Chapter 8 - The Promise My Wife Kept
Grace was asleep when I entered.
A monitor traced her heartbeat across a small screen.
Her skin looked almost translucent against the white pillow.
An IV ran into her arm.
For a long moment, I simply watched her breathe.
I had spent six months believing everything I did was necessary to keep our family safe.
All that time, my wife had needed protection from the people I'd left behind.
I pulled a chair beside her bed.
Her eyes opened.
"Dante?"
"I'm here."
She looked toward the door.
"Where's the baby?"
"He's alive."
Tears filled her eyes.
"Really?"
I nodded.
"He's in the neonatal intensive care unit."
She reached for my hand.
"Can I see him?"
"As soon as the doctors say it's safe."
She began crying.
I leaned forward and held her carefully.
"I'm sorry."
She shook her head.
"Please stop saying that."
"I left you with her."
"You believed your mother."
"I should have believed you."
Grace closed her eyes.
"She made sure I couldn't tell you."
I brushed my thumb over her fingers.
"Tell me everything."
She looked toward the hospital door.
"Is she here?"
"No."
"Promise?"
"She can't get near you."
Only then did Grace begin.
Three months after I left for Europe, Elena had invited her to dinner.
She claimed she wanted to discuss the nursery.
When Grace arrived, Vincent was waiting.
There were documents on the dining room table.
Elena told her they were routine estate matters.
Grace read them before signing.
Buried inside was a transfer of authority over family trust assets and a guardianship nomination concerning the unborn baby.
Grace refused.
Elena became furious.
That night, Grace's phone disappeared.
The next morning, two men escorted her to the west wing.
"She told me you authorized it," Grace whispered.
I shook my head.
"Never."
"I know that now."
"Why did you believe her?"
Grace's expression folded.
"Because she showed me messages."
"What messages?"
"From you."
I felt sick.
"She had screenshots of conversations with another woman."
I stared at her.
Grace looked down.
"She said you'd decided you didn't want the baby."
"Grace..."
"She said you were staying in Europe because you were starting another family."
I grabbed her hand.
"None of that was true."
"I wanted to believe that."
She swallowed.
"But every time I tried to call you, someone stood over me."
My throat tightened.
"I should have come home sooner."
She squeezed my hand.
"You came when you realized something was wrong."
I hesitated.
Then I showed her the photograph from the unknown sender.
Grace stared at it.
"Where did you get that?"
"Someone sent it to me."
She touched the screen.
"Your father."
"Yes."
For several seconds, she said nothing.
"Why were you in his lawyer's office?"
Grace looked up.
"Because he asked me to make a promise."
"What promise?"
She took a long breath.
"A few months before our wedding, your father found out he was dying."
I had known about the illness.
I had not known how much time he spent making arrangements behind my back.
"He told me there was a child," Grace continued.
"Samuel."
I nodded.
"He was afraid of what Elena would do if she learned about him."
"Why tell you?"
Grace's eyes filled again.
"Because he trusted me."
The words hurt more than I expected.
My father had trusted my fiancée with a secret he had kept from his own son.
"He knew I worked with children before we met," Grace said.
"He asked me to help protect Samuel's identity until it was safe."
"What did you sign?"
"A confidentiality agreement and a statement acknowledging the trust."
I looked at her.
"Why didn't you tell me after he died?"
"He made me promise not to until Samuel's mother agreed."
I stood and walked to the window.
"Grace, that boy was locked under our house."
"I didn't know Elena had found him."
"How did you discover it?"
She wiped her eyes.
"Samuel's mother contacted me."
I turned.
"Lydia?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"She said someone had been following her."
Grace swallowed.
"She thought your mother knew about the trust."
"What did you do?"
"I invited her to the estate."
I stared at her.
"You brought Lydia here?"
"She needed somewhere safe."
My mind raced.
"That's when she disappeared."
Grace nodded.
"I tried to help her."
"What happened?"
"Elena found out."
I returned to her bedside.
"Did you see Lydia again?"
Grace hesitated.
"Once."
"When?"
"After they locked me up."
My pulse quickened.
"Where?"
"Through a service window."
"What did she say?"
Grace's eyes widened as the memory returned.
"She told me your father had left something for you."
"What?"
"A recording."
I leaned closer.
"Where is it?"
Grace reached beneath the edge of her hospital gown.
She pulled a thin chain from around her neck.
A small silver pendant hung from it.
I had given it to her on our second anniversary.
She pressed a hidden catch.
The pendant opened.
Inside was a tiny storage card.
She placed it in my palm.
"I kept this hidden through every examination."
I stared at it.
"What's on it?"
Grace whispered.
"Your father's final confession."
Then she looked toward the closed hospital door.
"Dante, there's something you need to know before you watch it."
I lifted my eyes.
May you like
She began trembling.
"Your father didn't die the way they told you."
