Chapter 3 - THE CALL HE NEVER MISSED
The gala ended early for us.
The next morning Daniel had Eleanor's belongings brought out of storage.
Six boxes arrived.
We opened them in the library.
Photographs.
Books.
Scarves.
A hairbrush.
Then I found the phone.
Silver.
Cracked at one corner.
Daniel charged it.
The call history remained.
11:38 p.m.
Daniel Hartwell.
Duration: 4 minutes, 12 seconds.
Daniel stared at the screen.
“That’s impossible.”
But it wasn't.
He requested his own phone records.
Same result.
Four minutes and twelve seconds.
Someone had answered Eleanor's call from Daniel's phone.
Then Daniel remembered.
During the Rotterdam negotiation, his phone had been on the conference table.
He had stepped out with two executives.
One person remained behind.
Claudia.
He confronted her that night.
At first she denied everything.
Then Daniel showed her the records.
Her face changed.
“I was protecting you.”
“From my dying mother?”
“I didn't know she was dying.”
“You answered my phone.”
“You were about to close the biggest acquisition of your career.”
Daniel stared at her.
“What did my mother say?”
Claudia hesitated.
“Claudia.”
“She wanted you.”
His face twisted.
“What did you tell her?”
“That you were busy.”
“And?”
“She asked me to give you the phone.”
“And you didn't.”
“No.”
“Why?”
Claudia began crying.
“I thought there would be another call.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“There wasn't.”
She reached for him.
He moved away.
“Four minutes.”
“What?”
“You spoke to her for four minutes.”
Claudia said nothing.
“What else did she say?”
“She asked me to take care of you.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“She asked me not to let you disappear into work after she was gone.”
“And you let me believe I abandoned her.”
“I stayed with you!”
“That isn't what she asked.”
“She never liked me.”
And there it was.
Not protection.
Not business.
Resentment.
Eleanor had distrusted Claudia.
Claudia had known it.
Daniel slowly reached for Claudia's left hand.
He removed the engagement ring.
Her face collapsed.
“Daniel.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“You watched me hate myself for a year.”
“I love you.”
“If that's what you call love, I don't want it.”
Claudia left the room.
I thought the engagement was the biggest secret we would uncover.
I was wrong.
Because when I returned home that night, I found an envelope inside the box of belongings Eleanor had once given me.
On the front was my name.
Inside was a letter.
And Eleanor's first sentence made my hands shake.
Naomi,
If Daniel finally knows about the call, then Claudia has already lied at least once.
May you like
Don't assume it was the only time.
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