Chapter 8 - THE GIRL IN THE WHITE DRESS
They returned to the estate under police escort.
The wedding guests were gone.
The flowers remained.
The candles had burned low.
The ballroom looked like the aftermath of a life that had almost happened.
Claire Sinclair sat alone near the altar.
Twenty-four years old.
Long brown hair.
Green eyes.
She wore a simple white bridesmaid dress.
When Alejandro entered, she stood.
“You found her?”
Victoria nodded.
Claire’s face changed.
She had known.
Not everything.
But enough.
Alejandro walked toward her.
“You know who Isabella is?”
Claire’s eyes filled.
“My mother.”
Isabella made a sound behind him.
Claire turned.
For a second, neither woman moved.
Then Isabella walked forward.
Slowly.
Like one wrong step might make Claire disappear.
Claire whispered.
“You look like the picture.”
Isabella started crying.
“You have pictures of me?”
“One.”
Claire reached into her purse.
She pulled out a photograph.
Isabella at nineteen.
Pregnant.
Gabriel beside her.
Claire looked at Alejandro.
“My father gave it to me when I was eighteen.”
“Richard?”
“No.”
Everyone stopped.
Claire shook her head.
“Richard isn’t my father.”
Victoria whispered.
“Claire…”
“I know.”
Claire looked at Isabella.
“My real father was Gabriel Reyes.”
Isabella collapsed into Elena’s arms.
Alejandro turned away.
Too much.
Every lie seemed to open into another.
Claire continued.
“Richard told me three years ago.”
“Why?”
“Because I found documents in his office.”
“What documents?”
“Bank statements.”
Alejandro’s head snapped toward her.
Claire nodded.
“Payments from Beatriz Moreira.”
Elena closed her eyes.
Victoria looked sick.
Claire opened her phone.
“I copied everything.”
Alejandro took it.
Transfers.
Trust accounts.
Dates.
Amounts.
One payment came three days before Gabriel’s death.
Another came two days after Isabella disappeared.
A third payment twenty-four years ago went to Richard Sinclair.
Description.
GUARDIANSHIP ARRANGEMENT.
Alejandro stared at Victoria.
“You knew?”
“No.”
Claire answered.
“She didn’t.”
Victoria looked at her, surprised.
Claire continued.
“I confronted Richard alone.”
“He told me Beatriz paid him to raise me.”
“Why him?”
“Because Senator Sinclair was still a prosecutor then.”
Alejandro understood.
“He could hide the records.”
“Yes.”
Claire’s voice shook.
“And because Beatriz thought Isabella would never look for a child living beside the family.”
Isabella stepped forward.
“I did look.”
Claire began to cry.
“I know.”
Isabella stopped.
“What?”
“Richard showed me your letters.”
Isabella’s knees weakened.
“You got them?”
“No.”
Claire shook her head.
“He kept them in a box.”
“I found them last year.”
Isabella covered her face.
Claire stepped closer.
“You never stopped writing.”
“Every birthday.”
“I know.”
“I thought you hated me.”
Claire suddenly crossed the distance between them.
She hugged her mother.
Isabella broke.
Not crying.
Breaking.
Years of silence came out of her in one sound.
Alejandro looked away.
Even Daniel wiped his eyes.
Then slow applause echoed from the ballroom entrance.
Everyone turned.
Beatriz Moreira stood there.
Perfect posture.
Perfect black dress.
Perfect control.
“So touching.”
Alejandro’s face hardened.
Police officers moved behind her.
Beatriz smiled.
“You found the girl.”
Isabella stepped in front of Claire.
“You stay away from her.”
Beatriz laughed softly.
“I raised half this family.”
Claire looked at her.
“You bought me.”
Beatriz’s smile faded.
“I saved you.”
Alejandro walked toward his grandmother.
“You killed Gabriel.”
Beatriz stared at him.
“No.”
“Your money did.”
“No.”
He held up Claire’s phone.
“I have the transfer.”
Beatriz’s eyes changed.
Not fear.
Annoyance.
“You have a transfer.”
“That’s evidence.”
“It’s money.”
“Three days before he died.”
Beatriz stepped closer.
“You think I ordered his death?”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“Then you still don’t understand what happened.”
Alejandro’s jaw tightened.
“What happened?”
Beatriz looked directly at Isabella.
“Ask her.”
Isabella went still.
May you like
Beatriz’s voice was almost gentle.
“Ask your sister who was driving the car that killed Gabriel.”
