Chapter 5 - THE SECRET SHE WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO FIND
Claire knew something was wrong the moment she returned to the Mercer estate.
The house was too quiet.
Not peaceful.
Quiet.
The kind of quiet that meant something had happened.
She stepped inside carrying Lily's favorite stuffed rabbit.
"Hello?"
No answer.
Usually someone from the staff greeted her.
Today...
nothing.
Claire looked around.
The giant staircase.
The expensive paintings.
The endless rooms.
A house that looked beautiful.
But somehow always felt lonely.
"Claire."
She turned.
Marcus Hale stood near the doorway.
The security chief.
The man who looked like he had been carved from stone.
"Where's Adrian?"
Marcus studied her.
"At the office."
"Is everything okay?"
A pause.
Too long.
Claire noticed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Marcus."
He sighed.
"You notice too much."
"That's not an answer."
Before he could respond, Adrian walked in.
His jacket was off.
His sleeves rolled up.
He looked exhausted.
But the second he saw Claire...
something changed.
Relief.
Small.
Almost invisible.
But she saw it.
"How's Lily?"
"Sleeping."
"Good."
A silence followed.
Then Claire noticed something.
A cut on his hand.
"What happened?"
Adrian looked down.
"It's nothing."
"That wasn't my question."
Marcus almost smiled.
Because nobody talked to Adrian Mercer like that.
Adrian looked at her.
"Glass."
"Glass?"
"An accident."
Claire stepped closer.
"You're a terrible liar."
For a moment...
Adrian almost laughed.
Almost.
Then his phone rang.
The expression on his face changed instantly.
Business mode.
Danger mode.
He answered.
"Talk."
Claire watched his face.
The longer he listened...
the darker it became.
"What happened?"
A pause.
"No."
Another pause.
"Nobody touches that file."
Claire's stomach tightened.
When he hung up, she asked:
"What file?"
Adrian looked at her.
Too quickly.
"Nothing you need to worry about."
Claire hated that answer.
Because she recognized it.
It was the answer powerful people gave when they wanted to hide something.
"I'm part of this family now, aren't I?"
The words surprised even her.
Adrian stared.
Claire immediately regretted saying them.
"I mean because of Lily. I didn't mean—"
"I know what you meant."
His voice was quiet.
Then he walked away.
But Claire noticed something.
He didn't deny it.
That night, Claire couldn't sleep.
Something about Adrian was bothering her.
Not the rumors.
Not the danger.
Something else.
She had seen him scared.
And powerful men didn't get scared easily.
Around two in the morning, she heard footsteps.
She opened her door.
Adrian was standing in the hallway.
Looking at an old photograph.
Rebecca.
Lily.
Him.
A family.
A life that no longer existed.
"You miss her."
Adrian didn't turn.
"Every day."
Claire walked closer.
"Then why don't you talk about her?"
"Because every time I do, Lily sees me hurting."
Claire looked at him.
"So you hide it."
"Yes."
"Why?"
A long silence.
"Because fathers aren't supposed to break."
Claire felt something inside her crack.
Because she understood.
He wasn't cold.
He was drowning.
Then Adrian said something she never expected.
"Claire."
"Yes?"
"If something happens..."
She frowned.
"What?"
His eyes met hers.
"I need you to take Lily and leave."
Her heart stopped.
"What?"
"Promise me."
"Adrian, don't say things like that."
"Promise me."
His voice was serious.
Not as a boss.
Not as an employer.
As a father.
Claire stared at him.
"I promise."
But neither of them knew...
someone had heard everything.
From the darkness at the end of the hallway.
Someone holding a phone.
Recording.
And the next morning...
Adrian Mercer received the video.
A video of Claire promising to protect his daughter.
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Now we know exactly how to break you.
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