Chapter 2 - THE CHILD THEY CALLED THE COOK’S DAUGHTER.
The hidden phone belonged to Judge Malcolm Cross, chairman of the Vale Family Protection Foundation. His voicemail ordered Victoria to obtain Nora’s signature before midnight or “the Bennett properties” would return to their owners.
Nora explained that the foundation offered emergency care to working-class elders, then declared them incompetent when bills went unpaid. Their houses were sold to Vale companies as reimbursement.
“My mother’s rowhouse was next,” she said.
Victoria laughed. “Your mother received first-class care she could never afford.”
“She paid through payroll deductions for twenty-eight years.”
Lily opened the pocket of her pale-yellow nightdress and produced a folded visitor badge. Victoria had made her wear it inside the mansion and told guests she was the cook’s child.
Adrian looked at his mother.
“You kept my goddaughter here and denied her name?”
Victoria’s face changed.
Adrian had never been Lily’s godfather.
Nora stared at him.
“I never told her that.”
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Lily lifted the badge. On its back, someone had written:
ASK ADRIAN WHY HE SIGNED HER GUARDIANSHIP ORDER.
