“I arranged care.”
“You took her from her mother.”
“I saved her from chaos.”
“No. You created the chaos.”
Claire’s voice broke in. “Evelyn told me the baby was going to relatives.”
Rowan turned toward her. “You knew?”
Claire’s face crumpled, but not fully. Even now, she seemed to decide which emotion might serve her best. “Not at first. I only wanted Megan gone.”
The simplicity of it struck harder than any elaborate confession.
“Why?” Rowan asked.
Claire gave a small, helpless laugh. “Because she had everything without trying. Your loyalty. Your father’s affection. The staff adored her. People listened when she spoke quietly, and I hated that. I hated standing near her and feeling invisible.”
“You destroyed my marriage because you were jealous?”
“I didn’t think it would go that far.”
Rowan looked at her. “You staged photographs. You planted my grandmother’s necklace. You paid Gregory Voss.”
