Chương 5 - Người Đàn Ông Đến Từ Singapore

I laughed.

“A little late.”

“ don’t confront anyone else.”

The police investigation moved slowly.

Real investigations .

Days passed.

weeks.

Every piece made it uglier.

The fake certificate wasn’t some bad Photoshop job.

Whoever made it copied formatting from legitimate records.

The number belonged to a real filing, just ours.

A person who produced forged documents for years earlier eventually cooperated.

Bank records showed paid him.

transaction connected to part of the payment.

investigators recovered archived messages.

Rachel sat beside when I read them.

:

Make it convincing. notices details.

The man:

Why just file a real license?

:

we don’t know whether give a son.

The man:

Does know?

:

Of course.

message from .

Use the same county format. I don’t want asking questions.

I read one three times.

Rachel touched the paper.

“You don’t have to keep reading right now.”

“I .”

There was more.

:

the pregnancy goes well, we decide later.

:

thinks is done.

:

Good. Keep it way.

the time those messages sent, I was twenty weeks pregnant .

They already decided value depended on out of body.

I went to the bathroom threw up.

called constantly after he realized investigators the messages.

I blocked him.

he emailed.

I never wanted to hurt you.

I deleted it.

arrived.

we was real even the paperwork wasn’t.

Deleted.

:

I loved you. I still .

I kept one.

I believed it.

Rachel told to preserve .

was called in for questioning.

Before went, called twenty-seven times.

When I didn’t answer, to apartment.

doorbell camera alerted .

I watched stand outside in a beige coat handbag clutched under one arm.

I did open the door.

“ you want?”

I spoke through the intercom.

looked directly into the camera.

“Claire, this has gone far enough.”

I almost laughed.

“You to the wrong address you want sympathy.”

“This is a family matter.”

“No. It became a police matter when you paid somebody to forge a marriage record.”

face tightened.

“You always make dramatic.”

“You created a fake legal document.”

“ you wouldn’t stop pressuring about marriage.”

I stared the screen.

“I was pregnant his child.”

“Exactly.”

tone was so matter-of-fact it scared more than anger would have.

“ was an important stage in his career. The family business was changing. His grandfather expected the Price name to continue.”

“ was a Price.”

sighed.

“You know I mean.”

“No. Say it.”

“Claire.”

“Say it.”

patience snapped.

“A daughter was the family .”

I expected the answer.

It still hurt.

continued.

“ after your complications, the doctors couldn’t promise you pregnancy.”

“So you found Tessa.”

“Tessa was already pregnant.”

There it was.

piece.

been sleeping before died.

“How long?”

looked away.

“How long you known?”

“A few months.”

I pressed forehead to the wall beside the monitor.

“You knew while I was pregnant.”

“Yes.”

“You helping .”

“ help.”

“So did I.”

“You always been independent.”

I almost choked.

old excuse.

You’re strong.

You handle things.

Tessa support.

protecting.

a grandson.

I was useful I didn’t ask loudly enough.

“When I was in the hospital after died, you told your heart condition was acting up.”

“I wasn’t feeling well.”

“You Tessa’s hospital.”

Silence.

“You holding Noah.”

’s mouth flattened.

“He was grandson.”

“ ?”

“ was gone.”

Four words.

was gone.

As erased .

As dead children stopped being children.

I sat down on the floor behind door.

’s voice softened.

“Claire, listen to .”

“No.”

“Tessa knows now.”

“Good.”

“’s willing to move forward.”

I looked back the screen.

“?”

“ understands has history you.”

I genuinely thought I misunderstood.

continued.

“You together a long time. Nobody is denying .”

“ are you suggesting?”

“Withdraw the complaint.”

“No.”

“Let the paperwork issue go.”

“It isn’t a paperwork issue.”

“ still take care of you.”

I felt cold.

“ does mean?”

“Financially.”

paused.

“ emotionally, you both need .”

stomach turned.

“Emotionally.”

“He spend time you.”

I stared .

“A few nights a month?”

’s eyes shifted.

actually the nerve to look embarrassed.

“You don’t need to say it like .”

“Like ?”