Chapter 9 - THE FATHER SHE NEVER KNEW
Elodie read the certificate three times.
Then she handed it to Claire.
"This has to be another forgery."
Claire examined the paper.
"It might be."
Marie stood beside the printing press, trembling.
Alexandre looked at her.
"Do you know anything about this?"
Marie closed her eyes.
"Yes."
Elodie turned slowly.
"Mom?"
Marie began to cry.
"Luc was your father in every way that mattered."
Elodie felt the floor shift beneath her.
"What does that mean?"
Marie sat on an old wooden chair.
"Before Luc and I married, I worked closely with Henri's household. He was grieving Geneviève's illness, and I was lonely. We made a mistake."
Alexandre stared at her.
"Grandfather?"
Marie nodded.
"It happened once. I became pregnant. Henri didn't know at first."
Elodie could barely breathe.
"Then Luc married you?"
"Luc knew."
"All these years?"
"Yes."
Elodie turned away.
The man who had taught her to ride a bicycle.
The man who had stayed awake when she was sick.
The man who had worked himself into exhaustion trying to keep their family alive.
He had known.
And he had loved her anyway.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Marie wiped her eyes.
"Because Henri's family was already fighting over money. Catherine believed every child connected to Henri was a threat to her inheritance."
Alexandre looked stunned.
"That makes Elodie my aunt."
The words sounded absurd.
Almost impossible.
But no one laughed.
Elodie looked at the certificate again.
"Does Henri know?"
"He learned after Geneviève died."
"And he accepted it?"
"He wanted to acknowledge you. But Catherine threatened to expose the affair publicly and destroy Luc's business."
Elodie shook her head.
"So everyone lied."
Marie reached toward her.
"We were trying to protect you."
"By stealing my entire life?"
Marie lowered her hand.
Elodie walked outside.
The afternoon sky had darkened.
Rain gathered over the rooftops.
Alexandre followed her.
For several minutes, they stood in silence.
Then Elodie spoke.
"Did you know?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Elodie, I swear."
She looked at him.
"Your grandfather is my biological father."
Alexandre nodded slowly.
"Which means..."
"I know."
Their growing closeness suddenly felt dangerous.
Neither had spoken about the feelings developing between them.
Now those feelings had become something they could never pursue.
Alexandre stepped back.
"I'm sorry."
Elodie looked away.
"So am I."
A long silence followed.
Then Alexandre said something that surprised her.
"None of this changes why I'm helping you."
Elodie turned.
"Why?"
"Because you're a person my family harmed. Because my sister tried to expose the truth. Because my grandfather deserves to be free."
His voice grew steadier.
"And because I want to become someone who doesn't need lies to survive."
Elodie looked at him for a long moment.
Then she nodded.
"Then we finish this."
Inside, Claire had found another document.
It was a letter from Geneviève.
The handwriting was elegant.
The paper was yellowed.
Claire read aloud.
"If Henri's undisclosed child is ever identified, the trustees must ensure that no one uses that child as an instrument of financial control."
Elodie stepped closer.
"What does that mean?"
Claire continued reading.
"The protected archive shall be preserved until the rightful family members and the independent protector can review it without coercion."
Alexandre frowned.
"Geneviève knew?"
Marie nodded.
"She suspected."
Claire looked up.
"There's more."
She read the final paragraph.
"If Catherine attempts to transfer the protected holdings through a coerced marriage, a false acknowledgment, or a fraudulent representation of Henri's wishes, the trustees must suspend the transaction and seek independent judicial review."
Elodie stared at the letter.
"She anticipated everything."
"Not everything," Claire said.
She unfolded the final page.
A handwritten note appeared beneath Geneviève's signature.
The child must never be told the full truth until the person responsible for the first death is identified.
Elodie went cold.
"What first death?"
Marie covered her face.
May you like
And whispered:
"Geneviève didn't die naturally."
