Chương 7
"Your father's old lake house."
Margaret immediately reacted.
The expression on her face changed.
"No."
Daniel looked at her.
"What?"
She stepped closer.
"The lake house was sold after Richard died."
David heard her through the phone.
"Not everything."
Daniel frowned.
"What does that mean?"
David whispered.
"There is a room beneath the house."
Nobody moved.
"A hidden room."
Daniel looked at Margaret.
"Did you know?"
She shook her head slowly.
"No."
David continued.
"Your father built it years ago."
"Why?"
"Because he was afraid someone would betray him."
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"My entire family was afraid of betrayal while betraying each other."
Nobody corrected him.
Because nobody could.
Then David said something that made Daniel’s blood run cold.
"There is one more thing you need to know."
"What?"
"The person who has been watching Noah..."
Daniel waited.
"Is not trying to hurt him."
The answer confused him.
"Then what are they trying to do?"
David’s voice became quieter.
"They are trying to take him."
Emma immediately moved closer.
"Who?"
Daniel looked at her.
The fear on her face mirrored his own.
David took a breath.
"The person who believes Noah belongs to them."
Daniel’s heart sank.
"Who?"
The line became silent.
Then David finally answered.
And the name that followed changed everything.
"The person who has been watching Noah..."
"...is Noah’s biological mother."
Daniel stood completely still.
The words from David’s voice echoed through the phone.
Noah’s biological mother.
For several seconds, nobody in the kitchen moved.
Emma’s face became pale.
Her arms instinctively moved toward the baby.
As if someone could suddenly take him away.
As if holding him tighter could protect him from a truth that had already changed everything.
"That's impossible," Emma whispered.
Daniel looked at her.
There was fear in her eyes.
Not guilt.
Not anger.
Fear.
David heard her through the phone.
"I know what you believe."
Daniel gripped the phone harder.
"Then explain."
"Daniel, listen carefully."
His uncle’s voice sounded exhausted.
"The person who gave birth to Noah was never recorded correctly."
Emma shook her head.
"No."
Daniel looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
David continued.
"The hospital records were altered before Noah was born."
Margaret stepped closer.
"Who altered them?"
David hesitated.
"Your father."
Daniel closed his eyes.
Again.
His father.
Another secret connected to Richard Carter.
Another piece of a life he thought he understood.
"Why?"
David answered quietly.
"Because he was trying to hide someone."
Daniel looked toward Emma.
"Who?"
David did not respond immediately.
That silence made everyone nervous.
"David."
Finally, he spoke.
"Her name is Claire Bennett."
Emma’s breathing stopped.
The name meant something.
Daniel noticed immediately.
"You know her."
Emma looked down.
"Yes."
Daniel felt another wave of confusion.
"Who is Claire?"
Emma did not answer.
Not because she wanted to hide something.
Because she was trying to understand how to explain a memory she had buried.
Margaret looked at her carefully.
"Emma?"
Emma closed her eyes.
"I knew Claire."
Daniel stared at her.
"When?"
"Before I met you."
The answer made his chest tighten.
"How?"
Emma looked at Noah.
"She was my friend."
Nobody spoke.
The rain continued falling outside.
A friendship.
A baby.
A hidden identity.
A changed hospital record.
The truth seemed to grow darker with every sentence.
"What happened to her?" Daniel asked.
Emma’s eyes filled with tears.
"She disappeared."
"When?"
"The day Noah was born."
Daniel looked confused.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Emma swallowed.
"Because I thought she left."
David interrupted.
"She didn't leave."
Everyone looked toward the phone.
David continued.
"She was taken away from the situation before she could make a choice."
Daniel’s expression hardened.
"Taken away?"
"Yes."
"By who?"
David became quiet.
Then he answered.
"Richard."
The name felt like another betrayal.
Daniel stepped away from everyone.
"My father took Noah's mother?"
"Not exactly."
"Then explain."
David sighed.
"Richard discovered Claire was pregnant."
Emma looked shocked.
"How?"
David answered.
"Because Claire told him."
Daniel frowned.
"Why would she tell my father?"
Emma looked at Margaret.
The older woman seemed to know more.
Margaret finally spoke.
"Because Richard was the person who controlled the Carter family foundation."
Daniel looked at her.
"What does that have to do with Claire?"
Margaret looked uncomfortable.
"Claire needed help."
"Help with what?"
"Medical treatment."
The answer surprised everyone.
David continued.
"Claire had complications during pregnancy."
Emma lowered her eyes.
"I remember."
Daniel looked at her.
"You knew?"
Emma nodded slowly.
"She was scared."
Her voice became softer.
"She didn't have family nearby."
"She didn't know what she would do."
Daniel listened carefully.
"Then what happened?"
Emma looked toward the baby.
"Richard offered to help."
The kitchen became silent.
"But he had a condition."
Daniel already knew he would hate the answer.
"What condition?"
Emma whispered.
"He wanted control."
Daniel’s expression changed.
"Control over the baby?"
Emma nodded.
"He believed the Carter name was more important than anyone's feelings."
Margaret looked away.
Because she knew it was true.
Richard had always believed reputation was everything.
He had built his empire by controlling every detail around him.
He had never accepted uncertainty.
He had never accepted losing.
"Claire refused," Emma continued.
"She told him Noah was her child."
Daniel looked at her.
"And then?"
Emma’s voice trembled.
"Then she disappeared."
David spoke.
"Richard arranged for Claire to be transferred to another hospital under a different name."
Daniel looked horrified.
"Why?"
"Because he believed Claire was unstable."
Emma shook her head.
"She wasn't."
Daniel looked at her.
"You knew that?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't you find her?"
The question hurt.
Emma looked down.
"Because Richard told me she abandoned Noah."
Daniel went silent.
The pieces finally connected.
The lies.
The missing person.
The changed records.
Everything had started with Richard.
But Daniel still had one question.
"Why did Michael get involved?"
David answered.
"Because Michael found Claire."
Daniel looked surprised.
"He found her?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"After Richard died."
Margaret looked shocked.
"Then why didn't he tell us?"
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David’s voice became heavy.
"Because Claire was afraid."
