Chapter 3 – A Mother's Lie
That evening, Evelyn Hail returned from her charity luncheon.
She stepped into the mansion and froze.
Four little boys sat beside Richard in the living room.
The color drained from her face.
"No..."
Richard stood.
His voice was frighteningly calm.
"You buried four empty coffins."
Evelyn remained silent.
"You told me my sons were dead."
Still nothing.
Finally she whispered,
"I was protecting the family."
Richard's eyes filled with disbelief.
"From what?"
"Clara nearly ruined everything."
"You were obsessed with heirs," she continued.
"Four babies at once... doctors warned they would require years of care."
"I thought they'd make you weak."
"You thought fatherhood would distract me from business."
"So you took them?"
"I arranged for them to disappear."
Richard could hardly recognize the woman standing before him.
"You destroyed my family."
"I built this family!" Evelyn shouted.
"I sacrificed everything!"
"No," Richard replied.
"You sacrificed everyone else."
Minutes later, detectives arrived.
Lena had already turned over every document she'd kept for five years.
The hospital administrator had confessed.
The retired doctor had admitted accepting millions to falsify death certificates.
Evelyn was arrested for conspiracy, fraud, kidnapping, and falsifying official records.
As officers led her away, she looked at Richard.
"You'll regret this."
He shook his head.
"I've already regretted trusting you."
He closed the front door behind her.
May you like
For the first time in years...
The mansion felt lighter.
