Chapter 7 - THE MAN WHO LEFTGraham's father had died when Graham was seventeen.
At least, that was the official story.
A heart attack.
Sudden.
Tragic.
But Graham had never believed it was that simple.
“My father wanted to leave,” Graham said.
Maren frowned.
“Leave?”
“The marriage.”
He explained that his father had planned to divorce Helena.
He had told Graham privately that he intended to take him with him.
Then, two weeks later, he was dead.
Graham had never accused his mother of causing his father's death.
There was no proof.
But he remembered the night his father died.
Helena had stood in the hallway.
Calm.
Too calm.
And she had told Graham:
“Your father chose to abandon us.”
Graham had believed that for years.
Until he found a letter.
A letter his father had written but never sent.
It contained only one sentence:
“Graham, if you ever learn the truth, remember that I tried to protect you.”
Maren felt cold.
“Where is the letter?”
“I don't have it.”
“Who does?”
Graham looked at her.
“My mother.”
Silence.
The baby's movement broke the tension.
Maren placed both hands over her stomach.
Graham looked at her.
“Our child deserves better than what I had.”
“You can give that to her.”
He smiled faintly.
“Or him.”
Maren laughed softly through her tears.
“You think it's a girl?”
“I don't know.”
He touched her stomach.
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“I just know I want our baby to grow up knowing what love feels like.”
Neither of them knew that Helena had already begun preparing for war.
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