Chapter 5 - The Lawyer Who Touched the GuitarGraham Reed looked exactly like someone who had spent his life convincing people to sign things they didn't understand.
Gray suit.
Silver tie.
Perfect hair.
Calm smile.
He entered the living room with a leather briefcase and looked directly at Mia.
Not Charlotte.
Not Nora.
Mia.
“So.”
Charlotte stepped between them.
“You shouldn't be here.”
Graham ignored her.
“Mia Mercer?”
Mia didn't answer.
His gaze moved to the guitar.
Recognition flashed across his face.
“The Julian guitar.”
Mia hugged it tighter.
Charlotte's voice sharpened.
“Don't.”
Graham smiled.
“I'm not going to steal a child's instrument.”
Mia didn't like how carefully he chose the word steal.
Charlotte faced him.
“What does Victor know?”
“That you found her.”
“How?”
“You weren't subtle.”
“I told three people.”
“One of them works for your father.”
Charlotte looked toward Nora.
Nora's face tightened.
“Not me.”
Graham shrugged.
“Then someone else.”
Mia watched.
Families with millions of dollars still sounded like families in motel parking lots.
Accusations.
Secrets.
No trust.
Graham opened the briefcase.
“I need a DNA sample.”
Mia stepped backward.
“No.”
Charlotte said,
“Absolutely not.”
Graham looked surprised.
“You wanted confirmation.”
“Not like this.”
“What exactly did you think would happen when you brought Julian Sterling's daughter into a Sterling house?”
Mia's heart pounded.
He said daughter as fact.
“You know?”
Graham looked at her.
“I know Julian.”
“Knew.”
The lawyer's smile disappeared.
“Of course.”
Mia asked,
“Did you know my mom?”
“Yes.”
“Did she like you?”
Charlotte almost laughed.
Graham didn't.
“No.”
“Good.”
Graham's eyes narrowed.
Charlotte said,
“Mia, go upstairs.”
“No.”
“Mia.”
“I don't want him near my guitar.”
Graham looked amused.
“Why would I want the guitar?”
Mia stared at him.
He knew.
Maybe not that she'd overheard.
But he knew something was inside it.
Charlotte moved closer to Graham.
“Leave.”
“Victor will file for emergency guardianship.”
“He hasn't even confirmed paternity.”
“He doesn't need to. Publicly, he only needs to say a vulnerable child may be his granddaughter.”
Mia looked at Charlotte.
“What does guardianship mean?”
Graham answered before Charlotte could.
“It means your grandfather could decide where you live.”
“I don't know him.”
“He's family.”
“My mom says blood isn't permission.”
Graham's smile vanished.
Charlotte stared at Mia.
Anna's words were everywhere.
Still protecting her.
Graham closed his briefcase.
“You have until tomorrow.”
“For what?” Charlotte asked.
“To bring her to Victor voluntarily.”
“And if I don't?”
“He'll come here.”
Graham turned toward Mia.
“I'm sorry about your mother.”
Mia's body went cold.
“What?”
Charlotte snapped,
“Don't.”
Graham continued.
“I know this must be difficult.”
“Why are you sorry?”
He looked at Charlotte.
Mia saw it.
A silent exchange.
Something they hadn't told her.
“Where is my mom?”
Graham adjusted his cuff.
“I don't know.”
“You know something.”
“No.”
Mia stepped closer.
“My mom disappeared nineteen days ago.”
Charlotte stared.
She hadn't known the number.
Graham's face changed.
Just slightly.
But Mia saw recognition.
“You know,” she whispered.
Graham said nothing.
Mia swung the guitar onto her back and ran upstairs.
Charlotte shouted,
“Mia!”
She locked herself in the guest room.
Hands shaking.
She heard arguing below.
Charlotte.
Graham.
Then silence.
Twenty minutes later, Mia cracked the door open.
The hallway was empty.
She crept downstairs.
Graham stood alone near the foyer.
His briefcase was open.
And Mia's guitar case—left beside the entry table earlier—was in his hands.
He ran his fingers along the lining.
Searching.
Mia shouted,
“HEY!”
Graham spun.
Charlotte came from the study.
“What are you doing?”
Graham dropped the case.
“Nothing.”
Charlotte crossed the room and slapped his hand away from it.
“Get out.”
“Charlotte—”
“Now.”
For the first time, Mia believed Charlotte might actually be protecting her.
Graham's expression became cold.
“You always were sentimental.”
Charlotte leaned close.
“And you always mistook sentiment for weakness.”
Graham left.
Charlotte locked the door behind him.
Then turned toward Mia.
“I'm sorry.”
Mia stared.
“Did he take anything?”
“No.”
Charlotte picked up the case and handed it over.
“Check.”
Mia did.
Everything remained.
Charlotte whispered,
“I told you. I won't let anyone hurt you.”
For one dangerous moment, Mia believed her.
That night she went downstairs for water.
Charlotte and Graham were speaking again.
Not in person.
Through the kitchen security screen.
Mia stayed behind the wall.
Graham said,
“You made quite a performance.”
Charlotte's face on the monitor was calm.
“She had to see me choose her.”
“You threw me out of your house.”
“And now she trusts me more than she did this morning.”
Graham smiled.
Mia's stomach dropped.
Charlotte continued.
“Next time, don't touch the guitar unless I tell you.”
“Then how do you plan to get the drive?”
May you like
Charlotte's expression became ice.
“The child will give it to me herself.”
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