“But it wasn’t just a standard surrogacy,” Ruth added.

“Marcus found out about the arrangement before the boys were born.”

“He threatened to expose the surrogacy to the board to invalidate the inheritance clause.”

“He cornered Claire when she was eight months pregnant,” Ruth said, her fists clenching at her sides.

“He threatened her family, told her he would ruin them if she didn’t walk away and never look back.”

Daniel’s face went pale. “Marcus did that?”

“Yes,” I said. “He told me he would make sure my parents lost their farm.”

“He said he had the legal power to make me disappear.”

“I was terrified, Daniel.”

“So Evelyn hid me,” I said.

“She kept me in a small cottage on the edge of the estate until the boys were born.”

“And after she died, she had Ruth hire me back as the housekeeper so I could be near my children.”

“She left instructions,” Ruth said.

“She wrote everything down.”

“Every threat Marcus made, every transaction, every legal document he used to coerce Claire.”

Daniel stared at Ruth, his chest heaving.