Sophie stopped pacing.
“He threatened Nathan?”
“Yes.”
Margaret’s voice dropped.
“I had already lost one child.”
“I couldn’t risk losing the other.”
Sophie sat back down.
“So you stayed quiet.”
“For years.”
Margaret nodded.
“I became very good at silence.”
She touched the scar through her robe.
“This taught me.”
Sophie looked at her.
“What happened after Richard died?”
Margaret gave a hollow smile.
“I thought I would finally be free.”
“But by then Nathan had become his father’s protector.”
“Not because he loved him.”
“Because Richard had built Nathan’s whole life around lies.”
Sophie frowned.
“What kind of lies?”
Margaret hesitated.
“Richard paid for Nathan’s college.”
“He gave him money for his first house.”
“He helped him start his business.”
“Every gift came with a condition.”
“Don’t ask about Emily.”
“Don’t believe your mother.”
“Protect the family name.”
Sophie leaned back.
“That still doesn’t explain why Nathan threatened investigators.”
