Chapter 9: The Father Who Sold His Own Blood
At nine the following morning, Theron Viremont entered Adrian Mercer's office carrying the photograph of Eleanor and the knowledge that his father had tried to keep two generations of secrets buried.
Adrian was waiting beside a conference table.
He was taller than Theron expected, with dark hair, gray-blue eyes, and an expression that made it difficult to tell whether he was angry or simply accustomed to disappointment.
When Theron entered, Adrian did not stand.
"Mr. Viremont.""
"Adrian.""
"Please sit.""
Theron took the chair opposite him.
A glass of water stood between them. Neither touched it.
Adrian opened a folder.
"I want to be clear about something before we begin. I'm not here because I want money.""
Theron nodded.
"I understand.""
"No, you don't."" Adrian's voice remained calm.
"Every person who has approached me about the Viremont family has assumed I want something. Money. A title.
Access to the trust. A public acknowledgment.""
He pushed the folder forward.
"I want to know why my birth records were altered, why money was paid to conceal my identity, and whether the woman in this photograph was my mother.""
Theron looked at the picture.
Eleanor stood beneath a hospital awning, holding the newborn against her chest. Her expression was tired but radiant.
"I believe she was," he said.
Adrian watched him.
"You never knew about me?""
"Not until two days ago.""
"Did your father tell you that she had been pregnant?""
"No.""
"Did your mother ever mention another child?""
Theron swallowed.
"Not to me. But she left a letter before she died. She wrote that my father was manipulating the family trust and that she feared he was trying to make her appear mentally unstable.""
Adrian's expression changed.
"Do you have the letter?""
"Yes.""
"May I see it?""
Theron hesitated.
It was not because he distrusted Adrian. It was because the letter felt like the last private thing he possessed of his mother.
Then he remembered the promise Eleanor had written.
Do not allow anyone to make you believe that protecting the family means protecting its secrets.
He handed over a copy.
Adrian read it slowly.
When he reached the end, he sat back.
"She knew.""
"Knew what?""
"That something was wrong. My adoptive parents told me my biological mother had given me up because she was unable to care for me. They said the adoption agency had provided very little information.""
He tapped the letter.
"If she was trying to protect the trust, she may also have been trying to find me.""
Theron nodded.
"Dr. Vale told me she asked my father where the baby was.""
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"And what did he say?""
"That she needed to accept what had happened.""
Adrian looked away.
For a moment, his composure cracked.
"I spent years imagining that she had chosen another life without me. I used to wonder whether she had looked at me and decided she didn't want me.""
Theron felt an ache he could not name.
"I am sorry.""
Adrian gave a small, weary smile.
"You keep saying that.""
"Because I don't know what else to say.""
"Then don't say anything.""
He closed the folder.
"Help me establish the truth.""
Theron nodded.
"That's why I'm here.""
They spent the next two hours comparing documents.
Adrian had collected bank records, corporate filings, and copies of several historical transfers. His investigation had uncovered payments to the adoption agency that handled his placement, followed by additional transfers to a company registered under a nominee's name.
The company had no real office, no employees, and no apparent business activity.
It had been created to receive money.
The transfers were authorized by Edmund Viremont.
But one document was different.
A payment of nearly two million dollars had been made to an account held by Alistair Ashcombe, Corisande's brother.
The date was six months after Theron's wedding.
Adrian pointed to the line.
"This is when the arrangement changed.""
"What arrangement?""
"The trust administration. Before this payment, your father was moving money through the family office. Afterward, Alistair's company began receiving regular payments.""
Theron studied the records.
"And Corisande?""
"She appears in correspondence between Alistair and a solicitor who worked for your father.""
Adrian slid a printed email across the table.
It was dated four months before Theron and Corisande became engaged.
*Corisande understands the purpose of the marriage and has agreed to cooperate. Once Theron has a child, we can revisit the guardianship provisions.*
Theron felt his face go cold.
Adrian watched him carefully.
"Do you recognize the sender?""
Theron examined the signature.
"Edmund's personal assistant.""
"She left the firm three years ago. I tried to contact her, but she refused to speak with me.""
"Why?""
"She said she had already signed a confidentiality agreement.""
Theron stared at the email.
His marriage had not been an accident.
His father's influence had extended into the most intimate parts of his life.
