inherited.
