The Girl at Her Father's Party

Chapter 3 - The Money Claire Never Took

Adrian almost refused to watch.

Part of him did not want the truth.

Anger was easier.

For seven years, Claire had been the villain in a story that explained everything.

Why she disappeared.

Why the foundation lost money.

Why their wedding never happened.

Why she never answered him.

But he inserted the flash drive into Daniel's laptop.

The files were old financial records.

Internal transfers.

Email archives.

Copies of authorization logs.

Claire pointed weakly at one folder.

"Open that."

Adrian did.

The transfers were signed digitally with Claire's credentials.

But the access logs showed something different.

They had been initiated from a computer inside the Vale mansion.

At times when Claire could prove she was elsewhere.

Adrian frowned.

"Who had access?"

Claire looked at him.

"Your father."

Adrian's face changed.

His father, Richard Vale, had died two years earlier.

"He would never steal from his own foundation."

"He wasn't stealing for himself."

"Then who?"

Claire looked toward Lily.

"Vanessa."

Adrian laughed once in disbelief.

"Vanessa wasn't even involved with the foundation then."

"Officially."

Claire explained.

Seven years earlier, Vanessa had accumulated enormous gambling debts through a man named Marcus Hale.

She was Adrian's cousin and one of Richard Vale's favorite relatives.

Richard secretly used foundation accounts to cover her debts.

Claire discovered the transfers.

She confronted Richard.

He begged her to remain silent until he could replace the money.

Claire refused.

"He told me exposure would destroy the family."

Adrian stared at the screen.

"And then?"

"Vanessa found out I knew."

Claire's voice weakened.

"Three days later, the money was moved again using my credentials."

"Why run?"

"I didn't."

Adrian looked at her sharply.

Claire reached for another folder.

Inside were copies of letters.

Dozens.

All addressed to Adrian.

Adrian, please believe me.

I didn't take the money.

I'm pregnant.

Adrian froze.

His eyes moved slowly toward Lily.

Claire watched him understand.

"No."

Her eyes filled.

"Lily is yours."

Adrian stood so quickly the chair scraped backward.

"No."

"You can test it."

"Claire—"

"I found out two weeks after I disappeared."

"You expect me to believe you had my daughter and never told me?"

"I told you every month."

Adrian looked at the letters again.

"I never received these."

"I know."

"How?"

Claire closed her eyes.

"Because years later, one came back unopened."

She handed him an envelope.

Across the front, someone had written:

RETURN TO SENDER. ADRIAN VALE REFUSES FURTHER CONTACT.

Adrian recognized the handwriting.

Not his father's.

Vanessa's.