He thought of Corisande in the courtyard, striking Eirlys because the child had asked for attention. He thought of her at the pool, furious because she had fallen into the water. He thought of the recording, the forged documents, and the carefully edited video.
He had married a woman who might have been recruited to help his father control the family trust.
But he still did not know whether she had ever loved him.
"Did you find anything about why the guardianship provisions were changed?"" he asked.
Adrian opened another file.
"The amendment would have placed control of your daughter's trust in Alistair's hands if you were deemed incapable of managing it. But the clause had a second effect. It would also have limited your ability to challenge earlier transfers.""
Theron frowned.
"How?""
"If you were removed from management, the trustees could argue that you no longer had standing to question the administration of the trust. Your daughter would become the beneficiary, but someone else would control the money.""
"Someone who could continue moving it.""
"Exactly.""
Theron leaned back.
"Then Eirlys was never the only target.""
"No.""
Adrian looked him directly in the eye.
"You were the target, too. Your daughter was the leverage.""
The words settled between them.
For a moment, Theron felt an overwhelming urge to call Edmund and demand that he explain every decision he had made.
Instead, he took out his phone and sent Marcus a message.
*We have documentary evidence linking Edmund, Alistair, and Corisande to the guardianship amendments and the trust transfers. Prepare everything necessary to preserve the records and challenge the amendments.*
Adrian watched him type.
"You seem very calm.""
"I'm trying to be.""
"Why?""
Theron looked at the photograph of Eleanor.
"Because the last time I let anger make my decisions, I frightened my daughter.""
Adrian studied him for a long moment.
Then he nodded.
"Good answer.""
It was the first sign of approval Adrian had offered him.
Theron did not mistake it for forgiveness.
He had not earned that.
But perhaps they could begin with something smaller.
An agreement to seek the truth.
A willingness to listen.
A chance to discover whether they could become brothers without pretending the past had never happened.
At noon, Marcus called.
"Theron, you need to come to the courthouse.""
"Why?""
"Corisande's attorney has filed an emergency application for temporary custody. The hearing is scheduled for this afternoon.""
Theron stood.
"How is that possible? We haven't even completed the assessment.""
"They're arguing that the video demonstrates a risk to Eirlys and that the trust dispute creates an unstable environment.""
"What evidence are they presenting?""
Marcus hesitated.
"An affidavit from Edmund Viremont.""
Theron closed his eyes.
Of course.
His father had chosen his side.
Or perhaps he had never been on anyone's side but his own.
"What does the affidavit say?""
"That you have a history of uncontrolled aggression and that your mother experienced periods of severe instability before her death. It also suggests that you have recently become obsessed with unfounded accusations against members of your family.""
Theron felt his hands begin to shake.
"He is using my mother's illness against me.""
"Yes.""
"And the video.""
"Yes.""
"And the fact that I pushed Corisande into the pool.""
"Yes.""
Theron looked at Adrian.
"My father is trying to take my daughter.""
Adrian's expression hardened.
"Then we need to make sure he doesn't succeed by hiding the truth.""
Within an hour, they were in Marcus's conference room reviewing the emergency application.
Seraphina arrived with the original letters from Eleanor's box. Daniel Cross brought the financial records he had verified. Marcus had arranged for the pediatrician's report to be included, along with a statement documenting Eirlys's injuries and the circumstances under which she had been examined.
Theron listened as his lawyer explained the strategy.
"We need to acknowledge your conduct without minimizing it. You pushed Corisande into the pool while holding Eirlys. That was dangerous and wrong. If you deny that, you lose credibility.""
Theron nodded.
"I won't deny it.""
"We also need to show the court that you recognize the impact on your daughter and are willing to follow professional guidance.""
"Agreed.""
"And we need to distinguish your conduct from Corisande's. The full recording, the doctor's report, and the witness statements will help establish what happened before the edited video begins.""
Seraphina placed her hand on Theron's shoulder.
"You can tell the truth without trying to make yourself look perfect.""
He looked at her.
"I don't want to look perfect.""
"Good.""
"Then perhaps people will believe me.""
Marcus shook his head.
"That's not entirely within our control. We can control what evidence we present and how honestly we respond.""
The hearing began at three.
Theron sat beside Marcus while Corisande entered with her attorney.
