Chapter 16 - Nathan
Nathan Holloway was alive.
Finding him took seven hours.
He had changed his name to Nathan Cole.
Cole.
Brittany’s last name.
She was not Victor’s employee.
She was Nathan’s wife.
The affair with Derek had been part of the plan.
The betrayal became almost too large to process.
Nathan had spent twenty-one years living outside the country.
Victor had sent him away after Nathan discovered the first fertility scheme.
Unlike Derek, Nathan refused to cooperate.
Victor publicly declared him dead.
Years later, Brittany re-entered Victor’s circle under her maiden name.
Supposedly working for him.
In reality, she and Nathan had their own plan.
Revenge.
Money.
Control.
And me.
When police located Nathan at a private airfield, he surrendered voluntarily.
He asked to speak with me.
I refused at first.
Then agreed.
He looked like Derek.
Older.
Harder.
Same eyes.
Same jaw.
“I’m sorry.”
he said.
I almost laughed.
Every man in my life seemed to think those two words were magical.
“You’re going to need more than that.”
“I know.”
“Was your DNA used to create my daughter?”
Nathan closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
The word hit like a door slamming.
“How?”
“Brittany substituted my sample into Mercer’s system.”
“Why?”
“To create a child Victor would believe was connected to M-17.”
I stared.
“You used my body as part of a trap.”
His face tightened.
“Yes.”
“You’re no better than him.”
“No.”
At least he did not argue.
“Did Derek know?”
“No.”
“Did Luka?”
“No.”
“Did my father?”
“No.”
“Did I?”
Nathan looked down.
“No.”
I leaned forward.
“Then every single person who made that decision committed violence against me whether they ever touched me or not.”
Nathan’s eyes filled.
“I know.”
“You don’t get forgiveness because your target was worse.”
“I know.”
That mattered.
Not enough.
But it mattered.
“Why Grace?”
“We needed a descendant Victor would fight over.”
“You mean bait.”
Nathan looked sick.
“Yes.”
I stood.
The interview was over.
Then he said,
“Emma.”
I turned.
“Brittany changed the plan.”
“What?”
“She was supposed to expose Victor before the embryo transfer.”
“She didn’t.”
“Why?”
“Because she became obsessed with the trust.”
There it was.
Everyone eventually found money.
“She wanted Grace?”
Nathan nodded.
“She believed if I was the biological father, we could claim parental rights and control the Holloway and Moretti litigation.”
“She slept with Derek to control him.”
“Yes.”
“She deleted Grace’s hospital files.”
“Yes.”
“She printed the duplicate bracelet.”
“Yes.”
“Where is she?”
Nathan looked frightened.
“I don’t know.”
Then my phone rang.
Luka.
He had been released.
His voice was urgent.
“Emma, go to Grace.”
I ran.
The nursery was empty.
The court supervisor lay unconscious in the hallway.
The window was open.
Grace was gone.
On the bassinet was a note.
BRING THE ORIGINAL ROOM 417 DRIVE.
May you like
NO POLICE.
Brittany had taken my daughter.
