Chapter 4 - Margaret Had a Daughter Before EthanEthan drove straight to his mother’s house.
Detective Collins told him not to.
Rachel told him not to.
His attorney told him absolutely not to.
He went anyway.
Margaret lived in a limestone house in Lincoln Park, less than twenty minutes from the restaurant.
She opened the door before he rang.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
He held up the photograph.
Her face changed.
“Who is Lily?”
Margaret’s eyes moved toward the street.
“Come inside.”
“No.”
“Ethan.”
“Who is she?”
Neighbors might hear.
Margaret hated scenes.
Ethan knew that.
He used it.
“Should I ask louder?”
Her jaw tightened.
“She was my daughter.”
The words barely registered.
“Was?”
Margaret looked away.
“She was born when I was sixteen.”
Ethan stared.
Sixteen.
The age explained everything.
Margaret’s wealthy, conservative parents had hidden the pregnancy.
Lily spent her first years being presented publicly as Margaret’s younger sister.
Eventually, Margaret moved out, married Ethan’s father, Frank Miller, and took Lily with her.
“Why have I never heard her name?”
“Because she was removed from my life.”
“You mean CPS removed her.”
Margaret looked sharply at him.
“So you found the papers.”
“I found the hospital report.”
“She was an impossible child.”
Ethan actually recoiled.
“She was seven.”
“She had behavioral problems.”
“You locked her in a freezer.”
Margaret’s eyes hardened.
“It was not how that report describes it.”
“Then describe it.”
“She stole money from the register.”
“How much?”
“That doesn’t matter.”
“How much?”
Margaret crossed her arms.
“Twenty dollars.”
Ethan laughed in disbelief.
“You nearly killed a seven-year-old over twenty dollars?”
“I did not nearly kill her.”
“She was hospitalized with severe hypothermia.”
“She opened the freezer herself.”
“The report says intentional confinement.”
“Because one employee lied.”
“Who?”
“Daniel Reyes.”
“Where is he?”
“Dead.”
Too quick.
Too clean.
Ethan noticed.
“When?”
“A long time ago.”
“You know that for certain?”
Margaret stared at him.
“Why are you digging up garbage from forty years ago?”
“Because you repeated it yesterday.”
“I told you Ava’s situation was different.”
“You disabled the emergency release.”
“I did no such thing.”
“Luis said it worked last month.”
“Luis wants money.”
“Everyone lies except you.”
Margaret’s face became cold.
“Your wife certainly does.”
Ethan knew where she was going.
“Don’t.”
“You want to pretend Ava is yours because the alternative humiliates you.”
His pulse changed.
“Why did you tell Rachel Ava isn’t biologically mine?”
Margaret smiled faintly.
“I wondered when you’d ask.”
“Answer me.”
“I saw a medical record.”
“What record?”
“Rachel had fertility treatment.”
Ethan stared.
That part was true.
Rachel had struggled to conceive.
They underwent treatment.
But not donor conception.
At least not knowingly.
“She used your sperm.”
“Did she?”
His stomach turned.
“Stop.”
Margaret walked toward a cabinet.
She removed a folder.
Inside was a photocopy.
A fertility-clinic document.
PATIENT: RACHEL MILLER.
DONOR MATERIAL AUTHORIZATION.
Ethan stared.
The signature looked like Rachel’s.
His hands went cold.
“You stole her medical records?”
“I found them.”
“Where?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes.”
Margaret studied him.
“Rachel was never as honest as you think.”
Ethan almost tore the document.
Instead he photographed it.
“I’ll verify it.”
“Do that.”
The confidence bothered him.
Margaret stepped closer.
“She slapped me because she knows.”
“No.”
“She slapped you because you locked our daughter in a freezer.”
“Our?”
Margaret smiled.
“Get the test.”
For half a second, Ethan felt doubt.
Then he remembered Ava shaking beneath thermal blankets.
Whatever DNA said, that child was his.
He looked at Margaret.
“You still haven’t told me what happened to Lily after CPS removed her.”
“She was adopted.”
“By whom?”
“Confidential.”
“Did you ever look for her?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Margaret’s expression remained perfectly calm.
“She made her choice.”
Ethan stared.
“She was seven.”
“She told investigators she was afraid of me.”
“She was.”
“She destroyed my marriage.”
“She told the truth.”
“You weren’t there.”
“No.”
His voice dropped.
“But Ava was.”
That landed.
Margaret looked away.
Ethan walked to the door.
Then stopped.
“One more thing.”
“What?”
“You said Daniel Reyes lied.”
“Yes.”
“How did he know Lily was inside the freezer?”
Margaret froze.
Ethan turned.
“If Lily supposedly opened the door herself, how did an employee become the central witness?”
She said nothing.
He stepped closer.
“Daniel found her, didn’t he?”
Margaret’s eyes narrowed.
“He interfered.”
“He saved her.”
Silence.
Ethan understood.
“Daniel wasn’t a liar.”
Margaret’s face changed.
“He wanted to ruin us.”
“Because you almost killed your child?”
“You have no idea what that restaurant cost me.”
There it was.
Not Lily.
Not trauma.
The restaurant.
Reputation.
Control.
Margaret suddenly seemed to realize she had said too much.
She touched her forehead.
Her voice softened.
“Ethan…”
He stared.
Not again.
“I’m tired.”
She sat down.
“I don’t remember everything from that period.”
Ethan almost laughed.
“Of course you don’t.”
Her eyes filled.
“I was young.”
He opened the door.
“You remembered enough yesterday to do it again.”
Then Margaret said something that stopped him.
“Lily is alive.”
Ethan turned.
May you like
Margaret’s face was expressionless.
“And if you find her, you’re going to wish you hadn’t.”
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