“Mother?” Ethan gasped finally. “Why?”

“It was for your own good, Ethan,” Margaret said, her voice completely devoid of emotion.

“The child isn’t mine?” Ethan asked, his voice shaking. “You made sure my child wasn’t mine?”

“I made sure you weren’t tied to Claire forever,” Margaret said coldly. “And I made sure the lineage of this family remained under my control.”

The door opened again.

A young woman stood in the hallway, her face pale under the bright fluorescent lights.

It was Olivia.

She was holding a wool coat tightly against her chest.

She had been waiting outside, and she had heard every word through the thin walls.

“Olivia,” I said, my voice barely a whisper.

Olivia walked into the room, her boots clicking softly on the hardwood floor.

She looked at Margaret as if she were seeing a stranger.

“You told me we were saving the family,” Olivia said, her voice trembling.

Margaret turned her head, her eyes narrowing as she looked at her former ally.

“You were paid to do a job, Olivia,” Margaret said.