Chapter 6 - THE SECOND SECRET
Liam read the message three times.
Victoria saw his face.
“What happened?”
He looked at her.
“When did Dad die?”
She frowned.
“You know when.”
“I was seven months old.”
“Yes.”
“Car accident.”
Victoria's eyes shifted.
Avery noticed.
So did Liam.
He held up the phone.
“Someone wants me to ask why Daniel really died.”
Victoria stopped breathing.
Avery whispered.
“Victoria?”
The older woman backed toward the chair.
Liam's voice became frighteningly calm.
“Was it an accident?”
“Yes.”
“Look at me.”
Victoria didn't.
“Look at me.”
She finally did.
Liam knew immediately.
“No.”
Victoria shook her head.
“It was complicated.”
“Was my father killed?”
“No.”
“Then tell me what happened.”
Victoria's shoulders dropped.
“Daniel was drinking.”
Liam stared.
“He never drank.”
“Not normally.”
“Why that night?”
“Because he had discovered the truth.”
“What truth?”
Victoria looked toward Avery.
Then back at Liam.
“That Thomas wasn't anonymous.”
Liam frowned.
“He already knew Thomas was the donor.”
“No.”
Victoria whispered.
“He believed Thomas had donated through the clinic.”
Avery understood first.
“Oh.”
Liam looked at her.
“What?”
Avery didn't want to say it.
Victoria did.
“Daniel believed you were conceived medically.”
The silence became unbearable.
Liam's voice dropped.
“But I wasn't.”
Victoria shook her head.
“No.”
Liam stepped backward.
Avery felt sick.
Victoria continued.
“Daniel had been traveling.”
“Thomas came to see me.”
“I was angry.”
“Lonely.”
“Confused.”
“One terrible decision became another.”
Liam stared at her.
“So my father spent months believing I was conceived through a donor procedure.”
“Yes.”
“When actually you slept with his best friend.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Liam walked away.
He stood at the window.
Outside, photographers crowded behind the estate gates.
Avery could almost see the headlines forming.
Sterling Dynasty DNA Scandal.
Billionaire Heir's Secret Father.
But Liam wasn't thinking about headlines.
He was thinking about a dead man.
“What happened that night?”
Victoria answered.
“Daniel confronted Thomas.”
“Where?”
“At the old marina.”
Liam turned.
“And?”
“They fought.”
“Physically?”
“Yes.”
“Then Daniel left.”
Victoria's voice became smaller.
“He was furious.”
“He drove too fast.”
“The road was wet.”
“He lost control near Montauk Highway.”
Liam stared at her.
“So it was an accident.”
“Yes.”
Avery noticed Victoria gripping her bracelet.
Too tightly.
“That's not everything.”
Victoria looked at her.
Avery repeated it.
“That's not everything.”
Liam turned toward his mother.
“What else?”
Victoria said nothing.
Then Richard Sterling entered the library.
His face was gray.
“Liam.”
Liam looked at him.
Richard closed the door.
“I think I know who sent that message.”
“Who?”
Richard hesitated.
“Thomas.”
Avery shook her head.
“Thomas doesn't have Liam's number.”
“He wouldn't need it.”
Richard held up his phone.
“Because Thomas isn't outside the family anymore.”
Liam frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Richard looked toward Victoria.
May you like
Then he said the sentence that changed everything again.
“Thomas Hale has been a shareholder in Sterling Capital for twenty-six years.”