She wore a dark blue dress and carried a small tissue. Her hair was arranged in soft waves, and a faint bruise remained near her collarbone.
When she saw Theron, her expression tightened.
For a moment, he saw the woman he had married.
The woman who had laughed with him in restaurants, held his hand beneath restaurant tables, and cried when Eirlys took her first steps.
He wondered whether those moments had been real.
Corisande sat down without looking at him again.
The judge reviewed the application and asked both parties to summarize their positions.
Corisande's attorney spoke first.
He described Theron's actions as an act of violence committed in front of a vulnerable child. He emphasized the video, the public statement, and Edmund's affidavit.
Then he called Corisande to speak.
She took the stand.
"Mrs. Viremont," her attorney asked, "are you afraid of your husband?""
Corisande dabbed at her eyes.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because I never know what will make him angry. He has always expected everyone to obey him. When I disagreed with him, he made me feel small. When I tried to stand up for myself, he reminded me that everything belonged to his family.""
Theron stared at her.
Some of it was true.
He had been controlling about money. He had often assumed that because he managed the family business, his decisions should prevail at home.
He had dismissed Corisande's concerns when he was busy.
He had believed that providing a beautiful house and financial security meant he had fulfilled his obligations as a husband.
But none of that explained the slap.
Her attorney continued.
"Did you strike Eirlys?""
Corisande lowered her eyes.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"I was overwhelmed. I was frustrated. It was wrong.""
"Did you intend to injure her?""
"No.""
"Did your husband then push you into the swimming pool?""
"Yes.""
"Was your daughter in his arms?""
Corisande hesitated.
"Yes.""
The attorney paused.
"Did you believe he might drop her?""
Corisande's eyes filled again.
"I didn't know what he was going to do.""
Her answer was carefully chosen.
Theron felt the familiar surge of anger.
But he remained still.
Then Marcus stood.
"Mrs. Viremont, you described yourself as frightened by your husband. Before he entered the courtyard, had you struck your daughter?""
"Yes.""
"Had you called her a brat?""
Corisande's face tightened.
"I was angry.""
"Did you tell her to stop crying after you struck her?""
"I don't remember.""
"Would it refresh your memory to review the complete recording?""
Her attorney objected, but Marcus presented the original footage.
The courtroom watched in silence.
The slap.
The child's cry.
Corisande's dismissive words.
The stumble.
Theron's arrival.
His questions.
Corisande's admission that she had struck the child.
Then the kick.
The second splash.
When the recording ended, the judge looked toward Corisande.
"Mrs. Viremont, why did your public video omit the initial incident involving your daughter?""
Corisande's lips parted.
"I was upset. I wasn't thinking clearly.""
"Yet you had sufficient presence of mind to edit the recording and publish a statement.""
Her attorney rose.
"Your Honor, my client acknowledges that the post did not include the full context.""
The judge held up a hand.
"I will consider that.""
Marcus then introduced the pediatrician's report and requested that any custody decision prioritize Eirlys's safety and emotional needs rather than either parent's financial interests.
Theron was called to speak.
He answered the questions honestly.
He admitted that he had kicked Corisande into the pool.
He admitted that he had been furious.
He admitted that he had failed to stop himself.
When asked whether he believed his conduct was justified, he looked directly at the judge.
"No. I believed I was protecting my daughter. But I frightened her, too.
I cannot undo that. I can only accept responsibility and make sure I never repeat it.""
The courtroom remained silent.
"Do you believe your wife is a danger to Eirlys?"" the judge asked.
Theron thought carefully.
"I believe my wife struck our daughter, and that must be taken seriously. I also believe our daughter should not be forced to choose between us or used to punish either of us. I want an independent assessment and a safe arrangement for her.""
The judge studied him.
"And what about your father's allegations concerning your mother's history?""
Theron glanced at Marcus.
Then he answered.
"I have recently received documents suggesting that my mother's medical history and our family trust may have been misrepresented. Those matters are being investigated. I will provide the relevant evidence through the proper legal process.""
He did not accuse Edmund of murder.
He did not attempt to explain every secret he had discovered.
He told the truth he could support.
The hearing lasted nearly three hours.
