Chapter 9 - THE WOMAN BEFORE HER
Adrian’s brother introduced himself as Marcus.
He did not offer his hand.
Dinner was worse.
Caleb tried twice to talk about school. Sophie asked Marcus whether he liked unicorns. Mara concentrated on cutting chicken into pieces small enough for Sophie.
Marcus drank bourbon.
Adrian barely touched his food.
Finally Marcus said, “Does she know?”
Adrian set down his fork.
“Not here.”
Mara looked between them.
“Know what?”
“Mara.”
“No.”
She pushed her plate away.
“You don’t get to bring my kids into a house where strangers recognize me and then tell me to stay quiet.”
Marcus gave a humorless laugh.
“She’s got more backbone than Elena.”
Adrian stood.
“Enough.”
Mara heard the name.
“Elena?”
Marcus looked at her.
“The woman in the photograph.”
Adrian’s voice hardened.
“Marcus.”
But his brother continued.
“Elena Ward lived here five years ago.”
Mara’s stomach tightened.
“With the baby?”
Marcus looked away.
Adrian answered.
“Yes.”
“Your baby?”
“No.”
Mara waited.
Adrian sat again.
“Elena worked for my mother.”
Marcus scoffed.
“That’s one version.”
Adrian ignored him.
“She handled household accounts. Scheduling. Medical appointments. Eventually she became… close to the family.”
“What happened?”
Neither brother answered immediately.
Then Marcus said, “She disappeared.”
Sophie looked up from her mashed potatoes.
“Like magic?”
Mara stood.
“Kids. Upstairs.”
After they left, she returned to the dining room.
Marcus had poured another drink.
Adrian stood beside the windows.
“Start talking.”
Marcus smiled faintly.
Adrian did not.
“Elena stole money from the family company.”
Marcus slammed his glass down.
“That’s what Mother said.”
Adrian looked at him.
“And the evidence supported it.”
“What evidence?”
“Transfers. Vendor accounts. Checks.”
Mara asked, “Was she arrested?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Adrian hesitated.
Marcus answered.
“Because she vanished before anyone could confront her.”
Mara thought of the folded photograph.
“The baby?”
“Elena’s daughter,” Adrian said.
“Where is she now?”
“We don’t know.”
That night Mara could not sleep.
At 1:14 a.m., she went downstairs for water.
A light was on in the study.
Marcus stood at Adrian’s desk.
He looked startled when she appeared.
“What are you doing?”
He closed a drawer.
“Looking for something.”
“In someone else’s desk?”
“You should ask Adrian why he paid Elena’s rent for eight months after she supposedly stole from us.”
Mara stared at him.
Marcus walked toward the door.
“He’ll tell you he was helping.”
“Were you?”
“No.”
He stopped beside her.
“I thought she was innocent.”
“Why?”
Marcus looked back toward Adrian’s desk.
“Because Elena knew something about our mother.”
“What?”
Marcus shook his head.
“I never found proof.”
Then he left.
Mara remained in the study.
She told herself not to search.
She told herself this was not her family.
Not her business.
But on the corner of Adrian’s desk sat a stack of unopened mail.
One envelope bore no return address.
Her name was written on it.
MARA BENNETT.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
May you like
Six words.
Ask Adrian why he chose you.
