Chapter 2 - Four Faces at the Door.
Daniel turned toward his father so sharply that Lauren stepped away from him.
“What truth?”
Thomas did not answer immediately.
That hesitation was enough.
Emily guided the children toward the living room sofa, keeping them close enough to feel protected but far enough from the adults to avoid the worst of the argument.
The girls were named Sophie and Grace.
The second boy was Eli.
Noah kept watching Daniel as if one answer might rearrange his entire childhood.
Patricia reached for the envelopes.
Emily placed her hand over them first.
“No.”
Patricia froze.
Emily's voice never rose.
“You had eight years to control the story.”
“You don't get to control the evidence too.”
Daniel crouched and picked up the ring box.
He closed it without looking at Lauren.
Lauren noticed.
She also noticed that Patricia was staring at the returned letters instead of the children.
“Daniel,” Emily said, “I found out I was pregnant twelve days after you left for Boston.”
Daniel rubbed a hand over his face.
“You called me?”
“I called you thirty-two times over three weeks.”
“I never got those calls.”
“I emailed you.”
“I never saw them.”
“I mailed letters to your apartment, your office, and this house.”
Daniel looked at Patricia.
His mother folded her arms.
“You two were already divorced.”
Emily's jaw tightened.
“That did not make him less responsible for knowing he had children.”
Lauren sat down slowly in the chair nearest the fireplace.
Her planned engagement dinner had vanished, and yet she was the only person in the room who seemed determined not to make the moment about herself.
“Did Daniel know about the pregnancy before the divorce was final?” she asked.
Emily shook her head.
“No.”
Daniel looked at Emily with a mixture of relief and horror.
Relief because he had not knowingly walked away from four children.
Horror because someone had still made sure he never found out.
Emily untied the red ribbon.
The first letter was dated eight years earlier.
Daniel recognized her handwriting immediately.
She had written his name exactly the way she used to write it on grocery lists and birthday cards.
Emily handed it to him.
The envelope was stamped RETURN TO SENDER.
The address was correct.
Daniel's old Boston apartment had been correct too.
He had lived there for fourteen months after the divorce.
“I checked the mail every day,” he said.
Thomas lowered his eyes.
Emily pulled out another envelope.
This one had been sent to Mercer Development, Daniel's employer at the time.
Across the front was a company stamp marked PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE - RETURNED PER EXECUTIVE OFFICE.
Daniel stared at the stamp.
“My mother ran the executive office.”
Patricia finally spoke.
“I was protecting you from being manipulated during the biggest deal of your career.”
The room went still again.
Daniel took a step toward her.
“You knew?”
Patricia's mouth tightened.
“I knew Emily claimed she was pregnant.”
Emily's expression sharpened.
“Claimed?”
Patricia continued as if she were discussing a business dispute.
“You were separated.”
“You were angry.”
“You wanted Daniel back.”
Emily laughed once, but there was no humor in it.
“I wanted him to know he was going to be a father.”
Patricia looked at the children for the first time.
Something uncertain passed over her face, but she quickly buried it.
Daniel held up the company envelope.
“Did you return this?”
Patricia did not answer.
Thomas finally stood.
“Daniel, there is more.”
Patricia turned toward her husband.
“Don't.”
Thomas ignored her.
“Your mother asked me to sign something eight years ago.”
Daniel's face went pale.
“What did you sign?”
Thomas looked at Emily, then at the four children.
“A letter telling her never to contact this family again.”
Noah heard that sentence.
His small face changed.
May you like
And Emily knew immediately that the evening had just become much harder than she had planned.
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