Chapter 4: The Woman Who Knew My Password
I didn’t remember walking back into the sitting room.
One second I was holding the email.
The next I was standing in front of Sloane with the paper between us.
She looked at it.
Then at me.
And for the first time since I arrived, she looked nervous.
“You went through my things?””
I stared at her.
“That’s your concern?””
“You had no right.””
“My daughter had no choice.””
Her jaw tightened.
“You’re twisting everything.””
“No.””
I held up the email.
“You wrote this.””
She didn’t answer.
“You wrote that after tomorrow I wouldn’t change my mind.””
Silence.
That silence was her answer.
Maisie moved closer to me.
I put an arm around her.
Sloane noticed.
And something inside her broke.
“You’re really going to let a five-year-old destroy everything?””
My eyes widened.
“A five-year-old?””
She shook her head.
“You know what I mean.””
“No, Sloane. I don’t.””
She walked around the room.
“You have no idea what it’s like living in that house.””
“My house?””
“Our house.””
“No. Not anymore.””
The words came out before I even thought about them.
Sloane stopped.
“What did you say?””
“I said you don’t live there anymore.””
Her face went pale.
Then angry.
“You’re throwing me out?””
“I’m protecting my daughter.””
She laughed.
A small, bitter laugh.
“You think you’re protecting her?””
“Yes.””
“You have no idea what you’re protecting her from.””
I stared at her.
“What does that mean?””
She looked at Maisie.
Then back at me.
“You think Emma was perfect?””
My body froze.
“Don’t.””
“No, Graham. You need to hear this.””
“Do not bring my wife into this.””
“Your wife left you with a child who has problems you refuse to admit.””
My voice dropped.
“Stop talking.””
“She couldn’t handle it either.””
That was the moment I knew.
Not suspected.
Not wondered.
Knew.
The woman I was about to marry had never accepted my daughter.
She had simply hidden it.
I walked toward the door.
“We’re leaving.””
Sloane moved quickly.
“Graham.””
I stopped.
Her voice changed.
The anger disappeared.
A softer voice returned.
The voice I had trusted.
“Think carefully.””
I turned around.
She held up her phone.
“I know what happens next.””
“What?””
“You go to court.””
I stared.
“You’re already planning this?””
She smiled sadly.
“You think a judge is going to believe a father who signed placement papers and then changed his mind?””
My stomach dropped.
“You forged those.””
“Can you prove that?””
The question hung in the air.
Because she knew exactly what she was doing.
She wasn’t scared.
She was prepared.
I grabbed my phone.
“I’ll call my attorney.””
Sloane nodded.
“Go ahead.””
That confidence bothered me.
Because she knew something I didn’t.
I walked outside with Maisie.
The cold air hit my face.
My driver brought the car around.
As we reached the vehicle, my phone buzzed.
A message.
From my bank.
I opened it.
ACCOUNT SECURITY ALERT.
A recent request has been submitted to update authorized contacts.
I stared at the screen.
Then another notification appeared.
HOME ACCESS UPDATE.
A new user had been added to the Grant residence security system.
I looked at Maisie.
Then back at the wedding venue.
Sloane had not just planned to remove my daughter.
She had been slowly removing me from my own life.
I drove straight home.
But when I pulled into the driveway, I knew something was wrong.
The front gate didn’t open.
I entered the code.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A man’s voice responded.
“Mr. Grant?””
“Yes.””
“This is the security company.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“What’s happening?””
“Sir, we received a request to deactivate your access to the property.””
My heart stopped.
“Who requested that?””
The man hesitated.
Then said:
“The request came from the primary account holder.””
I looked at my house.
The place Emma and I bought.
The place where Maisie grew up.
The place where Sloane had never owned anything.
“Who is the primary account holder?””
The man answered.
May you like
And the name he said made my blood run cold.
“Mrs. Sloane Grant.””
