Chapter 5 - The Sister Who Stayed
Dominic wanted Claire nowhere near the Whitmore estate.
Claire went anyway.
This time, he stopped arguing after three minutes.
“I’m coming with you.”
“You terrify my family.”
“Good.”
“Dominic.”
“Claire.”
She looked at him.
He lifted one eyebrow.
She gave up.
The mansion looked normal from outside.
Inside, it felt like a crime scene pretending to be a home.
One of Anne’s old boxes sat open near the fireplace.
Photographs had been thrown inside.
Letters torn.
A framed picture lay facedown.
Claire picked it up.
Her mother holding her at age nine.
The glass was cracked across Anne’s smile.
“Claire.”
Emily rushed down the stairs.
She wrapped both arms around her.
Claire froze.
The Whitmore sisters did not hug.
Not really.
Not since childhood.
Emily pulled back.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For believing them.”
Claire looked at her.
Emily wiped her face.
“Dad always said you hated us.”
“I never hated you.”
“He said you thought we ruined your family.”
Claire glanced toward the stairs.
“Your father ruined my family.”
Emily flinched.
Claire regretted the words immediately.
“Our father,” Emily corrected quietly.
Claire looked away.
Footsteps approached.
Rebecca entered.
Her face turned white when she saw Dominic.
“You need to leave.”
Dominic stayed silent.
Claire asked, “Where’s Dad?”
“Office.”
“I need Mom’s records.”
Rebecca’s eyes hardened.
“Your mother has been dead fifteen years. Stop using her to destroy this family.”
Claire stared at her.
“Destroy?”
“You humiliated Charles. Now you’ve brought police, reporters, and this man into our lives.”
Dominic’s expression almost became amused.
“This man has a name.”
Rebecca ignored him.
Claire stepped closer.
“Did you know?”
“Know what?”
“That Mom owned forty-one percent of the company.”
Rebecca’s face answered before her mouth did.
Emily whispered, “Mom?”
Rebecca turned away.
Claire’s chest tightened.
“You knew.”
“Not at first.”
“How long?”
Rebecca said nothing.
“How long?”
“Twelve years.”
Emily stared at her mother.
“You knew Claire owned part of the company?”
“Charles said Anne had changed her mind.”
“Did you see documents?”
“No.”
“Then you believed him because believing him made your life easier.”
Rebecca’s eyes filled with anger.
“You have no idea what I sacrificed.”
Claire almost laughed.
“No. I know exactly what I sacrificed.”
A door opened upstairs.
Charles appeared.
Richard Hale stood behind him.
Charles looked at Dominic.
Then Claire.
“You were told never to come back here.”
Claire went still.
“This is my home.”
“No. It was.”
He tossed an envelope down the stairs.
It landed near Claire’s feet.
Termination papers.
She picked them up.
Charles smiled.
“You’re fired.”
Claire looked at the paper.
Then back at him.
“From what position?”
His smile faded.
“Excuse me?”
“You spent twelve years telling everyone I was administrative support. Now you’re firing me like an executive.”
Dominic looked away, hiding a smile.
Charles’s face reddened.
“You are finished at Whitmore Freight.”
Claire folded the papers.
“No.”
Charles descended the stairs.
“You think Dominic Vale can save you?”
Claire stared at him.
“This stopped being about Dominic the moment I heard Mom’s voice.”
Charles stopped walking.
Rebecca looked confused.
Emily looked frightened.
Richard turned pale.
Claire noticed.
So did Dominic.
Charles said carefully, “What are you talking about?”
Claire said nothing.
Richard backed one step toward the office.
Dominic’s eyes followed him.
Then Emily grabbed Claire’s hand.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
Emily looked toward Charles.
“When I was a kid, Dad kept a locked box behind the wine cellar.”
Charles’s expression changed.
Emily continued.
“I know where the key is.”
Charles lunged forward.
“Emily!”
Dominic moved once.
That was all it took.
He stepped between Charles and the women.
Charles stopped.
May you like
Claire looked at Emily.
“Show me.”
