Chapter 11 - Olivia Mercer Had Been Waiting Thirty YearsOlivia Mercer lived outside Madison in a blue farmhouse surrounded by bare trees.
Police reached her first.
She refused to leave.
That was what the officer said when Landon arrived.
“She says she’s been running for thirty years.”
Nathan stood beside Landon.
His face was unreadable.
Wyatt remained behind with police in Chicago.
Melanie stayed with Eli and Carol.
Landon had not forgiven her.
He still called to check that she and Eli were safe.
Love did not switch off cleanly.
Neither did responsibility.
Olivia opened the farmhouse door.
She was sixty.
Silver threaded through dark hair.
Nathan’s green eyes appeared in her face.
He saw it too.
Neither spoke.
Olivia looked at Landon first.
“You’re Everett’s younger boy.”
Landon nodded.
“You knew me?”
“Photographs.”
Then she looked at Nathan.
Her hand went to her mouth.
“Oh.”
Nathan stiffened.
Olivia began crying.
“Oh, my God.”
Nathan stepped backward.
“I’m not here for a reunion.”
She immediately nodded.
“Of course.”
That response softened him more than pressure would have.
Landon introduced himself formally anyway.
Then:
“Owen is alive.”
Olivia’s face changed.
“I know.”
“When did you find out?”
“Eight months ago.”
“The letter.”
“You found it.”
“Yes.”
She allowed them inside.
The farmhouse was modest.
Warm.
Photographs covered the walls.
None of Nathan.
He noticed.
Olivia noticed him noticing.
“I didn’t have any.”
Nathan said nothing.
They sat.
Olivia kept looking at him, then forcing herself to stop.
Landon asked:
“What happened thirty-three years ago?”
Olivia took a breath.
“I worked as Everett’s executive assistant.”
Nathan looked at her.
“And Owen?”
“He was charming.”
“Meaning?”
“I was twenty-seven.”
Her smile was bitter.
“He was thirty-two and made everything feel exciting.”
“Were you together?”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“Almost a year.”
“When you got pregnant?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“Owen was thrilled.”
Nathan frowned.
“That sounds inconsistent.”
“It was.”
Olivia continued.
“He wanted a son.”
“Why?”
“Because he believed Reed Development should have been his.”
Landon leaned forward.
“It barely existed then.”
“It mattered anyway.”
Everett and Owen’s mother had left property to both sons.
Everett turned his share into the foundation of Reed Development.
Owen sold his share to finance failed investments.
Years later, he became convinced Everett had cheated him.
“When I got pregnant, Owen started talking about legacy.”
Olivia looked at Nathan.
“He said our son would someday reclaim what belonged to him.”
Nathan’s face tightened.
“You named me Wyatt.”
“I didn’t.”
“What?”
“Owen did.”
Olivia looked ashamed.
“He chose the name because Wyatt was Everett’s first son.”
Landon felt sick.
Their brother had been six.
“Owen named his own baby after his brother’s child?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To prove he could build a better heir.”
Nathan stood.
“This is insane.”
Olivia nodded.
“Yes.”
He walked toward the window.
“What happened?”
“Owen became violent.”
Nathan turned.
“With you?”
“Not at first.”
“At first.”
Olivia nodded.
“He punched walls. Broke things. Controlled money.”
Her voice became quieter.
“When I was seven months pregnant, he shoved me.”
Nathan’s face changed.
Landon saw it.
Whatever Nathan felt about biology, the image mattered.
“I called Everett.”
“Why him?”
“Because Owen hated him, which meant Everett was the only person Owen feared.”
“What did Dad do?”
“He put me in a hotel under another name.”
“And Orchard Holdings?”
Olivia looked at Landon.
“You found that too.”
“Yes.”
“Everett created it after Nathan was born.”
“To support you.”
“Yes.”
“Millions.”
“Most wasn’t for me.”
“What was it?”
“Legal fees. Security. Investigators. Later, payments to keep Owen away.”
“Blackmail?”
“Sometimes.”
Landon’s stomach tightened.
Everett had paid Owen.
“To stay away?”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“More than I know.”
Nathan looked at her.
“Why adoption?”
Olivia began crying.
“Because I was terrified he’d find you.”
“You gave me away to protect me.”
“Yes.”
“Did Everett arrange it?”
“Yes.”
“Did he know my parents?”
“No. Agency placement.”
Nathan’s expression remained hard.
“Did you ever search for me?”
“No.”
That answer hurt him.
Olivia saw.
“I promised I wouldn’t.”
“To who?”
“Your mother.”
Nathan looked confused.
“My adoptive mother?”
“Yes.”
Olivia wiped her face.
“She wrote me once after the adoption was finalized. She said you were healthy. Loved. She asked me not to disrupt your life.”
Nathan’s eyes filled despite himself.
“I kept the letter.”
“Why?”
“Because it was all I had.”
Silence.
Landon asked:
“Why did Everett bring Nathan into Reed Development?”
Olivia looked surprised.
“He did?”
Nathan turned.
“You didn’t know?”
“No.”
Landon understood.
Everett had found Nathan anyway.
Perhaps through adoption records.
He had watched.
Then quietly brought his nephew home without telling anyone.
Why?
Olivia suddenly said:
“There’s something Everett promised me.”
“What?”
“If Owen ever came back, he said there was evidence.”
“Against Owen?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Olivia looked toward Landon.
“He told me his sons would know where to find it.”
“We don’t.”
“He said one of you would.”
Landon frowned.
“What exactly did he say?”
Olivia closed her eyes, remembering.
“‘The truth is where the boys learned not to trust each other.’”
Landon felt something.
A memory.
Wyatt.
Their father.
A summer.
A locked boat shed at the lake house.
He looked at Nathan.
Then stood.
“I know where.”
His phone rang.
Melanie.
Landon answered.
Her voice was panicked.
“Landon, Wyatt is gone.”
“What?”
“He left the police station.”
“Why?”
“He got a message.”
“From Owen?”
“I think so.”
“What did it say?”
Melanie swallowed.
“He showed me before he left.”
Landon waited.
“‘Your brother found Olivia. Now prove which Reed son deserves the truth.’”
Landon closed his eyes.
“Where did Wyatt go?”
“I don’t know.”
But Landon did.
May you like
The lake house.
The place where he and Wyatt had learned not to trust each other.
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