Chapter 8: The Truth Hidden in Tessa’s Blood

Graham and I stayed in the office long after the call ended.

Neither of us was willing to say what we were thinking.

Finally, Graham picked up the birth record again.

“If Tessa is Marcus Vale’s daughter, then Celeste lied to me for thirty-two years.”

“And if the genetic test confirms it, she can’t call it a clerical mistake anymore.”

Graham looked toward the window.

“There’s something else you should know.”

I waited.

“Marcus didn't simply leave Lakehaven. He was forced out.”

My eyes narrowed.

“By Celeste?”

“By me.”

The admission came quietly.

Graham explained that shortly after Tessa was born, he had discovered missing funds from one of the restaurants. The money had been traced to Marcus's accounts. Graham confronted him, and Marcus denied stealing anything.

But Celeste had shown Graham documents that appeared to prove Marcus had been transferring company money to himself.

“I believed her,” Graham said. “I threatened Marcus with criminal charges if he didn't leave.”

“And he left?”

“The next morning.”

I stared at the old letter on the table.

“Did you ever verify those documents?”

Graham closed his eyes.

“No.”

That single word changed everything.

Celeste hadn't merely hidden Tessa's parentage.

She might have destroyed the man who could expose her.

My phone buzzed again.

This time it was Hart.

“Nora, the bank sent us another file.”

“What is it?”

“A payment made to Marcus Vale's estate eight years ago.”

I sat up.

“Estate?”

“Marcus died eight years ago.”

Graham's face changed when he heard that.

Hart continued.

“The payment was made from a Bellamy family account. It was large enough to qualify as a settlement.”

“Who authorized it?”

“Celeste.”

Graham slowly lowered himself into his chair.

“Why would she pay him after all these years?” he whispered.

I already had an answer.

“Because he knew the truth.”

Hart went silent.

Then she said, “There's one more problem.”

“What?”

“The payment wasn't made to Marcus.”

I frowned.

“Then who received it?”

“A woman named Evelyn Vale.”

Graham stared at me.

“Marcus's wife.”

A cold feeling settled in my stomach.

If Marcus had a wife who was still alive, then she might know everything.

Before I could ask another question, Hart added, “And there's a note attached to the transfer.”

“What does it say?”

Her voice became serious.

“For Tessa. When the time comes.”

I looked at Graham.

For the first time, the old man's anger disappeared completely.

All that remained was fear.

“Find Evelyn,” he said.

I nodded.

“We will.”

But before we could make another call, my phone lit up with a new message.

It was from Adrian.

The message contained only one sentence.

“Stop digging into my mother's past, Nora, or you’ll regret what happens to Owen.”

I read it twice.

Then I saved a screenshot and forwarded it to Hart.

Adrian had just made the biggest mistake of his life.

He had threatened my son while knowing the police were already investigating his family.

This time, I wasn't afraid.

I was ready.