Chapter 15 - The Woman Julian Feared First
Margaret Hayes had been absent from Miranda’s life for nearly two years.
That had been a blessing.
Julian’s mother had never insulted Miranda loudly.
She preferred precision.
A comment about Miranda’s dress before a gala.
A question about whether Miranda’s family “understood formal dining.”
A reminder that Julian’s first serious girlfriend had come from “the right circles.”
Margaret could cut without raising her voice.
When Julian and Miranda divorced, Margaret sent a handwritten note.
I always believed you would both eventually recognize the mismatch.
Miranda burned it.
Now she sat in a secure room with Adrien, Julian, and two investigators listening to Margaret’s recorded voice.
If necessary, we manufacture a reason to separate them.
Miranda felt nauseated.
Julian looked worse.
“My mother knew about Adrien before the wedding.”
“How?” Adrien asked.
Julian shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
Claire Monroe answered.
“Daniel Carver.”
Of course.
Margaret had spent decades in international charity circles.
Carver could easily have known her.
“Why would your mother help Nathan?” Miranda asked.
Julian stared at the table.
“She always preferred him.”
The room went silent.
He continued.
“My father didn’t.”
“What happened?”
“Nathan was older. Better educated. More polished.”
Miranda almost laughed at the description.
It sounded exactly like the qualities Margaret had valued.
“But Dad trusted me with the company,” Julian said.
“And she never forgave him.”
Adrien folded his arms.
“So this is a family war using multinational corporations as weapons.”
Julian gave a bitter smile.
“Welcome to the Hayes family.”
Miranda looked at him.
“Why involve my marriage?”
Julian’s jaw tightened.
“Because she thinks Adrien makes you dangerous.”
“To whom?”
“To her version of the family.”
Claire turned to the evidence board.
“If Mrs. Hayes knew Miranda’s marriage could create public scrutiny around Hayes Meridian’s Bellmont bid, she might have attempted to destabilize it.”
“But why send surveillance photos?” Miranda asked.
“Pressure.”
“Why the fake embryo containers?”
Claire hesitated.
“To frighten you into making a decision.”
Julian went pale.
“What decision?”
Miranda understood first.
“Destroy them.”
No one spoke.
If Miranda destroyed the embryos, the possible inheritance challenge disappeared.
Nathan’s branch became safer.
Miranda’s hands curled into fists.
Margaret had spent years hinting Miranda was not worthy of the Hayes family.
Now she was using Miranda’s frozen embryos as pieces in a succession plan.
Something inside her snapped.
“Where is she?”
Julian looked up.
“Miranda.”
“Where?”
“New York.”
“I want to talk to her.”
“No.”
It came from Julian and Adrien simultaneously.
Miranda stared at both men.
“That was disturbing.”
Adrien almost smiled.
Julian did not.
“My mother is dangerous when cornered.”
Miranda looked at him.
“Was she like this when we were married?”
His eyes shifted away.
That was enough.
“What did she do?”
“Miranda.”
“What did she do?”
Julian exhaled.
“She interfered.”
“How?”
“She hired someone to investigate you before our wedding.”
Miranda stared.
“You knew?”
“Afterward.”
“And you didn’t tell me.”
“No.”
“What else?”
Julian’s silence became unbearable.
“What else?”
“She pressured the fertility clinic.”
Miranda stopped breathing.
Adrien stood.
“What?”
Julian looked sick.
“Not to harm anything.”
Miranda’s voice became dangerously quiet.
“Explain that sentence.”
“My mother donated to the hospital network. She asked one of the board members for information about our treatment.”
Miranda felt as though she had been slapped.
“My medical information?”
“I stopped it.”
“You found out after she tried.”
“Yes.”
“And never told me.”
“I thought protecting you meant handling it.”
Miranda laughed, but tears filled her eyes.
“That was always your problem.”
Julian flinched.
“You thought secrecy was protection.”
“I know.”
“No, I don’t think you do.”
She stood.
“You let your mother investigate me. You let her access our private medical life. Then you let me sit across from her at Christmas dinners while she asked when I planned to give the Hayes family a child.”
Julian closed his eyes.
Miranda’s voice broke.
“And you said nothing.”
“I was ashamed.”
“You should have been.”
Adrien stepped toward her, but Miranda lifted one hand.
Not yet.
She needed the anger.
It was old.
Eight years old.
And finally it had a name.
Julian looked at her.
“I’m sorry.”
She stared.
For years, she had wanted those words.
Now they felt small.
Necessary.
But small.
“You don’t get forgiveness because you finally learned the right sentence.”
“I know.”
She hated that he kept saying that.
Yet this time, he seemed to mean it.
Claire’s phone rang.
She answered.
Her face changed.
“What?”
Everyone looked at her.
She ended the call.
“Margaret Hayes left New York this morning.”
Julian stood.
“For where?”
“Boston.”
Miranda’s phone buzzed.
A text.
From Margaret.
It had been years since she saw the name appear on her screen.
Miranda opened it.
I believe it is time you and I discussed the child you never gave my son.
Adrien read it over her shoulder.
Julian’s face turned white.
Then a second message arrived.
May you like
Come alone, Miranda.
Or tomorrow the world learns what Julian did to keep you from becoming a mother.
