Chapter 4 - Daniel’s Confession
Nora did not call Daniel.
She drove to him.
Naomi tried to stop her.
Nora ignored her.
Daniel lived in a gated condominium complex outside Clearwater.
When he opened the door, his face told Nora he had been expecting her.
She held up the photograph.
“You have thirty seconds.”
Daniel stared at it.
Then he stepped aside.
“Come in.”
“No.”
“Nora.”
“Were you there?”
He closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
The admission landed harder than she expected.
“You watched your mother take her.”
“Yes.”
“You knew she was alive from the beginning.”
“No.”
Nora slapped the photograph against his chest.
“It shows you standing beside her.”
“I found out three hours after they told you she died.”
“And instead of running back to me?”
Daniel looked sick.
“I was twenty-eight and stupid and terrified.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“My mother showed me papers.”
“What papers?”
“She said you had signed custody over.”
Nora laughed.
“I was unconscious.”
“I know that now.”
“You knew it then.”
“No.”
Daniel looked at her desperately.
“I swear to you, I didn’t.”
Nora wanted to hate him completely.
It would have been easier.
“What did she tell you?”
Daniel sat down.
“She told me the delivery had caused brain damage.”
Nora’s expression changed.
“What?”
“She said Lily would need lifelong care.”
Nora stared.
“She said you had already signed?”
“She said you woke briefly and agreed that another family could give her the care she needed.”
“And you believed that?”
“I was in shock.”
“You believed I gave away our baby without asking you?”
Daniel’s eyes filled.
“I believed my mother.”
Nora stepped closer.
“Then why was your name in the Rosewood ledger?”
Daniel’s face drained.
“You found Rosewood?”
“Answer me.”
He looked toward the window.
“My mother needed my signature.”
“For what?”
“A transfer.”
“So you signed.”
“Yes.”
Nora’s hand curled into a fist.
“You signed away my daughter.”
“I thought it was medical custody.”
“You didn’t read it?”
“I read what she showed me.”
“You signed.”
“Yes.”
“Then what happened?”
“The next morning I asked to see Lily.”
Daniel’s voice dropped.
“My mother told me she was already gone.”
“Where?”
“She wouldn’t say.”
“And you still told me she was dead.”
Daniel looked at Nora.
“The doctor came into your room before I could tell you anything.”
“Dr. Mercer.”
“Yes.”
“And you stayed quiet.”
Daniel swallowed.
“Yes.”
Nora turned away from him.
There were some betrayals too large for screaming.
She looked at the ocean through his window.
Six years ago she had slept beside Daniel every night while grieving their child.
He had known there was at least a chance Lily was alive.
“Why didn’t you tell me later?”
“I started investigating.”
“When?”
“Two months later.”
Nora laughed bitterly.
“How heroic.”
“I found Rosewood.”
“And?”
“I found the Hart family.”
Nora turned.
“Who were they?”
“Rebecca and Thomas Hart.”
“Where are they?”
“Dead.”
Nora went still.
“What happened?”
“Car accident.”
“When?”
“Three years ago.”
“And Lily?”
“My mother took custody.”
Nora felt sick.
“So Margaret had access to her all along.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Daniel shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I know part of it.”
“What part?”
Daniel stood.
“The Hart adoption was never legal.”
“Obviously.”
“No.”
He looked straight at her.
“I mean they never paid for Lily.”
Nora frowned.
“Then who paid the $240,000?”
Daniel’s face tightened.
“That wasn’t money someone paid for our daughter.”
“What was it?”
“My mother paid Rosewood.”
Nora stared at him.
“Why?”
“To make sure Lily disappeared.”
Silence filled the room.
Nora stepped closer.
“Why would Margaret pay almost a quarter million dollars to steal her own granddaughter?”
May you like
Daniel whispered:
“Because she thought Lily belonged to her.”
