Chapter 6
Julian disappeared during questioning.
One moment he was in the groom’s room.
The next, the window was open.
His tuxedo jacket lay on the floor.
Victoria screamed when police told her.
“He left me?”
I almost felt sorry for her.
Almost.
Then I remembered her laughing when Julian humiliated me.
Detective Cole locked down the country club.
Elaine demanded her lawyer.
Brandon, Julian’s cousin, tried to sneak out with a laptop bag.
Samuel noticed.
So did Noah.
“That’s Dad’s bag,” Noah said.
Police opened it with a warrant an hour later.
Inside were passports.
Cash.
And adoption records under a different name.
Lila Hart.
Born to Anna Bell.
Adopted by Martin and Rebecca Hart in Tulsa.
Hart.
My maiden name.
I went cold.
“That’s my family name.”
Samuel frowned.
“Claire, do you know them?”
I shook my head.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A young woman’s voice said, “Is this Claire Hart Vance?”
“Yes.”
“My name is Lila.”
The room spun.
Noah stood.
The voice trembled.
“I think your son found me.”
I put the phone on speaker.
Detective Cole leaned in.
Lila continued.
“Julian called me twenty minutes ago. He told me not to speak to anyone. He said my life depends on staying quiet.”
“Where are you?” Cole asked.
Lila hesitated.
“Tulsa.”
Then a man shouted in the background.
The line went dead.
Noah’s face went white.
“Mom.”
I pulled him close.
Detective Cole was already moving.
“We need Tulsa PD now.”
Victoria sank onto the floor in her wedding dress.
Elaine watched from the hallway.
For the first time all night, she smiled.
And I understood.
May you like
Julian had not run away from the truth.
He had run straight toward the daughter his family stole.
