Chapter 6 - HE CAME BACK FOR HER—AND LEARNED A SECRET FROM CHILDHOOD
Across Charlotte, Nathan Mercer was sitting across from Vanessa when Emily called.
“Claire is missing.”
Nathan was already standing before she finished.
“What?”
“Samuel’s car was found in a ditch. He’s alive. Someone hit him.”
Vanessa went white.
Nathan saw it.
He ended the call.
“Where is she?”
Vanessa blinked.
“I don’t know.”
Nathan walked around the table.
“Martin took her.”
“I don’t know anything.”
“Vanessa.”
She had never heard Nathan raise his voice.
He did not raise it now.
That made it worse.
“I know about the photographs.”
Her lips parted.
“I know you took my phone. I know you staged the fall.”
“I didn’t—”
“Where is my wife?”
Vanessa began crying.
“I thought he was only going to scare her.”
Nathan stared.
“He has an old mill property near the river.”
“Where?”
She told him.
Nathan turned away.
“Nathan, please. I didn’t know he would hurt her.”
He stopped.
“You saw my wife being rushed into surgery and still let me believe your wrist mattered.”
Vanessa covered her face.
“You wanted me too.”
Nathan turned back.
She lowered her hands.
“You did.”
He did not deny it.
Because redemption built on lies was worthless.
“I wanted the attention,” he said. “I wanted an excuse to feel nothing about my marriage.”
Vanessa stared at him.
“And that was betrayal enough.”
Nathan walked out.
At the mill, Claire waited until the guard near the door stepped outside to speak with Martin.
Then she reached for the ring of keys he had left on a desk.
Her hands shook.
Her chest hurt.
But the third key opened the office door.
She ran.
Not fast.
Not well.
But she ran.
Rain soaked her within seconds.
Behind her, someone shouted.
Claire reached the loading yard.
She ducked behind an old brick shed near the river.
Her lungs burned.
Her heart pounded.
For the first time in years, she did not fear the pounding.
It was strong.
Alive.
She heard vehicles at the front gate.
Men shouting.
Then someone yelled her name.
“Claire!”
Nathan.
She closed her eyes.
“Here!”
He appeared around the building.
His expensive coat was open.
Mud covered his shoes.
Rain streamed down his face.
When he saw her sitting against the wall, something inside him seemed to collapse.
He ran to her.
Dropped to his knees.
And stopped himself before touching her.
“Can I?”
Claire nodded.
Nathan gathered her carefully against him.
His whole body was shaking.
“I knew you’d come,” she whispered.
His arms tightened.
“I should have been there before anyone could take you.”
“No.”
She pulled back.
“Nathan.”
He looked at her.
“There’s something I never told you.”
“Tell me later.”
“No. Now.”
Claire touched his cheek.
“When I was nine, the night before my first heart surgery, I got scared and left my room.”
Nathan went still.
“I hid in the fourth-floor surgical waiting room.”
His breathing changed.
“There was a boy there.”
Claire smiled through tears.
“He was fifteen. He had gardenias in his lap.”
Nathan stared at her.
“You.”
“You gave me one.”
His face drained of color.
“A little girl in yellow pajamas.”
Claire nodded.
“You told me gardenias were for courage because your mother said so.”
Nathan’s eyes filled.
“You fell asleep against my shoulder.”
“I remembered your name.”
“Claire…”
“That was the rest of the reason I said yes to the marriage.”
Nathan bowed his head.
Rain ran off his hair.
“I thought maybe the boy who sat with a frightened little girl all night was still somewhere inside the man standing in my father’s office.”
“I forgot him.”
“No.”
Claire lifted his face.
“You were so afraid of becoming your father that you built your whole life around never needing anyone.”
She swallowed.
“And somewhere along the way, you confused not needing people with not loving them.”
Nathan closed his eyes.
“You were never him.”
His forehead rested against hers.
“You just forgot who you were.”
Behind them, Martin was dragged out of the mill.
Nathan turned.
For one dark moment, Claire saw something dangerous enter his expression.
He stood.
Martin looked at him and went pale.
“Nathan, listen—”
Nathan took one step toward him.
Claire spoke.
“Nathan.”
He stopped.
She struggled to her feet.
“I want him in court.”
Martin stared at her.
Claire looked directly at him.
“I want everyone he stole from to see him answer for it.”
Nathan’s hands slowly unclenched.
Old Nathan Mercer might have chosen revenge.
The man standing in the rain chose his wife.
“Call the county authorities,” he said.
Martin’s face changed.
“Nathan.”
“No.”
“You know what your father would have done.”
Nathan looked at Claire.
May you like
Then back at Martin.
“That’s exactly why I’m not doing it.”
