Chapter 2 - THE SECRET GRACE NEVER TOLD HIMGrace refused to speak to Noah.
Not at the airport.
Not by phone.
Not through his assistant.
Not through his lawyers.
Noah tried everything.
Flowers were returned.
Letters came back unopened.
His assistant Sarah finally placed a folder on his desk.
“Her attorney sent this.”
Noah opened it.
There was one sentence.
Do not contact Grace Wilson or Emily Parker again until further notice.
His stomach tightened.
“Emily Parker.”
He stared at the name.
His daughter carried his surname.
Grace had never erased him completely.
Why?
That question consumed him.
Meanwhile, Grace sat at her tiny apartment kitchen table while Emily colored beside her.
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Is Mr. Noah my dad?”
Grace stopped stirring her coffee.
She had dreaded this moment for seven years.
She looked at her daughter.
Emily had Noah's eyes.
That had always terrified her.
Grace sat down.
“I should have told you sooner.”
Emily waited.
“Your father is Noah Parker.”
Emily's mouth opened.
“The Noah Parker?”
Grace almost smiled.
“Yes.”
“The billionaire?”
“Yes.”
Emily looked down at her drawing.
“Then why did you say he was on a long trip?”
Grace's eyes filled.
“Because I didn't know if he wanted us.”
“But he cried when he saw my picture.”
Grace looked away.
That was the part she couldn't explain.
Because when she saw Noah at the airport, she had expected arrogance.
Indifference.
Perhaps even embarrassment.
Instead, she had seen a man who looked destroyed.
And that scared her more than anger.
That night, Grace received a message from an unknown number.
You should have told Noah the truth seven years ago.
Her blood ran cold.
A second message arrived.
He isn't the only person who knows about the child.
Grace dropped the phone.
Someone knocked.
Emily ran toward the door.
“Mom, someone's here.”
“Don't open it.”
Another knock.
Then a man's voice.
“Grace Wilson?”
She froze.
It was Noah's voice.
She opened the door only a few inches.
He stood outside without security.
No suit.
No assistant.
Just a dark coat and exhausted eyes.
“I need five minutes.”
“Noah, you can't be here.”
“I know.”
“You need to leave.”
“I found something.”
He handed her a small envelope.
Grace didn't take it.
“What?”
“Your old apartment lease.”
Her face changed.
“Why would you have that?”
“Because I started investigating what happened after I left.”
Grace stared at him.
Noah continued.
“I thought you stopped answering me because you hated me.”
“I did.”
“But someone intercepted my messages.”
Grace went still.
“What?”
Noah pulled out his phone.
“I checked my old accounts. Someone changed the forwarding address on my emails. Someone canceled the money I sent.”
Grace's breathing became shallow.
“You sent money?”
“Every month.”
She shook her head.
“I never received anything.”
“I know.”
They stared at each other.
Seven years of assumptions suddenly began collapsing.
Then Noah said something that made Grace's blood turn cold.
“I think someone wanted us separated.”
Before Grace could answer, Emily appeared behind her.
“Dad?”
Noah looked at her.
His eyes filled instantly.
Grace whispered:
“Emily, go to your room.”
Emily didn't move.
Noah knelt.
“Hi.”
Emily stared at him.
“Are you really my dad?”
He smiled through tears.
“Yes.”
Emily hesitated.
Then she ran into his arms.
Noah caught her.
He closed his eyes.
And for the first time in seven years, he held the daughter he never knew existed.
Behind them, Grace watched silently.
Her phone vibrated again.
She looked down.
May you like
You found him. Now ask Noah what happened to his father.
Grace's face went white.
