Page 77 of One of Six

If you are reading this letter, then I have left you alone with that monster. That wasn't my intention.

When I began this journey with David so long ago, I had no idea of the depth of Richard's actions. Even though I suffered his beatings over the years, I never imagined what he had done with his father.

One thing I need you to do is give my secret phone to a man named Edwin Carter. His details are in the note’s application on the phone. I will let Edwin tell you who he is to me. Trust him, Beatrice.

Now that I am gone, you must not trust Richard or Judge. They will try to manipulate you. Be strong, my dear girl.

I have loved you since the day you were born. I know I haven't made things easy for you, but please believe me, I've only ever done it to stave off your father's wrath. I saw this whole marriage thing as a waiting game for you, which is why I pushed so hard. It breaks my heart to push you into something neither of us want. I hope you can forgive me.

My wish is that you take the money I left you and go out into the world. Live your life to the fullest with a man who will love you with all his heart. Have a wonderful life, my daughter.

Please don't be angry with me when I tell you that David is the one I should have married. I have loved him since I was a girl of sixteen. Judge had other ideas. Please, Bea, trust David. He would die to protect you because you are his daughter.

With that in mind, I want you to know that I am so proud of you and will always love you. Now dry your eyes and allow David and Edwin to guide you. They love you too.

Be brave.

Love always,

Mom x

Shock runs through me as tears fill my eyes. I stare out over the ocean, the view blurry. So much pain and heartache has been going on around me since before I was born, and I had no idea. None. I never even suspected about Mom and David.

His reaction to Richard killing Mom makes more sense now. I thought he was angry about the mess he'd been left with. But it wasn't. He loved Mom. Is that why he's always been single?

I muffle a sob that turns into a full-blown cry when Essex gently joins me in the hammock and takes me in his arms.

I feel my loss even more now. All this time David knew I was his daughter, and he did nothing. This makes me angry.

My sobs subside and I hand the letter to Essex to read. He rolls out of the hammock and takes me with him. We hit the ground, Essex breaking my fall.

"We're going to the table." He helps me up, grabs some Kleenex, then sits us down at the table.

"Read the letter, please." I don't take my eyes off him as he reads. "Holy shit," he mutters when he gets to the end. "This is fucked up."

"I hate them, Essex. Richard and Judge. They manipulated Mom's life and mine. David's, too. Even though I'm angry at David for not telling me, I can't bring myself to lump him in with them. They screwed up his life too."

"What are you going to do?"

I hold out my hand for the letter and stand up. "I'm going to ask David about everything."

I take a deep breath, feeling Essex behind me as I walk into the office. David and Ed are staring at the board but stop when they notice me.

I stare at David, and he frowns. His eyes drop to the letter in my hand, but he doesn't react. "What is it?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"That I'm your daughter!" I snap. "And that you and Mom loved each other. That's why you're single, right?"

David pulls back and falls into a chair, tears in his eyes. "You're mine," he whispers. "I didn't know." He blinks and the tears fall. "I loved Elisabeth, Beatrice. From the moment we met, she was the only woman for me.

"But Judge interfered, promising to protect her younger brother if she married Richard. The bastard always wanted what I had."

Essex urges me to sit with David and Ed joins us. "My brother Bea was with a bad crowd and would have been sentenced to a long prison term if his case had gone to trial. Judge prevented that. Patrick died of a drug overdose five years later."

"I fought hard to get Judge and Richard to let me marry Elise," says David. "Judge was furious and said that Patrick would only be protected if she married Richard.

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