Chapter 5

I followed my grandma out of the Nolan estate.

Behind me, James called after me, "Claire, you'll come crawling back to me."

I stopped and turned to face him. "James."

He looked at me.

I said, "You'd better enjoy your peaceful nights while you still can.

"Because someday, every time you try to sleep, you'll be haunted by the sound of my child's cries."

That first night back at Bennett Manor, I couldn't sleep.

My grandma had someone prepare my mom's old room for me. In the closet, I found her apron from her younger days, the fabric worn thin from countless washes, and in the pocket, an old recipe card.

I sat on the edge of the bed, holding that recipe card for a long time.

My grandma sat at the table, pouring me a plate of soup. "Your mom loved this soup when she was pregnant with you."

I said, "Grandma, I want to check out the hospital first."

My grandma didn't try to make me eat. She pushed the plate a little closer. "Go ahead, check it out. But make sure you take care of yourself, too."

David stood in the doorway. "Ms. Winters, I went to the hospital myself. Someone took one page from your emergency record on the day of the incident."

I looked up. "Who took it?"

"James's people," David replied.

I set the recipe card down. "What else?"

David said, "They changed the kidnapping report to make it look like a simple robbery. And your injuries? They only wrote down that you got hurt from some impact, but didn't mention everything that happened."

My grandma's hand gripped her cane so tightly her knuckles turned white.

Her voice was quiet when she said, "Someone from the Nolan family pulled some strings."

David nodded. "It was Margaret's family."

"Can we get it back?" I asked.

David looked at me. "It's possible, but it'll take some time."

"I can't afford to wait too long," I said.

My grandma glanced at me. "Claire, what are you planning to do?"

I picked up my phone and dialed a number.

It was Olivia Grant, my college friend. She was now an editor at a media outlet, and she talked like a firecracker.

As soon as the call connected, she started yelling. "Claire, you're finally alive? That asshole James turned off your phone.

"When I called the Nolan family, Margaret said you'd lost your mind after giving birth. Where the hell are you?"

"Bennett Manor," I said.

She paused for a second. "Which Bennett Manor?"

"My grandma's place."

Olivia took a deep breath, then immediately started yelling again. "Forget which Bennett Manor. Just tell me, is James behind what happened to your kid?"

"Yes."

The sound of a chair scraping across the floor came through the phone.

"I'm coming over right now. Don't even try to stop me. I'm going to curse him out so hard his ancestors will feel it," Olivia shouted.

I glanced at my grandma and lowered my voice. "Olivia, I need you to help me spread some news."

"What news?"

"James kicked his wife, who lost her baby, out to a villa in the suburbs, all to keep his pregnant mistress happy."

Olivia snorted, "That's it? What about the kidnapping?"

"Not the kidnapping. Not yet."

David looked up at me.

"He's terrified of his reputation getting trashed right now. Let's make him sweat a little first," I said.

My grandma nodded.

Olivia let out a cold laugh over the phone. "Got it. Let's skin him alive first, then watch him panic and make a fool of himself."

The next morning, the news went viral.

Reporters mobbed the gate of the Nolan estate.

I was in the small kitchen at Bennett Manor, trying to remake that soup.

My grandma always said my mom was a genius at masking bitterness with sweetness, but even after three tries, I couldn't get it right.

Olivia burst into the kitchen, phone still in hand. "James is holding a press conference right outside Nolan Group."

I turned down the heat.

On the screen, James stood in front of a row of microphones, looking sharp in his suit, his face perfectly worn out, just tired enough to win sympathy.

"My wife lost our child, and she's really struggling right now. The rumors online aren't true. I never made her do anything against her will," he said.

A reporter asked, "Mr. Nolan, is Emily pregnant? Is the baby yours?"

James fell silent for a moment. "Emily's not in good health. Please, don't drag innocent people into this."

Olivia slammed her hand on the table, furious. "Innocent? My ass. She's anything but innocent."

On the screen, Emily was escorted out, supported by someone.

She wasn't wearing any makeup, and her face was white as a sheet. "Claire's got the wrong idea about me. I'm willing to leave Hayberland. Don't hurt James anymore."

A reporter immediately jumped in, "Ms. Winters, did you hit her?"

Emily covered her face. "Claire didn't mean it."

Olivia yelled even louder, "Didn't mean it? She's dumping all the blame on you!"

I ladled the soup into a plate.

My grandma tasted the soup and frowned. "It's cooked too long."

"I'll make it again," I said.

David walked in, holding a tablet. "Ms. Winters, James is demanding a public apology from you. If you don't, he's going to sue Olivia for spreading rumors."

Olivia rolled up her sleeves. "Let him sue. Like I'd ever be scared of him."

I asked, "Anyone from the hospital at the press conference?"

David replied, "Yeah, the deputy director who was in charge of your surgery showed up, too."

I took off my apron. "Let's go to the press conference."

My grandma looked up at me. "Are you sure you're up for this?"

I grabbed my bag. "They erased my child's name."

Olivia's voice dropped as she asked, "What do you mean?"

I said, "On the death certificate, where my child's name should be, it's empty."

I looked at James's face on the screen, that phony tenderness. "He wouldn't even give my child a name."

When I arrived at the press conference, Emily was in tears.

She was right by James's side, one hand clinging to her stomach, the other dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. Margaret was hovering protectively, as if Emily was the crown jewel of the Nolan family.

As soon as the reporters spotted me, all the cameras swung my way.

James's expression shifted instantly. "Claire, what are you doing here?"

I walked up to the podium.

Olivia followed right behind me, shoving aside a security guard who tried to block our way. "Move it. Don't get in the way of the victim."

Margaret lowered her voice. "Claire, aren't you embarrassed enough already?"

I looked at her. "I'm not the one who should be ashamed."

James instantly put on his gentle act. "Claire, let's go home and talk. You're still not well. Don't stand here too long."

I shot back, "Which home? The one where Emily has taken over my child's room?"