Chapter 8: The Woman Who Knew From the Beginning
Preston stared at Brianna.
"Come again?""
Brianna stepped into the study.
She looked smaller than she had at the celebration, without the expensive dress and carefully arranged smile.
Her pregnancy was becoming visible beneath her loose sweater.
She held the envelope against her chest.
"My mother was a nurse at the hospital where you were born.""
Preston shook his head.
"Why would she change my birth records?""
Brianna looked toward the recorder.
"Because Russell paid her.""
Nyla stood up.
"How much?""
"Fifty thousand dollars.""
Preston let out a bitter laugh.
"So my entire identity was worth fifty thousand dollars?""
"No," Brianna said quickly.
"That's not what I mean.""
"Then what do you mean?""
Brianna placed the envelope on the desk.
"My mother kept copies of everything.""
Preston opened it.
Inside were three documents.
The first was a hospital birth record bearing the name Preston Thomas Carter.
The second was a revised birth certificate bearing the name Preston Mitchell.
The third was a handwritten statement signed by a nurse.
It described the transfer of a newborn child from one family record to another.
Preston read the documents slowly.
His hands shook.
"Why are you bringing this now?""
Brianna looked at him.
"Because my mother died last month.""
Nyla frowned.
"Your mother is dead?""
Brianna nodded.
"She had a stroke. Before she died, she told me everything.""
Preston looked at the hospital records.
"Why didn't you tell me before the party?""
Brianna's eyes filled.
"Because Russell promised me he would take care of everything.""
"Everything?""
"The baby. The company. The money.""
Preston stared at her.
"So you knew.""
"I knew there was a possibility.""
"You knew the baby might be my father's.""
Brianna nodded.
"And you still stood beside me while I announced that I was becoming a father?""
She lowered her head.
"I wanted it to be true.""
Preston laughed bitterly.
"That's not an answer.""
Brianna wiped her cheeks.
"I was pregnant, Preston. I was scared. Russell told me the paternity test could be challenged. He said the Mitchell family would accept the baby regardless.""
Nyla crossed her arms.
"And what did he promise you?""
Brianna hesitated.
"A house. Financial security. A future.""
Nyla shook her head.
"You weren't looking for a husband. You were negotiating an inheritance.""
Brianna looked at her.
"Don't pretend you understand.""
"I understand perfectly. I once believed Preston's promises too.""
Preston closed the envelope.
"Why did you invite Nyla to the party?""
Brianna looked away.
"I wanted her to see that I had won.""
"Won what?""
"You.""
Preston stared at her.
Brianna continued.
"She was always the woman everyone respected. Margaret adored her. Russell constantly compared me to her. Even after your divorce, people still talked about how good she had been for you.""
Nyla said nothing.
Brianna's voice cracked.
"I thought if I gave you a son, nobody would ever mention her again.""
Preston looked toward the window.
"That's why you humiliated her?""
"I didn't think—"
"You deliberately invited a woman you knew had been blamed for infertility just so you could insult her in front of our family.""
Brianna started crying harder.
"I wanted to feel important.""
Preston looked at her.
"And you used my father to get there.""
She didn't deny it.
Aunt Denise slowly approached the desk.
"There's something else.""
Everyone turned toward her.
Denise pointed at the original birth record.
"Look at the date.""
Preston examined it.
The document was dated thirty-six years earlier.
But the revised certificate had been issued nearly two years later.
"Why?"" he asked.
Denise took a deep breath.
"Because Margaret changed her mind.""
Preston frowned.
"What?""
"After Thomas died, Margaret wanted to correct the records. She wanted you to know the truth. But Russell threatened to take you away from her.""
Preston looked at the letter.
"She stayed quiet because of me?""
Denise nodded.
"She believed he would make sure you never saw her again.""
Preston sat down.
His mother had carried that secret until her death.
He had spent years thinking she was simply a quiet woman who avoided confrontation.
Now he understood that she had been fighting a battle he had never known existed.
Nyla picked up the recorder.
"There's more on here.""
She pressed the second file.
A different voice emerged.
It was Margaret again, but this time she sounded frightened.
"Thomas, if you can hear me, I am sorry.""
Nyla froze.
Preston turned toward the recorder.
Margaret continued.
"I should have fought harder. Russell says he has already taken care of the hospital records. He says Thomas will never be able to challenge him.""
A pause.
Then a man's voice spoke.
It was Thomas.
"Margaret, listen to me. If anything happens to me, make sure Nyla gets the ledger.""
Nyla's eyes filled.
Her father.
She had not heard his voice in years.
Thomas continued.
"She deserves to know what happened. And Preston deserves to know who he is.""
Then Margaret said something that nobody expected.
"Thomas, Preston isn't the only child Russell has been lying about.""
The recording crackled.
Preston looked at Brianna.
"What does that mean?""
Brianna shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Denise leaned toward the recorder.
"Keep listening.""
Thomas spoke again.
"Margaret, are you sure?""
"Yes.""
Then Margaret whispered:
"Russell has another son.""
The room fell silent.
Preston slowly turned toward his father’s photograph on the desk.
"Who?""
There was no answer.
Then Margaret's voice returned.
"His name is Marcus.""
Brianna's face drained of color.
Nyla noticed immediately.
"You know that name.""
Brianna looked down.
"Yes.""
"How?""
Brianna's lips trembled.
"Because Marcus is the man who told me to get close to Preston.""
Preston stood.
"Who is Marcus?""
Brianna looked at him.
"Russell's son from another relationship.""
"Where is he?""
"I don't know.""
Preston grabbed the envelope.
"Why would he want you near me?""
Brianna hesitated.
Then she revealed the truth.
"Because he believes you're sitting on an inheritance that should have belonged to him.""
Preston stared.
"What inheritance?""
Brianna opened her mouth.
But before she could answer, Nyla's phone rang.
An unknown number.
She answered.
"Hello?""
A man's voice spoke calmly.
"Nyla Carter?""
"Who's this?""
"My name is Marcus Mitchell.""
She looked at Preston.
Marcus continued.
"I believe you have my father's ledger.""
Nyla tightened her grip on the phone.
"What do you want?""
A short laugh came through the speaker.
"To finish what Thomas Carter started.""
Then he added:
"And I think you should know something about the baby Brianna is carrying.""
Nyla went completely still.
Marcus continued.
"That child isn't Russell's first secret.""
The call ended.
Preston looked at Brianna.
"What does he mean?""
Brianna began shaking.
May you like
Then she whispered:
"Preston, there's a reason Russell wanted the baby's name announced tonight.""
