Chapter 12 - The Name on the Birth Certificate
Angela stared at Susan.
The doctor politely stepped outside.
“Mom.”
Susan's eyes filled.
“Your birth certificate.”
Angela almost laughed from exhaustion.
“Please don't tell me my name isn't Angela.”
“It is.”
“Good. I don't think I can learn another one.”
Susan smiled weakly.
“Eleanor named you Angelina Rose.”
Angela looked at Eleanor, who stood near the door.
Susan continued.
“But Parker wasn't my name when you were born.”
Angela frowned.
“My maiden name was Parker. I was married briefly.”
“To whom?”
Susan looked at Daniel.
Daniel lowered his head.
Angela stood.
“No.”
Susan whispered, “Daniel.”
Angela stared at her biological father.
“You were married to my adoptive mother?”
“For eleven months.”
The universe had become absurd.
Daniel explained.
After Eleanor disappeared, Daniel returned secretly.
He believed she was dead.
Susan had Angela.
They were terrified Victor would find the baby.
Daniel married Susan so he could legally establish protection if necessary.
But when Victor's men came looking, Daniel left again.
The marriage was annulled.
Susan raised Angela alone.
“You loved him?” Angela asked.
Susan considered.
“I loved the person he was trying to be.”
Daniel looked wounded.
“But I loved you more.”
Angela sat beside her.
“That part I always knew.”
Susan squeezed her hand.
The doctor returned.
The biopsy was malignant.
Jennifer sobbed.
Angela's world narrowed.
Then the doctor continued.
It was treatable.
Localized.
Surgery followed by therapy offered a strong chance of recovery.
Angela cried into Susan's shoulder.
For once, the revelation ended with hope.
Weeks passed.
The scandal around Richard and Grant exploded publicly.
Richard faced fraud, forgery, conspiracy and financial charges.
Grant was removed from every company position.
Martin cooperated with prosecutors.
Angela refused interviews.
She moved back into her Queens apartment.
Charlie did not ask her to return.
That bothered her.
Then she became annoyed that it bothered her.
Her inherited financial assets had activated.
She was unimaginably wealthy.
She still bought generic cereal.
Jennifer found this hilarious.
Angela paid Susan's medical expenses, cleared the mortgage and created a medical trust for her family.
Then she stopped.
She refused to let money become another person making choices for everyone.
Susan's surgery succeeded.
Eleanor rented an apartment nearby.
She did not demand the title Mom.
That helped.
She and Angela began with coffee.
Then another coffee.
Then dinner.
It was awkward.
Real.
Daniel joined occasionally.
Margaret visited Susan.
Their friendship slowly rebuilt itself from ruins.
Charlie remained mostly absent.
He sent one message after Susan's surgery.
Glad she's safe. No need to reply.
Angela replied anyway.
Thank you.
That was it.
Until day eighty-two of the marriage.
Angela received divorce papers.
Charlie had signed them.
No demands.
No property claims.
No confidentiality agreement.
Nothing.
A handwritten note was attached.
You were denied a choice once. I won't deny it twice.
—C.
Angela stared at it for an hour.
Jennifer found her.
“You look angry.”
“I am.”
“Because your accidental husband gave you exactly what you asked for?”
“Yes.”
Jennifer nodded.
“Sounds inconvenient.”
Angela threw a pillow at her.
On day eighty-five, Angela returned to acting.
Not because she needed money.
Because she loved it.
She auditioned for an independent drama.
The director recognized her from the scandal.
Angela expected pity.
Instead he said, “Your reading was good.”
She got the role.
Small.
Five scenes.
She celebrated harder than when she learned she had inherited millions.
On day eighty-seven, Claire invited her to lunch.
“You love him,” Claire said.
Angela nearly choked.
“You people need hobbies.”
Claire smiled.
“I had one. I was engaged to him.”
“Helpful.”
“He never looked at me the way he looks at you.”
Angela stirred her coffee.
“How?”
“Like you're about to say something that will ruin his entire plan and he's hoping you do.”
Angela looked away.
Claire became serious.
“Charlie thinks loving you violates his promise to Everett.”
“He promised not to confuse obligation with love.”
“Exactly.”
“Maybe he is confused.”
Claire shrugged.
“Maybe.”
Angela hated sensible people.
On day eighty-nine, Eleanor gave Angela the original birth certificate.
Mother: Eleanor Rose Vale.
Father: Daniel James Vale.
Child: Angelina Rose Vale.
Below it was a handwritten note.
Let her choose her own name when she understands what names cost.
Angela cried.
Then she made a decision.
She filed legal documents.
Not to become Vale.
Not to become Henderson.
She remained Angelina Rose Parker.
Susan had given her that life.
It was hers.
On day ninety, the divorce could be finalized.
Angela drove to Henderson House.
Charlie was not there.
Margaret said he had gone to the Harbor Crown.
“Why?”
Margaret smiled.
“He does that when he's miserable.”
Angela drove to the hotel.
The ballroom was empty.
White flowers had been removed weeks ago.
The altar remained only in memory.
She found Charlie in the bridal room, standing before Everett's portrait.
He turned.
“Angela.”
She held up the divorce papers.
His face became guarded.
“I thought you'd file them electronically.”
“I wanted to return these.”
“You don't need to.”
“I know.”
He looked at her.
Angela tore the papers in half.
Charlie froze.
“I spent ninety days trying to figure out whether this marriage was something done to me,” she said.
He didn't move.
“It was.”
Pain crossed his face.
Angela continued.
“But whatever happens after today isn't.”
Charlie whispered her name.
She stepped closer.
“I am not staying because of a trust.”
“I know.”
“Or your company.”
“I know.”
“Or your father.”
“I know.”
“And I'm definitely not staying because your grandmother terrifies me.”
That almost made him smile.
Angela looked at him.
“I'm staying long enough to find out whether there is something here that belongs to us.”
Charlie breathed out slowly.
“Angela, if you're doing this because—”
She held up one finger.
“Don't ruin it.”
He stopped.
She smiled.
Then the ballroom doors opened behind them.
Margaret rushed inside.
“Charlie.”
He turned.
Her face was pale.
“What?”
Margaret held a document.
“Richard made a deal with prosecutors.”
Angela's stomach tightened.
“And?”
“He gave them the location of Eleanor's original evidence.”
Eleanor entered behind her.
She looked terrified.
Angela said, “Where is it?”
Eleanor whispered, “In Everett's grave.”
Charlie stared.
Margaret continued.
“They opened it this morning.”
“And?”
“They found the evidence.”
Relief started.
Then Margaret shook her head.
“And something else.”
She handed Charlie a photograph taken inside the opened crypt.
Beside Everett's coffin was a second sealed casket.
The plaque carried a name.
May you like
ELEANOR ROSE VALE.
Angela slowly turned toward the living Eleanor behind her.
