The room went dead silent.
Victoria stared at him for a moment—then laughed.
“This is absurd. He’s seven years old.”
But Daniel didn’t move.
“I saw you.”
Adrian slowly turned toward his sister.
“Victoria… what is he talking about?”
Her smile tightened.
“He probably had a nightmare.”
Daniel reached into the pocket of his pajamas.
“No.”
He opened his small hand.
A gold button rested in his palm.
Everyone looked at Victoria’s expensive black coat.
One button was missing.
Victoria’s face suddenly went pale.
Daniel swallowed.
“It fell off when you were hiding Mommy’s necklace under Clara’s bed.”
Clara covered her mouth.
Adrian stepped toward his sister.
“You planted it?”
Victoria backed away.
“Adrian, listen to me—”
“You were going to let an innocent woman go to prison?”
Victoria’s expression suddenly changed.
The fear disappeared.
Something colder replaced it.
“She was never innocent.”
Clara froze.
“Victoria… please.”
Adrian looked between them.
“What does that mean?”
Victoria gave Clara a cruel smile.
“You still haven’t told him?”
Clara began shaking.
“Told me WHAT?”
Adrian’s voice echoed through the mansion.
Victoria slowly walked toward the enormous portrait of Adrian’s late wife hanging above the fireplace.
Then she turned back.
“Ask your maid why your wife really brought her into this house nine years ago.”
Adrian stared at Clara.
“You told me she hired you as a housekeeper.”
Clara lowered her eyes.
“She did.”
Victoria laughed.
“That’s not why.”
“Stop!”
Clara’s scream made Daniel flinch.
But it was too late.
Victoria leaned closer to Adrian.
“Your wife was paying Clara every month to keep a secret from you.”
Adrian’s face drained of color.
“What secret?”
Clara began crying.
Then, with trembling fingers, she reached beneath the collar of her uniform.
She pulled out an old silver locket.
“I promised your wife I would never show you this.”
She opened it.
Inside was an old photograph.
Adrian took it from her.
His hands began shaking.
The photograph showed Clara beside his late wife in a hospital room.
Clara was holding a newborn baby.
Adrian looked at Daniel.
Then back at the photograph.
On the back, written in his late wife’s handwriting, were five words:
“Daniel must never know the truth.”
Adrian could barely breathe.
“What truth?”
Clara looked at Daniel with tears streaming down her face.
Then she whispered:
“Daniel isn’t the child you think he is.”
And from behind them, Victoria suddenly said—
“Tell him who Daniel’s real mother is.”
PART 3 IN THE COMMENTS.
