Chapter 9 - THE FATHER WHO TRIED TOO LATE
Thomas Reed was not a gentle man.
Brenda had spent years remembering him as another silent figure inside Marian’s house.
That memory was incomplete.
Thomas came home after the birth.
He found Brenda barely speaking.
Marian told him the baby died.
He believed it for one day.
Then he overheard Preston arguing with Gary.
Thomas understood enough.
He forced Preston to tell him where the baby went.
Preston refused.
Thomas struck the table hard enough to split one corner.
Then he told his oldest son:
“If you help your mother erase your sister’s child, you will spend the rest of your life protecting lies bigger than you.”
Preston still refused.
Why?
Because Marian had convinced him Thomas would bring Lily back, Brenda would run with Daniel, and the Reed house would become a public war.
Preston believed himself the calm one.
The practical one.
He withheld Rachel’s location.
Thomas searched for months.
Never found her.
Then his health declined.
He died four years later.
Brenda sat completely still.
“My dad wanted her back.”
Henry nodded.
“He wanted you both back.”
Brenda looked toward the floor.
She had hated him for seventeen years.
Another relationship destroyed by a lie.
Lily asked:
“Did Preston ever tell him?”
“No.”
Henry looked ashamed.
“Neither did I.”
Lily stared.
“So everybody knew pieces.”
“Yes.”
“And nobody talked.”
“Yes.”
Gary laughed bitterly.
“That’s basically our family crest.”
Nobody smiled.
Then Brenda asked where Preston was.
Gary hesitated.
“At the Moretti estate.”
Brenda’s eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
Audrey had agreed to speak with him.
Not reconcile.
Speak.
Brenda stood.
Lily stopped her.
“No.”
Brenda looked over.
“You’re angry.”
“Yes.”
“You want to go there angry.”
“Yes.”
“And you almost hurt a pregnant woman yesterday.”
Brenda froze.
Lily continued.
“You don’t get to call anger honesty just because you finally know why you have it.”
Brenda slowly sat again.
Gary looked at Lily.
So did Henry.
Seventeen years away from the Reed family had apparently given her one advantage.
She did not confuse intensity with authority.
At the Moretti estate, Preston sat across from Audrey.
Rocco remained outside the room.
Audrey had ordered that.
Preston told her everything about Thomas.
About Elena.
About Rachel.
About Lily.
Then he admitted something Audrey had not heard.
He had not simply told Brenda Audrey was leaving.
He had shown Brenda the packed suitcase.
Audrey stared.
“You went through my things?”
Preston nodded.
He found it while looking for a watch.
Or that was the excuse he used.
He photographed the suitcase.
Sent the image to Brenda.
Then told her:
“She’s doing what women always do. She’s taking the girl and leaving us to explain it.”
Audrey looked sick.
“You turned my suitcase into her old trauma.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted somebody else to convince you to stay.”
Audrey stood.
Preston remained seated.
Good.
Then she asked:
“Did you know she might hurt me?”
Preston swallowed.
“I knew she was angry.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
He closed his eyes.
Audrey waited.
“Yes.”
The answer came quietly.
“I knew it was possible.”
Audrey’s face changed.
Preston continued quickly.
“I didn’t think she would actually—”
“Stop.”
He stopped.
Audrey looked toward the door.
Rocco entered only when she called.
She pointed toward Preston.
“He knew.”
Rocco’s face hardened.
Audrey continued.
“He knew there was a possibility Brenda would try to hurt me.”
Preston stood.
“Rocco—”
Rocco ignored him.
Audrey looked at her father.
May you like
Then gave him the part Preston had not expected her to say.
“This wasn’t the first time he used his hands to stop me from leaving.”
