Chapter 7 - ANNIE’S SECRET
Spring arrived.
The investigation into Morrison Dynamics expanded.
I returned to New York but refused to resume the old schedule.
Home by six.
No exceptions unless someone’s life depended on it.
My executives adjusted.
The world did not collapse.
The twins began kindergarten.
Annie stayed.
Officially, she became family care coordinator.
Unofficially, she became the center of the house.
Then I discovered she had lied to me.
It happened accidentally.
A legal investigator handed me a background report.
“Annie Reed isn’t her legal name.”
My stomach dropped.
“What?”
“Her legal surname is Sloan.”
Sloan.
The truck driver who killed Lauren.
Peter Sloan.
I couldn’t breathe.
“Relationship?”
The investigator looked uncomfortable.
“Father.”
I drove home furious.
Annie was in the garden with the twins.
“Inside.”
She saw my face.
“Daniel?”
“Now.”
The boys looked frightened.
I softened my voice.
“Everything’s okay. Stay with Rosa.”
Inside the study, I closed the door.
“Your father killed my wife.”
Annie went white.
“You know.”
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
The word shattered something.
“How long?”
“Before I came here.”
I stepped backward.
“You applied for this job knowing who I was?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Tears filled her eyes.
“Because my father called me from Nevada.”
I said nothing.
“He was drunk. He told me what happened. Not everything. Enough.”
“So you came into my house.”
“I wanted proof.”
“Were you working for him?”
“No!”
“Then why lie?”
“Because would you have hired Peter Sloan’s daughter?”
“No.”
“Exactly.”
I laughed bitterly.
“So everything was manipulation.”
“No.”
“The boys?”
“No!”
“You used them?”
Annie slapped me.
The sound shocked both of us.
She immediately covered her mouth.
“I’m sorry.”
I stared at her.
“Don’t ever say I used those boys.”
Her voice shook.
“I came here looking for evidence. That is true.”
Tears spilled down her face.
“But the first night Justin woke screaming, I sat outside his door for two hours because he wouldn’t let me enter.”
She wiped her face.
“Jordan asked me whether dead mothers got cold underground.”
My anger cracked.
“I didn’t know what to say.”
She sobbed.
“So I told him mothers don’t feel cold when their children remember them.”
I closed my eyes.
“The bedroom?”
“They ran there because Vale scared them. I followed.”
“Why Lauren’s bed?”
“Because Jordan said it still smelled like her.”
My anger disappeared.
Pain remained.
“You should have told me.”
“I know.”
“Every person in my life keeps deciding what truth I can handle.”
“I know.”
“That includes you.”
“Yes.”
She looked down.
“I’ll leave.”
My heart reacted before my pride.
“No.”
She looked up.
I struggled.
“You can’t stay like nothing happened.”
“I understand.”
“But the boys…”
I stopped.
Was I keeping her for them?
Or me?
“I need time.”
Annie nodded.
She packed that evening.
The twins panicked.
Justin screamed.
Jordan stood between her and the front door.
“You said stay!”
Annie knelt.
“I’m not leaving forever.”
“You’re lying!”
“No.”
“Everybody leaves!”
The words broke the room.
Lauren.
Nannies.
Now Annie.
I looked at my son.
Then at Annie.
“Stay tonight.”
She hesitated.
“For them?”
I couldn’t answer.
She stayed.
I slept badly.
At three in the morning, I found Annie in the kitchen.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“I know.”
“I never expected to care about you.”
I looked at her.
She froze.
“Us,” she corrected. “All of you.”
“Don’t correct it.”
Silence.
“Did you?”
“Did I what?”
“Care about me?”
Her eyes filled.
“Yes.”
I stepped closer.
“So why were you leaving?”
“Because you deserve someone whose father didn’t destroy your family.”
I shook my head.
“You’re not your father.”
“You don’t know how many times I’ve told myself that.”
“I do now.”
She looked at me.
I touched her cheek.
Then stopped.
“Can I?”
She nodded.
I kissed her.
Softly.
Briefly.
When we separated, Annie whispered:
“This is complicated.”
I almost laughed.
“My entire life is currently evidence in three federal investigations.”
She smiled through tears.
“Fair point.”
Then a small voice came from the doorway.
“Daddy?”
We jumped apart.
Jordan stood there.
He looked from me to Annie.
Then smiled.
“You kissed Annie.”
I closed my eyes.
“Yes.”
He considered this.
“Okay.”
Then he walked back upstairs.
May you like
Annie started laughing.
And somehow, despite everything, I did too.
