With trembling hands, she unfolded the familiar old letter beneath it. The pages were full of schemes involving her property and marriage.
"She's in poor health. Once we're married, she won't have the strength to put up much of a fight. I'll make her accept the child as her own."
Nothing in the letter suggested the pregnancy was an accident. He'd simply assumed she would give in. Vanessa's reply was even more blunt. She didn't need to be his wife, as long as her child could inherit the Bennett family's houses.
Clutching both pieces of evidence, my mother checked the dates on the letters again and again. Her fingers stopped at the words "once we're married." Nausea rose in her throat, and she braced herself against the wall, retching.
She took out her phone to confront Nathan, but stopp
