Chapter 13 - Grant’s Confession
I didn’t want to see him.
I told myself that.
I told myself Grant didn’t deserve my attention.
Not after everything.
Not after Ellie.
But when I saw him…
I understood.
He wasn’t the confident man from the hotel lobby.
He looked terrified.
Broken.
“Mara.”
I stayed standing.
“Talk.”
He looked at Ellie.
Then away.
“I made mistakes.”
I laughed softly.
“Mistakes?”
His eyes lowered.
“Yes.”
“You betrayed me.”
“Yes.”
“You tried to take my daughter.”
His face changed.
“I never wanted that.”
“Then why?”
He swallowed.
“Because I was trapped.”
I crossed my arms.
“Explain.”
Grant looked at Daniel.
Then at my father.
“I was approached before I met you.”
“By Vanessa’s family?”
He nodded.
“They knew about Kingsley.”
My hands tightened.
“They offered me everything.”
“And you accepted.”
“Yes.”
The honesty surprised me.
“Why?”
His voice became quiet.
“Because I was poor.”
I stared.
“I wanted power.”
A pause.
“I wanted to matter.”
For a second, I saw the man I married.
Not the monster.
The insecure person behind him.
But it didn’t erase what he did.
“Who controlled you?”
Grant looked afraid.
“Edward Whitmore.”
The name meant nothing.
Until my father reacted.
His expression changed.
“No.”
I turned.
“Who is he?”
My father whispered:
“The man who destroyed your grandfather.”
The room became silent.
Grant continued.
“He owns the network behind everything.”
“Why Ellie?”
Grant looked at me.
“Because Bluebird isn’t just money.”
“What is it?”
He whispered:
“Access.”
“To what?”
He looked toward my daughter.
“To something your father hid.”
Before I could ask…
The building alarm activated.
Security rushed in.
“Mrs. Kingsley!”
“What happened?”
A guard looked terrified.
“We lost contact with the nursery camera.”
My heart stopped.
“Ellie.”
I ran.
The nursery door was open.
The room was empty.
On the floor…
Was Ellie’s teddy bear.
May you like
And a note.
COME ALONE IF YOU WANT YOUR DAUGHTER BACK.
