Chapter 7 - ELEANOR’S SIN
They reached Boston shortly before sunrise.
Eleanor was waiting inside Daniel’s penthouse.
The moment she saw Margaret, she slapped her.
“You took my daughter.”
Margaret did not react.
“No.”
“You let me believe she was dead.”
“I kept her alive.”
“You stole twenty-five years from me.”
Margaret’s voice sharpened.
“Richard stole them.”
Eleanor raised her hand again.
Emily caught her wrist.
“Stop.”
Eleanor stared at her.
Emily released her.
“Did Rachel Lawson come to you for help?”
Eleanor’s face changed.
Margaret smiled without humor.
“Tell her.”
Eleanor sat down.
Daniel remained standing.
“Tell me.”
Eleanor looked at him.
“Rachel came to me when she discovered she was pregnant.”
Daniel said nothing.
“She said Richard was the father.”
“And you believed her?”
“Yes.”
Daniel’s eyes filled with rage.
“What did you do?”
Eleanor looked down.
“I gave her money.”
Margaret laughed.
“You gave her five thousand dollars and told her to disappear.”
Eleanor shot her a look.
“I was terrified.”
Daniel’s voice cracked.
“She was seventeen.”
“I know.”
“She worked in your house.”
“I know.”
“And your husband got her pregnant.”
Eleanor whispered, “I know.”
Daniel stepped back as if she had struck him.
Emily watched him fight for control.
Eleanor continued.
“I hated her because blaming her was easier than facing what Richard was.”
Daniel stared at the floor.
“She came back?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“The night Madeline was taken.”
Emily’s stomach dropped.
Eleanor looked at her.
“Rachel told me Richard planned to take her baby.”
Daniel whispered, “Me.”
“Yes.”
“What did you do?”
Eleanor cried openly now.
“I told her I couldn’t help her.”
Daniel laughed once.
It sounded broken.
“You could have saved her.”
“I was trying to protect my daughter.”
Emily said quietly, “And you lost both of them.”
Eleanor covered her face.
Margaret looked at Daniel.
“Rachel ran.”
“Where?”
“She went to St. Matthew’s.”
Daniel’s head lifted.
“She gave birth there?”
“Yes.”
“And Richard took me?”
Margaret nodded.
“Victor arranged the records.”
Daniel looked at Eleanor.
“You adopted me days later.”
“I thought you were an abandoned infant.”
Margaret said, “Because Richard told you exactly what you wanted to hear.”
Daniel turned toward the window.
Emily walked to him.
He whispered, “My whole childhood was built by the man who destroyed my mother.”
Emily touched his arm.
Then Victor’s voice came from the hallway.
“You’re finally close.”
Everyone turned.
Victor stood in the doorway.
A gun in his hand.
Two men behind him.
Eleanor went pale.
“Victor.”
He smiled.
“You should have let the wedding end quietly.”
Daniel stepped toward Emily.
Victor aimed at him.
“Don’t.”
Margaret raised her own gun.
Victor laughed.
“You were always sentimental, Margaret.”
Margaret’s hand tightened.
Victor looked at Daniel.
“You want your biological mother?”
Daniel froze.
May you like
Victor smiled.
“She’s alive.”
