Chapter 17: The Lie Greer Believed

Richard wanted to meet in person.

My mother refused at first.

I agreed only after Ms. Alvarez arranged for the meeting to take place in her office.

No private restaurants.

No Pierce property.

No quiet family conversation that could later be rewritten.

Richard arrived alone.

He looked older than he had at the school meeting.

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Then he looked at me.

“I'm sorry.”

I didn't answer.

Apologies were cheap when they arrived after damage.

Ms. Alvarez sat at the end of the table.

My mother sat beside me.

Richard placed a folder in front of him.

“Elaine knew about Imogen before our marriage. At the time, she said she accepted it.”

My mother laughed once.

“Clearly.”

Richard lowered his eyes.

“When Greer found the old correspondence last year, Elaine told her a different version.”

“What version?” I asked.

“That your mother had tried to force me to leave Elaine. That she demanded money. That you were being positioned to challenge Greer's inheritance.”

My mother went white with anger.

“I never asked you for a cent.”

“I know.”

“You offered money to make us disappear.”

“I know.”

His voice cracked slightly.

I had never seen a powerful adult look so small.

“Did you correct Greer?” I asked.

“When I learned what Elaine told her, yes.”

“When was that?”

He hesitated.

“Three weeks ago.”

My stomach dropped.

Three weeks.

Before my surgery.

Before Greer's post.

“What happened?”

Richard rubbed his forehead.

“Greer confronted me. I told her the truth. She became angry with both of us.”

“Both?”

“Elaine for lying. Me for hiding you.”

“And me?”

He looked directly at me.

“She said you shouldn't be at her school.”

I almost smiled.

There it was.

“What did you say?”

“That Westbridge wasn't hers.”

“Then?”

“She accused me of caring about you more than her.”

I stared at him.

“Do you?”

His face changed.

I regretted asking immediately.

Not because I cared about his answer.

Because I didn't want his guilt mistaken for fatherhood.

Richard said quietly, “I don't know you well enough to claim that kind of relationship.”

At least that was honest.

“Good.”

He nodded.

“But I should have protected you from the consequences of my choices.”

My mother said, “You should have protected both girls from your secrets.”

Richard flinched.

Ms. Alvarez redirected the conversation.

“Mr. Pierce, do you have evidence that Mrs. Pierce communicated these claims to Greer?”

Richard opened the folder.

Printed messages.

Family texts.

One from Elaine to Greer stood out.

“Don't let that girl get close to your father. People like her mother wait years for an opportunity.”

Another:

“Remember what belongs to you.”

My stomach turned.

Then a message from Greer:

“I'll make her leave.”

Timestamp.

Four days before my surgery.

The room went silent.

I read it again.

I'll make her leave.

Richard said, “I found these after the school meeting.”

“Why didn't you give them to police immediately?”

“I did.”

Ms. Alvarez looked at him.

“Then why bring copies here?”

“Because Imogen deserves to know why this started.”

I pushed the papers away.

“It started because Greer chose to hurt me.”

Richard nodded.

“Yes.”

“Elaine lying to her explains something. It doesn't erase anything.”

“I agree.”

I hadn't expected that.

My mother asked, “Did Elaine tell Greer to post the hospital photograph?”

“I don't know.”

“Ask her.”

“She's not speaking to me except through counsel.”

That marriage was clearly collapsing.

I felt no satisfaction.

Before Richard left, he looked at me again.

“If you want a DNA test—”

“Not now.”

He stopped.

“Understood.”

“And don't offer us money.”

His mouth tightened.

“I wasn't going to.”

“Good.”

After he left, my mother and I sat silently.

Ms. Alvarez gave us time.

Finally, I said, “I don't want his family.”

My mother touched my hand.

“You don't have to.”

“I already have one.”

Her eyes filled.

We went home.

That night, the police called.

The prepaid-phone investigation had produced another result.

Mason admitted sending the first two threatening texts.

But he denied taking the photograph of me walking home.

Investigators had recovered deleted messages showing Greer had asked him to “make Imogen nervous,” but there was no instruction to follow me.

The photograph had been sent from the same prepaid phone after Mason claimed he had handed it to someone else.

“Who?” I asked.

Officer Ramirez paused.

“He says Greer took it.”

My chest tightened.

“Do you believe him?”

“We don't decide based on belief.”

Good answer.

“We're looking for corroboration.”

The next morning, Greer was waiting outside Principal Warren's office with her attorney.

When she saw me, she stood.

The no-contact supervisor moved closer.

Greer didn't approach.

She only said:

“I didn't take that picture.”

I stopped.

Her eyes were red.

“Mason's lying.”

I studied her.

“Then prove it.”

Her chin trembled.

“I can.”

She held up her phone.

“Because when that picture was taken, I was with my mother.”

Behind her, Elaine Pierce stepped out of the office.

Greer turned toward her.

“Tell them.”

Elaine's face became perfectly still.

And in that instant, I knew.

Greer had just asked the one person who did not want to give her an alibi.