The Foster Mother Took My Coat, Then the Billionaire Saw My Locket

Victor's locket was identical to Arthur's — and to mine. But his was darker, tarnished at the edges, like it had spent years hidden away. He clicked it open, and inside was a photo of a young woman with black braids, holding a baby.

"Your mother," Victor said to me, ignoring Arthur's stunned face. "She wasn't a patient at that hospital. She was a nurse. And she was paid to take you out of the fire."

"Paid by who?" Eleanor's voice was barely a whisper.

Victor turned to Arthur. "You think you're the only Sterling with secrets?"

Arthur's hand tightened on my shoulder. "You were in London that night," he said. "The fire was ruled an accident."

"Because I made sure it was." Victor's smile vanished. "I paid Rita to vanish with the child. I paid the hospital to rule it a fire. And I paid your wife's doctor to tell you she was barren."

Eleanor gasped. "That's not true. I was pregnant. We had tests—"

"Faked." Victor stepped closer. "All of it. Because you were never supposed to have a family, Arthur. You were supposed to be too busy grieving to question the company accounts. But here she is." He looked at me with something cold in his eyes. "And now she's a problem."

Arthur moved. In one fluid motion, he shoved Eleanor and me behind him and pulled something from his jacket — a small recorder. "I've been waiting for you to say that, Victor. The board is listening."

Victor's face went white.

"You're done," Arthur said. "And you're going to spend a very long time in prison for stealing my daughter."

Behind me, I felt Eleanor's hands shaking on my shoulders. But she was smiling.

"Rita's already talking," she said softly. "She gave us everything."

Victor lunged — but the doors burst open, and officers swarmed in. They cuffed him before he could reach us.

And in the chaos, I looked down at my locket. The anchor was warm against my chest.

"Mommy chose me," I whispered. "She didn't leave me."

Eleanor knelt down, taking my face in her hands. "She loved you so much that she hid you to keep you safe."

"And now," Arthur said, scooping me up, "you're home."