Chapter 8 - The Fitness StrategyThe file was a blueprint.
Photographs of Claire crying after delivery.
Screenshots of texts where she said she felt overwhelmed.
A pharmacy receipt for pain medication after childbirth.
Notes about sleeplessness.
Every normal postpartum struggle was arranged to look dangerous.
There were even prepared statements.
Margaret:
Claire is unpredictable.
Grant:
Nathan is rarely home.
A housekeeper:
Mrs. Brooks sometimes cries while holding the baby.
The housekeeper later told Harris she had never agreed to say that.
Her name had been added without permission.
Claire read the file once.
Then pushed it away.
“They were building me into a bad mother.”
Nathan sat beside her.
“I should have stayed home.”
Claire shook her head.
“No.”
He looked at her.
“You should have believed me sooner when I said something felt wrong.”
That was harder.
Because it was true.
Claire had told him Margaret criticized every feeding.
Every nap.
Every diaper.
Nathan kept saying:
“She means well.”
He had used that phrase like a lock.
Then Rachel arrived with another update.
The independent audit had started.
Early findings showed millions paid to three consulting vendors over four years.
All three vendors traced back to shell companies.
One belonged to Grant’s brother.
One to Margaret’s college roommate.
The third owner was hidden.
Nathan asked:
“How much?”
Rachel looked at him.
“Possibly twelve million.”
Then his phone buzzed.
DNA results.
PATERNITY PROBABILITY: 99.9999%.
Sophie was his daughter.
Claire closed her eyes.
Nathan kissed her forehead.
Harris called at the same moment.
“We found the man who submitted the first DNA kit.”
“Grant?”
“No.”
Nathan frowned.
“Then who?”
Harris paused.
“Your cousin, Eric Brooks.”
Nathan stood.
May you like
Eric was Margaret’s nephew.
And the next person in line to inherit Sophie’s shares if she was removed from the trust.
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