Chapter 5 - ROSERose Bennett did not call Conrad Dad after the first meeting.
She called him Conrad.
Clara apologized.
Conrad stopped her.
“She gets to decide.”
They met twice the next week.
Public places.
No security visible.
No extravagant gifts.
Conrad wanted to buy everything.
A telescope.
A bicycle.
A room.
A life.
Clara said no.
“Consistency first.”
So Conrad showed up.
That became gift.
Rose asked questions without mercy.
“Why didn’t you find us?”
“I tried.”
“Mom says you’re good at finding things.”
“Apparently not everything.”
“Are you rich?”
Clara nearly choked on coffee.
Conrad smiled.
“Yes.”
“How rich?”
“Enough.”
“What does enough mean?”
“More than I need.”
Rose considered.
“Can you buy zoo?”
Clara said:
“No.”
Conrad said:
“Probably not.”
Clara glared.
Rose laughed.
On third meeting, she asked:
“Were you married to Mom?”
“We still are.”
Clara’s eyes sharpened.
Conrad corrected:
“Legally.”
“What’s legally?”
“Paperwork.”
Rose frowned.
“So are you boyfriend?”
Clara closed eyes.
“No.”
Conrad almost laughed.
“No.”
“Do you kiss?”
“No,” both answered simultaneously.
Rose shrugged.
“Okay.”
Children could deflate adult tension brutally.
After forty minutes Rose went to draw at nearby table.
Conrad looked at Clara.
“She knows too much.”
“She knows enough.”
“She knows we’re married.”
“She found certificate once.”
“You kept?”
“Yes.”
He looked.
“Why?”
Clara stared at Rose.
“Because throwing it away felt like lying.”
That landed.
Conrad lowered voice.
“Did you ever plan to come back?”
Clara’s fingers tightened.
“Many times.”
“Why didn’t?”
“I’ll tell you.”
“When?”
“When I know Rose is safe.”
“From Wesley?”
“Yes.”
Conrad had quietly begun reviewing Wesley’s old activities without telling him why.
No direct accusation.
He asked internal audit for files relating to a former Bellamy entity called Meridian House.
The name Clara mentioned.
The response arrived that morning.
Meridian House LLC existed.
Delaware.
Dormant.
Between seven and six years earlier it received $14.7 million from Bellamy Infrastructure Partners.
Then transferred funds to three offshore consulting entities.
Conrad’s electronic signature appeared on approvals.
He had no memory.
His father had chaired oversight then.
Wesley served CFO.
Conrad was investment committee member.
If fraudulent, his signature mattered.
Exactly what Clara said.
He asked:
“What did you find?”
Clara looked around café.
“No.”
“Clara.”
“Not with Rose near.”
He nodded.
“You’re right.”
She looked surprised again.
He was beginning to hate how surprising basic respect seemed.
Rose returned.
“I drew family.”
Conrad’s chest tightened.
Three figures.
Clara.
Rose.
A tall man.
“Is that me?”
Rose shook head.
“That’s Simon.”
Conrad felt something ugly and immediate.
“Who’s Simon?”
Clara’s face changed.
“Rose.”
“What?”
“You can tell.”
Rose pointed.
“Simon is Mom’s friend.”
Conrad looked at Clara.
“Friend?”
She met his eyes.
“Yes.”
A strange anger rose.
He almost laughed at hypocrisy.
Vivienne.
Clara had six years of life too.
“What kind of friend?”
Clara’s jaw tightened.
“Not your business.”
Rose happily added:
“He slept over before.”
Clara went red.
“Rose.”
“What?”
Conrad looked away.
He deserved this.
Still hurt.
Rose continued:
“But not anymore because Mom said complicated.”
Conrad almost smiled despite jealousy.
“Complicated is popular word.”
Clara glared.
After meeting, Rose left with Clara.
Conrad watched.
Then texted Reed Sullivan:
Do not investigate Simon.
He stared at message.
Added:
Seriously.
Reed replied:
Wasn’t planning to.
Conrad put phone away.
That evening Clara called.
“Sorry.”
“For what?”
“Rose.”
“You don’t owe explanation.”
“No.”
Pause.
“But I want give one.”
Conrad’s heart shifted.
“Simon Ward is ER physician.”
“We dated for almost two years.”
“He knew I had past I wouldn’t discuss.”
“He was good to Rose.”
“We ended eight months ago.”
“Why?”
“Because he wanted marriage.”
“And you?”
“I couldn’t.”
Conrad looked at closed door of Clara’s old room.
“Because of me?”
Silence.
“Partly.”
He exhaled.
“Did you love him?”
“Yes.”
Conrad sat.
Clara continued:
“Not the same way.”
He hated hope that sentence caused.
“Don’t.”
“What?”
“Don’t give me just enough to imagine things.”
She went quiet.
“Fair.”
Then:
“You had Vivienne.”
“Yes.”
“Love her?”
“Yes.”
Now Clara hurt.
Good.
Equal discomfort.
They sat on phone in silence.
Two legally married people discussing lovers they had during six years apart.
Adult lives had happened.
Bodies had moved on more easily than hearts.
Conrad said:
“Rose likes him?”
“Yes.”
“Does he see her?”
“Occasionally.”
“He’s not father figure now.”
Conrad felt relief and hated himself.
Clara heard.
“Don’t do that.”
“What?”
“Act like he took something.”
“I know.”
“You had eighteen months with Vivienne.”
“I know.”
“Simon changed diapers when Rose had stomach flu.”
Conrad closed eyes.
That hurt deeply.
A stranger had done things he should have.
Clara’s voice softened.
“I’m not saying to hurt.”
“I know.”
“I’m telling truth.”
“Thank you.”
They ended call.
An hour later, Reed sent Conrad internal audit update.
Meridian House had one authorized manager aside from Wesley.
Charles Bellamy.
Conrad’s late father.
Then one scanned memorandum.
CB: Clara has started asking questions. Keep her away from Meridian until we decide how to contain exposure.
Conrad stared.
CB.
Charles Bellamy?
His father had known.
Maybe participated.
And if Clara had seen that sentence six years ago, she might not merely have feared Wesley.
May you like
She might have believed Conrad’s entire family was dangerous.
Including Conrad himself.
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