Chapter 4 - The Secret Caroline Took to Her Grave
Nathan spent the night beside Oliver’s crib.
The words haunted him.
Paternity confidentiality.
Caroline.
Dr. Theodore Caldwell.
Adrian.
Caroline had been Nathan’s wife for six years.
They had tried for three years to have a child.
When she became pregnant, Nathan had cried.
He had believed there were no secrets between them.
Jonathan located Theodore Caldwell in Maine.
Nathan traveled there with Detective Reynolds.
Theodore was eighty-two.
When he opened the door and saw Nathan, he immediately said:
“You look like your father.”
Inside his study, Nathan showed him Caroline’s medical file.
“Why did she come to you?”
Theodore sighed.
“Because Caroline was afraid.”
“Of me?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
“Your father.”
Nathan frowned.
“William was already dead.”
“His decisions weren’t.”
Theodore explained the history.
William Whitmore and Walter Caldwell had built a company together forty years earlier.
William provided capital.
Walter developed engineering patents.
Later William claimed Walter had sold his rights.
Walter denied it.
The case went to court.
William won because he possessed documents carrying Walter’s signature.
But the signature had been forged.
One of Walter’s inventions eventually became the foundation of Whitmore Holdings.
Then Theodore revealed the secret Caroline had discovered.
“Caroline was Walter Caldwell’s granddaughter.”
Nathan stared at him.
“No.”
“Her mother was Walter’s daughter. She left the family and changed her name.”
Caroline had discovered the connection while researching family medical history during pregnancy.
She intended to tell Nathan after Oliver was born.
She never got the chance.
Nathan thought about the note.
“Paternity confidentiality.”
Theodore shook his head.
“It wasn’t about whether you were Oliver’s father.”
Nathan looked up.
“What?”
“Caroline never doubted that Oliver was yours.”
Relief nearly overwhelmed him.
“Then what did the note mean?”
“She wanted the Caldwell family connection kept confidential. She feared they would use Oliver in their fight against the Whitmores.”
Adrian had taken Oliver’s DNA to confirm the connection.
Oliver was both a Whitmore heir and a biological descendant of Walter Caldwell.
But there was more.
Walter had changed his will after discovering Caroline had a child.
A huge portion of his estate would go to the surviving descendant of his daughter.
Oliver.
Approximately one hundred and forty million dollars.
Adrian would inherit almost nothing if Oliver was recognized.
Now Nathan understood.
Adrian did not want Oliver because Oliver could help him.
He wanted control over Oliver because the child threatened his inheritance.
If Vanessa succeeded in having Nathan declared unstable, she could seek guardianship.
Working with Adrian, they could potentially gain influence over both fortunes.
Then Detective Reynolds received a call.
Vanessa had been released.
Nathan immediately called Maggie.
No answer.
Rebecca.
No answer.
He called security.
A weak voice answered.
“Mr. Whitmore…”
“What happened?”
“They came through the back gate.”
“Who?”
“Two men.”
“Where is Oliver?”
The connection died.
Nathan raced back.
Police surrounded Rebecca’s home.
She ran toward him.
“They took Maggie.”
Nathan stopped.
“And Oliver?”
“He’s safe.”
Nathan nearly collapsed.
Oliver was upstairs.
Untouched.
But Maggie had been kidnapped while trying to stop the intruders.
Rebecca handed Nathan Maggie’s phone.
“She hid it in Oliver’s diaper bag.”
The kidnappers had wanted the recordings.
Before they forced Maggie into their vehicle, she had shouted:
“Nathan, don’t trust Vanessa’s lawyer!”
Jonathan checked the latest legal filings.
Vanessa had changed attorneys that morning.
May you like
Her new lawyer was Adrian Caldwell.
And now Maggie was missing.
