Chapter 5
Within an hour, Nathan’s house was filled with investigators.
Grace sat on the living room couch with an ice pack against her shoulder.
Lily slept curled against her side.
Nathan paced nearby.
Every few minutes, he looked toward the front door.
The escaped man had not been found.
Neither had Dr. Mercer.
Police had already gone to his clinic.
It was empty.
His staff said he had left unexpectedly that morning.
Nathan stopped pacing.
“This was planned.”
Grace looked up.
“Of course it was.”
“No. I mean today.”
He pointed toward the ceiling.
“The transfer. The man in my office. Victoria attacking Lily.”
Grace frowned.
“You think the attack was planned?”
“I think she panicked when Lily found the envelope. But everything after that…”
He shook his head.
“She had a backup plan.”
Grace looked down at her sleeping daughter.
“She always had one.”
Nathan sat across from her.
For the first time since the kitchen attack, they were alone.
“Grace.”
She didn’t answer.
“I owe you more than an apology.”
“Yes.”
Nathan looked surprised by her immediate answer.
Grace met his eyes.
“You do.”
He nodded.
“I should have found you.”
“You should have trusted me.”
“I know.”
“You should have questioned why I vanished after telling you I was pregnant.”
Nathan looked down.
“I was angry.”
“So was I.”
“I was stupid.”
Grace’s voice became quiet.
“And I was alone.”
Those words hurt him more than shouting would have.
Nathan rubbed his hands together.
“What happened after Lily was born?”
Grace stared across the room.
“I waited.”
“For me?”
“Every day.”
Nathan closed his eyes.
“I eventually convinced myself you wanted nothing to do with us.”
“I didn’t know.”
“I know that now.”
Grace looked at him again.
“But knowing it now doesn’t erase four years.”
Nathan nodded slowly.
“I’m not asking you to erase them.”
Before Grace could answer, Martin entered.
He looked exhausted.
“We have another problem.”
Nathan stood.
“What now?”
“The marriage license paperwork.”
Nathan frowned.
“The wedding isn’t until Saturday.”
“I know.”
Martin placed documents on the table.
“Victoria filed a civil marriage certificate yesterday.”
Grace stared at him.
Nathan laughed in disbelief.
“That’s impossible.”
“It contains both your signatures.”
“Mine is forged.”
“I believe you.”
“Then it means nothing.”
Martin hesitated.
“It will mean something until a court invalidates it.”
Nathan’s anger returned.
“She tried to make herself my legal wife before the ceremony.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Martin looked toward Lily.
“Because of the trust.”
Grace understood first.
“If something happened to Nathan after she became legally recognized as his wife…”
Martin nodded.
“She could have made a claim against the estate while challenging Lily’s status.”
Nathan’s face went pale.
“She planned to kill me.”
“No one has proved that.”
Grace pointed toward the phone investigators had bagged.
“She literally said, ‘once Nathan is gone.’”
Martin sighed.
“It’s strong evidence of intent. But we still need to know the entire plan.”
A detective entered.
“We may have found part of it.”
He placed a printed photograph on the table.
It showed the man who had escaped from Nathan’s office.
Nathan stared at him.
“I know him.”
Grace turned.
“Who?”
“He worked security at one of my company offices.”
“When?”
“Three years ago.”
The detective nodded.
“His name is Caleb Ross.”
Nathan’s expression darkened.
“I fired him.”
“Why?”
“He was caught accessing confidential employee files.”
The detective looked at Grace.
“Including yours.”
Grace went still.
“My files?”
“According to company records, yes.”
Nathan stood.
“Victoria hired him.”
The detective continued.
“We’re looking for him now. But there’s something else.”
He showed them another photograph.
This one was taken outside Grace’s apartment.
Caleb was standing beside a car.
The date was two weeks earlier.
Grace felt the room tilt.
“He knows where we live.”
Nathan immediately moved beside Lily.
The detective nodded.
“And based on traffic-camera records, he has been near your apartment at least five times this month.”
Grace’s hands began trembling.
Nathan reached for her.
She pulled away.
“Don’t.”
His hand stopped.
Grace looked at the detective.
“Why was he watching us?”
The detective answered carefully.
“We don’t know yet.”
Lily stirred.
Then she opened her eyes.
“Mommy?”
Grace hugged her.
“Yes, baby.”
Lily looked around the crowded room.
Then at Nathan.
“Daddy, did the scary man come back?”
Nathan knelt.
“No.”
Lily rubbed her eyes.
“He was at our house before.”
Grace froze.
“What?”
Lily pointed at Caleb’s photograph.
“That man.”
Grace’s voice broke.
“When did you see him?”
May you like
Lily whispered.
“He comes when Mommy is sleeping.”
