Chapter 3 - WHAT THE GIRLS NEVER TOLD HIM
Chadworth turned so slowly that Sabina actually took another step back.
“What did you say to them?”
Sabina shook her head.
“She’s upset.”
“Answer me.”
“I never said that.”
Lorelai started crying.
“You did.”
Sabina’s face hardened.
“You’re confused.”
“I’m not confused!”
The shout tore through the room.
Chadworth had never heard his daughter yell like that.
Lorelai pointed at Sabina.
“You told Gemma Mom got sick because she worried too much about us!”
Gemma buried her face in Chadworth’s jacket.
“And you said Daddy would get tired of us too.”
Chadworth looked down at his younger daughter.
“Gem…”
“You said it,” Gemma whispered. “You said he’d get a new family.”
Sabina immediately stepped toward them.
“Chadworth, children misunderstand things.”
Marcus blocked her.
“Stay back.”
Her eyes flashed.
“Get out of my way.”
“No.”
That single word made Sabina look stunned.
She had grown used to people moving when she spoke.
Now nobody moved.
Elliot tried.
“This situation is emotional. We should all calm down.”
Chadworth pointed at him.
“You say one more word and I’ll forget we’ve known each other twenty years.”
Elliot closed his mouth.
Rosamund stood near the couch.
Her cheek was still red from the slap.
Chadworth looked at her.
“How long?”
She hesitated.
“How long has this been happening?”
Rosamund looked at the girls.
“Months.”
The answer hurt more than he expected.
“Months?”
“I tried to tell you.”
His stomach dropped.
“When?”
“Twice.”
“I never got anything.”
“I left a message with your office.”
Chadworth turned toward Marcus.
Marcus frowned.
“Who handles household calls?”
“Rachel.”
His executive assistant.
Chadworth pulled out his phone.
Then stopped.
Rachel had been hired on Elliot’s recommendation.
He slowly looked at Elliot.
Elliot’s face revealed nothing.
Too little.
That itself was an answer.
Rosamund continued.
“I also wrote you a letter.”
“What letter?”
“I placed it inside your study.”
Sabina laughed.
“A maid sneaking into your private office. There’s your proof.”
Rosamund ignored her.
“I put it under the photograph of your wife.”
Chadworth’s chest tightened.
There had never been a letter.
He looked at Sabina.
She stared back.
Then he remembered something.
Three months earlier, Sabina had “reorganized” his study while he was out of town.
He hadn’t asked her to.
At the time, he thought it was thoughtful.
Now he felt sick.
“Did you take that letter?”
Sabina smiled.
“You’re accusing me based on a servant’s word?”
“Did you take it?”
“No.”
Lorelai spoke.
“She did.”
Everyone turned.
Lorelai wiped her face.
“I saw her.”
Sabina went completely still.
“When?”
“The day before Dad came home from Boston.”
Chadworth remembered the trip.
He had been gone four days.
Lorelai continued.
“Rosamund went into the office. She came out. Later Sabina went in.”
Sabina rolled her eyes.
“That proves nothing.”
“I saw the paper in your hand.”
“Enough.”
Chadworth’s voice was quiet now.
More dangerous than shouting.
He looked at Marcus.
“Search Elliot.”
Elliot stiffened.
“You can’t—”
“You’re standing in my home holding a syringe after entering secretly while I was supposedly out of the country. I can call the police right now, or you can cooperate.”
Elliot looked at the security officers.
He slowly raised his hands.
Marcus searched his pockets.
Phone.
Wallet.
Keys.
A small flash drive.
And a folded envelope.
Marcus opened it.
Inside was a photocopy of a document.
He handed it to Chadworth.
Chadworth read the first page.
Then the second.
His face changed.
“This is my medical power of attorney.”
Elliot swallowed.
Chadworth looked at the signature.
It looked exactly like his.
Except he had never signed it.
The document appointed Sabina Voss as his medical agent in the event of “temporary cognitive impairment.”
He flipped the page.
Another document.
A temporary guardianship authorization for Lorelai and Gemma.
Also in Sabina’s name.
“What the hell is this?”
Elliot finally spoke.
“A contingency.”
“A forged contingency?”
Sabina snapped, “It wasn’t supposed to be used unless necessary.”
Chadworth looked at her.
“Necessary for what?”
She didn’t answer.
Marcus held up the syringe.
“Maybe this?”
Sabina’s face changed.
Only for a second.
But Chadworth saw it.
Then a security officer called from the front hallway.
“Marcus!”
Everyone turned.
The officer entered carrying a bag removed from the black SUV outside.
Inside were two passports.
Both belonged to Chadworth’s daughters.
And two one-way airline tickets.
May you like
Destination: Zurich.
Departure: that night.