At the end, the judge declined to grant Corisande exclusive temporary custody. Instead, the court ordered an expedited family assessment, required both parents to follow professional guidance concerning Eirlys, and directed that any contact arrangements be structured around the child's safety and emotional needs.
It was not a victory.
But it was not the defeat Corisande had expected.
Outside the courtroom, she approached Theron.
"You're enjoying this," she whispered.
He stared at her.
"No.""
"You've humiliated me in front of everyone.""
"You hit our daughter.""
Her face hardened.
"And you kicked me into a pool.""
"Yes. I did. And I've admitted it.""
Corisande looked startled.
For the first time, he was not trying to make himself appear innocent.
He was simply refusing to lie.
She lowered her voice.
"You think you've won because the judge didn't give me everything I asked for?""
"No.""
"Then what do you think you've won?""
Theron looked toward the courthouse doors, where Seraphina was waiting beside Adrian.
"Nothing," he said.
"Not yet.""
Corisande followed his gaze.
Her expression changed when she saw Adrian.
For one brief moment, all the color drained from her face.
Then she stepped backward.
"Who is that?""
Theron watched her carefully.
"Someone you should have known about a long time ago.""
Corisande's eyes moved from Adrian to the photograph in Theron's hand.
She recognized it.
He saw the recognition before she could hide it.
Her lips parted.
"No.""
Adrian approached slowly.
"Hello, Corisande.""
She shook her head.
"You can't be here.""
"Apparently, I can.""
Corisande looked at Theron.
"Where did you find him?""
Theron said nothing.
Adrian held up a copy of the amended birth record.
"My name is Adrian Mercer. I believe Eleanor Viremont was my biological mother.""
Corisande's composure shattered.
She turned toward the courthouse doors as if searching for an escape.
Then she whispered something Theron barely heard.
"Edmund said you were dead.""
Adrian's face went still.
Theron stepped forward.
"What did you just say?""
Corisande covered her mouth.
For the first time since the swimming pool, she looked genuinely terrified.
Not of Theron.
Not of the court.
But of the man standing before her.
Adrian lowered the document.
"You knew about me.""
Corisande shook her head rapidly.
"I was told you died.""
"By whom?""
She looked at Theron.
Then at Adrian.
And finally, she gave them the answer that changed the entire case.
"Your father.""
Adrian took a slow breath.
"Then why did your family receive money connected to my adoption?""
Corisande began to cry.
"I didn't know what it was for.""
"You're lying," Theron said quietly.
She turned on him.
"You think you know everything now? You think finding a photograph makes you an expert on what happened?""
"No. I think you recognized my brother before anyone told you who he was.""
Corisande's face crumpled.
Then she leaned close to Theron and whispered, "You need to stop investigating your father.""
"Why?""
"Because if Edmund discovers what Adrian has found, he won't just destroy the trust.""
She looked at Adrian.
"He'll destroy anyone who can prove what happened to Eleanor.""
Theron felt the blood drain from his face.
Corisande stepped away.
"And if you think I'm the worst thing he ever did to your family, you haven't begun to understand the truth.""
She walked toward the waiting car.
Theron watched her leave.
Adrian stood beside him, silent.
Then a courthouse clerk approached, carrying a large envelope.
"Mr. Viremont? This was delivered for you during the hearing.""
Theron took it.
The envelope bore the seal of the Viremont family office.
Inside was a single document.
A formal declaration, signed by Edmund Viremont, transferring the remaining assets of the family trust into a newly established offshore structure.
The effective date was that morning.
Beneath the signature was a handwritten sentence.
*If you insist on destroying this family, Theron, you will discover that I have already made certain there is nothing left to inherit.*
Theron stared at the page.
Then he noticed the final attachment.
A bank transfer authorization for twenty million dollars.
The recipient was an account registered to a company called Eleanor Holdings.
And the authorized signatory was not Edmund.
It was Adrian Mercer.
Adrian looked at the document in disbelief.
"I've never seen this account.""
Theron turned the page over.
A second signature appeared beneath the authorization.
It was a signature Theron recognized from the forged marriage amendments.
His own.
Someone had been using his identity to move the family money.
And now, with the trust emptied and his brother's name attached to the transfer, Theron realized his father had prepared one final betrayal.
May you like
Edmund was not merely hiding what he had done.
He was arranging for his sons to take the blame.
