Chapter 6 - Before the First Date
The photograph changed the investigation.
Rebecca obtained records.
Thomas built timelines.
Evelyn searched old calendars and emails.
Slowly, a pattern emerged.
Margaret had learned about Lily's inheritance through a charitable foundation connected to Lily's grandfather.
Weeks later, Bradley had "accidentally" met Lily at a fundraiser.
The romance had moved quickly.
Too quickly, Evelyn now realized.
Flowers.
Weekend trips.
Marriage.
Joint accounts.
Isolation.
Then pregnancy.
Every step had looked like love while it was happening.
In retrospect, it looked like acquisition.
Lily struggled with that truth more than anything else.
"Was any of it real?"
Evelyn couldn't answer for Bradley.
So she didn't.
One afternoon, Lily found her old wedding album.
She stared at a photograph of Bradley laughing as he carried her from the reception.
"I loved him."
"I know."
"I thought he loved me."
"I know."
"How stupid was I?"
Evelyn closed the album.
"No."
"But—"
"Trusting someone you married isn't stupidity."
Lily looked away.
"Then what was it?"
"Trust."
That night, Bradley called from an unknown number.
Lily answered before Rebecca could stop her.
"Please don't hang up."
She froze.
Bradley sounded different.
Tired.
"Where are you?"
"I'm not telling you."
"I don't want to fight."
"You tracked Sophie's diaper bag."
Silence.
"That was Mom."
"Everything is always your mother."
"Lily—"
"Did you know about my trust before our first date?"
Another silence.
That was enough.
Lily began crying.
Bradley whispered, "It wasn't like that."
"Then tell me what it was like."
"I knew who you were."
"Before we met?"
"Yes."
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Lily gripped the phone.
"Did you marry me for money?"
"No."
"Did you?"
"No!"
"Then why did your mother write 'perfect candidate' on my photograph?"
Bradley stopped breathing for a second.
"Where did you get that?"
Lily hung up.
Ten minutes later, Bradley sent a message.
My mother started this. I can prove it.
Rebecca told them not to respond.
But at 2:03 a.m., another message arrived.
A photograph.
It showed a locked filing cabinet.
Then another message.
Everything is here.
Lily stared at it.
Bradley wanted a meeting.
Alone.
Evelyn refused.
Rebecca refused.
Thomas nearly exploded.
But Lily surprised them.
"No."
Everyone stopped.
"I'll meet him."
"Lily—"
"Not alone."
For the first time, there was steel in her voice.
"I spent years doing what he told me because I was afraid of what would happen if I didn't."
She looked at Sophie sleeping nearby.
"I'm done being afraid."
They arranged the meeting through attorneys.
Public place.
Security nearby.
Bradley arrived carrying a flash drive.
He looked terrible.
For a moment, Lily almost saw the man she had loved.
Then she remembered the nursery.
Bradley sat down.
"My mother chose you."
Lily said nothing.
"She researched several families."
Evelyn felt physically ill.
"Several?" Rebecca asked.
Bradley nodded.
"Women with inherited assets."
"How many?"
"I don't know."
"Don't lie."
"Four."
Lily stared at him.
"And you picked me?"
Bradley's eyes filled with tears.
"At first."
"At first?"
"Then I loved you."
Lily laughed once.
It was a terrible sound.
"You documented me."
"My mother said—"
"You let her hurt me."
"I know."
"You watched."
Bradley lowered his head.
"I know."
He pushed the flash drive across the table.
"Everything she kept is there."
Rebecca took it.
"Why give us this?"
Bradley looked toward the window.
"Because my mother isn't trying to save me anymore."
"What does that mean?"
He leaned closer.
"She's blaming everything on me."
Evelyn felt no sympathy.
Then Bradley said something unexpected.
"And Mercer isn't the only doctor she paid."
Rebecca stopped.
"What other doctor?"
Bradley opened his mouth.
Before he could answer, the restaurant window shattered.
Everyone ducked.
A stone rolled across the floor.
Wrapped around it was a piece of paper.
Thomas picked it up.
May you like
Three words were printed across the page.
STOP DIGGING NOW.
