Chapter 10
Laura placed the caseworker’s notes in front of Adrian.
He stared at them.
For the first time, the arrogance disappeared completely.
Megan read them next.
Her lips parted.
“You made me think it was my idea.”
Adrian rubbed one hand across his face.
“You were already considering Laura.”
“You pushed me.”
“I suggested what made sense.”
Megan’s voice cracked.
“What made sense for you.”
Laura remained silent.
She needed him to keep talking.
Adrian did.
That was his mistake.
An adoption outside the family created risks.
Questions from strangers.
Possible paternity searches later.
Claire’s friends might contact the child.
A lawyer might examine old payments.
But if Laura adopted Emma—
the child remained under Moretti protection.
Her records remained close.
Adrian could monitor questions.
Megan could live with the decision because Emma was still “family-adjacent.”
And Laura, only twenty-four at the time, had already told relatives she wanted to adopt someday.
He had seen the opening.
And used it.
Laura’s fingers slowly closed over her signet ring.
“You chose my daughter for me.”
Adrian looked up.
“I put her somewhere safe.”
“You chose my life because it protected yours.”
His mouth tightened.
Megan whispered:
“And mine.”
Adrian looked toward her.
For the first time, he seemed to understand that the two women he manipulated were now standing on the same side of the table.
Then Laura asked:
“Why did Claire’s letter have to disappear?”
Adrian’s face changed again.
Because the letter did more than identify him as Emma’s father.
It explained the adoption.
Claire had anticipated she might die from her health complications.
She did not object to Laura raising Emma if Laura genuinely wanted her.
In fact, she had met Laura once.
Years earlier.
At a foundation event.
Laura barely remembered.
Claire did.
“She chose me?”
Laura’s voice came out differently.
Adrian closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
The major twist shifted everything again.
Adrian had manipulated the process.
Megan had pushed the placement.
But Claire herself had independently named Laura as someone she trusted.
The adoption was not purely their construction.
Adrian had stolen that truth too.
Why?
Because Claire’s letter also demanded that Emma eventually be told who her father was.
And that Megan be told everything.
Laura’s breathing changed.
“You destroyed the letter so you could make us all believe whatever version you needed.”
Adrian did not deny it.
Megan looked as though something inside her had broken.
Claire had not been trying to steal her husband.
At the end, she had been trying to return choice to everyone.
Adrian removed that choice.
Then Laura’s attorney entered with one final discovery.
The letter had not actually been destroyed.
Adrian had lied again.
A scan had been automatically uploaded to Claire’s attorney before Adrian collected the original.
And the final paragraph mentioned Megan directly.
Megan’s hands began shaking.
May you like
Laura opened the recovered copy.
Claire’s last words to her sister were waiting.
