Chapter 7 - Adrian's Confession
Daniel moved in front of Hannah.
Adrian looked at the motion and smiled sadly.
"Still trying to protect everyone."
Daniel's voice was cold.
"Put the gun down."
Adrian glanced at it.
"It's not for you."
"Then why bring it?"
"Because I don't know who else followed me."
Hannah looked toward the corridor.
The storage facility was silent.
Adrian placed the pistol on a metal shelf and stepped away.
Daniel didn't relax.
"You have thirty seconds."
Adrian looked at the photograph in Hannah's hand.
"Two babies."
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"You knew."
"Yes."
"Before they were born?"
Adrian shook his head.
"I knew Mother intended to remove Grace from the family."
Daniel surged forward.
He grabbed Adrian by the collar.
"You knew my daughter was alive?"
Adrian didn't resist.
"Yes."
Daniel struck him.
Adrian fell against the shelf.
A cardboard box crashed to the floor.
Hannah grabbed Daniel's arm.
"Stop."
Daniel was breathing hard.
"Twenty-six years."
Adrian touched his bleeding lip.
"I know."
"Twenty-six Christmases."
"I know."
"Twenty-six years of watching me visit her grave."
Adrian looked up.
"Daniel, I'm not asking you to forgive me."
"Good."
"I'm asking you to let me explain what happened."
Daniel stepped back.
Adrian straightened.
"Our father was terminally ill."
Daniel said nothing.
"Mother was terrified the company would fall into outside hands."
"So?"
"Father's trust documents created a problem."
Daniel stared.
Adrian continued.
"The surviving grandchild provisions meant that if Grace lived, her trustees would eventually control voting shares Mother had promised to other investors."
"She was a baby."
"To you."
Adrian swallowed.
"To Mother, she was a legal obstacle."
Hannah looked disgusted.
"So Eleanor ordered her removed."
"Yes."
"And you helped?"
"At first."
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"At first?"
Adrian looked at him.
"Mother told me she was arranging a private adoption."
Daniel stared.
"She said Caroline was unstable after giving birth and that you would agree once the legal problems were resolved."
"My wife wanted that baby more than anything."
"I know that now."
"You knew it then."
Adrian looked down.
"You're right."
Hannah asked, "What happened to the Bennett baby?"
Adrian's expression changed.
"That was Samuel's decision."
"Why?"
"Because he needed another newborn record to make the transfer look legitimate."
Daniel frowned.
"Explain."
Adrian swallowed.
"Mercer created a false infant identity using Evelyn Bennett's records."
"So he switched the babies?"
"He switched their identities."
Hannah felt a chill.
"And the actual Bennett baby?"
Adrian closed his eyes.
"She was transferred to a private adoption agency."
"Where?"
"I don't know."
"That's not good enough."
Adrian looked at her.
"I spent twelve years trying to find her."
Daniel stared at him.
"Why?"
Adrian's voice cracked.
"Because I discovered what they had done to Evelyn."
Hannah froze.
"What do you mean?"
Adrian pulled a document from his jacket.
It was an autopsy report.
Evelyn Bennett's name appeared across the top.
The cause of death had been changed.
The original physician's notation described a severe postpartum hemorrhage.
The final report listed an unrelated cardiac event.
Hannah read the handwritten margin.
Delay in emergency intervention.
She looked at Adrian.
"They covered up medical negligence?"
He nodded.
"Mercer delayed emergency treatment while coordinating the transfers."
Daniel's expression darkened.
"She died because of them?"
"She might have survived with timely care."
Hannah felt sick.
Adrian continued.
"When I learned what happened, I confronted Mother."
"What did she say?"
"That one tragedy was already enough and exposing it would destroy the family."
Daniel stared at him.
"And you accepted that?"
"No."
Adrian opened his briefcase.
"I started keeping copies."
He laid several folders on the floor.
Bank transfers.
Private trust accounts.
Hospital approvals.
Payments to Margaret Vale.
"Everything's here."
Hannah looked at him.
"Why give it to us now?"
Adrian's eyes filled.
"Because I found Evelyn Bennett's daughter."
Daniel stopped breathing.
"When?"
"Three days ago."
"Who is she?"
Adrian looked toward Hannah.
"Someone you've already met."
Hannah's heart began pounding.
Adrian continued.
"Someone who has spent her entire life believing Samuel Mercer was her father."
Daniel whispered, "Claire."
Adrian nodded.
Hannah stared.
"Then Claire isn't Grace."
"No."
"Who is?"
Adrian slowly looked at Daniel.
"I was hoping Samuel would tell you."
Daniel seized his brother's arm.
"Tell me."
Adrian's voice dropped.
"I found a woman who looks exactly like Caroline did at twenty-six."
Hannah felt her stomach tighten.
"Where?"
Adrian looked at the photograph in her hand.
"She has been working for the Whitmore Foundation for almost four years."
Daniel stared at him.
May you like
Then Adrian said the name.
"Her name is Olivia Grant."
