Chapter 18 - WHAT GRANT KNEW
Evelyn read the report at Ryan's kitchen table.
Claire sat across from her.
Nobody spoke.
Lily was at Nora's.
Ethan was upstairs.
Ryan had chosen that intentionally.
Children had carried enough adult secrets in this family.
Evelyn finally whispered:
“Grant never told me there was a test.”
Ryan looked at her.
“Do you believe yourself?”
She flinched.
Claire looked down.
Ryan hated the question after he asked it.
Not because it was unfair.
Because he no longer knew what fairness looked like in this house.
Evelyn pushed the report away.
“I knew Adam wanted one.”
“But not the result.”
“No.”
Ryan watched her face.
Years of marriage had taught him something about Claire.
Forty years had taught Evelyn something about Grant.
People could lie with words.
Faces were harder.
Evelyn looked genuinely shocked.
Ryan believed her.
Mostly.
Claire spoke.
“So Grant knew Lily probably belonged to Ryan before he ever started paying Mara.”
“Yes.”
Ryan corrected her.
“Not probably.”
Claire looked at him.
“The report only excluded Adam.”
“And I was the other man.”
Silence.
Ryan stood.
He walked to the kitchen vent.
The cover had been replaced.
Same wall.
Same opening.
Everything looked normal now.
That bothered him.
Claire said:
“What are you thinking?”
“That my father met my daughter.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Ryan continued.
“He paid for her preschool.”
“Yes.”
“Her insurance.”
“Yes.”
“Her daycare.”
“Yes.”
“He knew Adam wasn't her father.”
Claire whispered:
“Yes.”
“And still never told me.”
Evelyn suddenly stood.
“Don't make him into the only villain.”
Ryan turned.
“I didn't.”
“You're doing it in your head.”
“You don't know what's in my head.”
“I know my husband.”
Ryan laughed once.
“You knew pieces of him.”
Evelyn's face hardened.
“So did you.”
That landed.
Ryan looked away.
His mother continued.
“Grant could convince himself that managing a disaster was the same as protecting people.”
Ryan looked back.
“That sounds familiar.”
“Yes.”
Evelyn took it.
No defense.
Then she said:
“But if Adam sent Grant that result, Adam was involved too.”
Ryan stared at the report.
That was the part he hadn't wanted to touch.
Adam had known.
Adam had lived almost three more years before Grant died.
Then another two before his own accident.
Five years.
Enough time to call.
Enough time to knock on Ryan's door.
Enough time to tell the truth.
He hadn't.
Ryan picked up the report.
“I'm going to find out why.”
Claire looked at him.
“How?”
Ryan opened Adam's old email archive.
The estate lawyer had recovered it that morning.
Search bar.
One word.
MARA.
Thirty-seven results.
May you like
Ryan stared at the screen.
Then clicked the oldest.
