“Dad’s signature?”
“Forged.”
Margaret covered her mouth.
Evelyn felt rage rise.
“My grandfather stole a baby.”
Harold’s eyes lowered.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Harold took a breath.
“Because he believed Daniel Hart would fail.”
“That’s it?”
“No.”
Arthur Caldwell’s wife, Evelyn’s grandmother Eleanor, had created a trust years earlier.
It contained an unusual provision.
If Margaret had more than one biological child, control of a large block of Caldwell company shares would eventually be divided equally among them.
Arthur hated that provision.
He had expected Simon to inherit effective control of the business.
Margaret’s first child did not threaten that plan.
Two did.
“So Grandpa gave Nora away to protect Uncle Simon’s company?”
Evelyn could barely say it.
Harold nodded.
Simon finally spoke.
“I was twenty-two.”
Everyone looked at him.
“I did not arrange anything.”
Harold replied, “No.”
Simon’s jaw tightened.
“I didn’t know.”
Harold looked at him for a long time.
“You knew by 2003.”
Margaret stared at her brother.
“What?”
Simon said nothing.
Harold continued.
“Arthur told him before his first heart surgery.”
Margaret stood.
“You knew.”
Simon spoke calmly.
“I knew there had been another child.”
“You knew I had another daughter.”
“I knew Father had arranged an adoption.”
“Did you know it was fraudulent?”
“No.”
Harold slid another letter across the table.
Simon did not look at it.
Margaret did.
The letter was from Arthur Caldwell to Simon.
It described the altered documents.
The trust.
Nora.
Everything.
Dated 2004.
Margaret whispered, “You knew for twenty-two years.”
Simon stared at the table.
“Father was dying.”
“That has nothing to do with anything.”
“He made me promise to protect the company.”
Margaret laughed.
It was an ugly sound.
“You let me search for my daughter.”
Simon looked up.
“You stopped searching.”
She slapped him.
No one stopped her.
Simon slowly touched his cheek.
Margaret was shaking.
“You watched Daniel die believing he failed her.”
“I did not cause his illness.”
“No.”
Her eyes filled with fury.
“You just let him die with a lie.”
Evelyn looked at Harold.
“The payments to the Bells.”
Harold nodded.
“Not payment for Nora.”