Chapter 48
Vee
“Yes,” I replied, tasting bile from my upset stomach.
“Your dad didn’t know that Bre was his daughter?”
I shook my head. This was so messed up. I couldn’t even think about the fact that they were in a relationship. “It’s gross. The thing is, Dad ended up marrying that same woman. She’d gone away from Kentucky and came back two years later. That woman was my mother.”
“She didn’t tell him she had his child?”
I shook my head. “According to Aunt Rachel, no. My mom—her name is Olivia—gave Bre up for an open adoption. The birth certificate listed the father as unknown. Aunt Rachel said no one in the family knew. She just knew that Olivia resented Grandpa Carroll for what she thought he made her do. Grandpa didn’t realize my mom was the same woman from Dad’s past. When Olivia gave birth to me, Aunt Rachel said she went off the deep end.
It sounds more like postpartum depression.
But the Hubbards couldn’t have a crazy woman in the family.
“Dad filed for divorce.” I shook my head. “Tonight, after the flowers, Aunt Rachel and I found Bre here.”
Fin’s gaze was intense, trying to make sense of this ridiculous unraveling. The tendons pulled taut in his neck. “She was here, in the hotel?”
I remembered seeing her. “She’s pregnant, Fin. She’s showing.”
He wrinkled his nose. “With her own father’s baby?”
“No. Daphne confirmed that Dad had a vasectomy over a decade ago. But apparently, Bre believed that the paternity test wouldn’t have ruled Dad out as father.”
“Because Bre has your father’s DNA.”
I nodded. “She’s wrong though. That’s not how paternity tests work.
When we found Bre, she wasn’t alone.” The next part was hard to say.
“She was with Olivia, our mother.” New tears came from my eyes.
I wiped my nose with the back of my hand.
“I didn’t know her. Aunt Rachel did. She and Bre have been working together to take everything from Dad and Aunt Rachel.
” I shook my head. “Olivia’s been living in California since she eluded authorities twenty-nine years ago in Arizona. ”
“Wait,” Fin said, “she was in Arizona?”
“Trish investigated Dad’s divorce for me.
Originally, the court granted joint custody of me.
Then when I was sixteen months old, Olivia took me to Arizona without my dad’s permission.
Trish said that Dad pressed charges. Aunt Rachel said it was strongly encouraged by Grandpa Carroll.
Grandpa promised Dad if he would do away with my mom once and for all, he would inherit the Coopers. ”
“What about the information from Clark about your uncle’s father?”
“Oh, it’s been a fun night of family accusations and confessions.
” My temples ached. I stood and paced in front of Fin.
“What Preston told you was partially accurate. Blaine Marsh helped Grandpa pass the owner test. He needed a seventy-five percent majority to vote in favor of him. Many of the owners were Blaine’s clients.
Both Uncle Darin and Aunt Rachel deny that he loaned Grandpa money.
” I took a breath. “It’s the fucking Super Bowl and all my family’s secrets are unraveling. ”
Fin reached for my hand and tugged me toward him. I landed on his lap.
He wrapped his arms around me and kissed the side of my head. “Was that what Bre wanted? For the Hubbards’ and Marshes’ secrets to take center stage instead of the team?”
“Yes,” I said with a sigh.
“Bre knew about the will. She tried to have Dad’s baby to get in on what she believes she deserves.”
“The Coopers?” Fin asked.
“All of it. They’d been having unprotected sex for years, and she wasn’t getting pregnant. So, she found someone else for the job.”
“Who?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. According to her deranged statement, Sunday night before the accident, she told him she was pregnant.
This was heard by the police and members of Stephens Security.
She said Dad laughed. He told her about his vasectomy.
He wasn’t upset. He simply knew the baby wasn’t his.
Dad and Daphne had their unconventional marriage agreement.
He wasn’t looking for another wife. Bre said she was heartbroken and can’t remember exactly what she did.
” I took a breath. “According to the autopsy she gave him sleeping pills and Benadryl.”
“And he took it?”
“He didn’t know he was taking it. Olivia told the police that Bre told her she had put the sleeping pills in his whiskey. She was hoping that would be enough. If Dad died in his sleep, he wouldn’t be able to deny paternity.”
“Your mom is confessing to her part in it?”
“She’s eluded authorities for decades. Once she found Bre and her adoptive family, she got close to them.
Now she claims she sees that she created the obsession for revenge in Bre.
They parted ways a few years ago. Bre called her to tell her that Dad was gone and asked to come stay with her for a while. ”
Fin cocked an eyebrow. “In California? Olivia is who she claimed was her sister.”
I nodded. “Bre’s backup plan was that she laced his morning coffee with liquid Benadryl.
According to the internet, the excessive amount can cause blurred vision, confusion, a fever, and a dry mouth.
” I shook my head. “Dad didn’t have a chance.
It makes sense if he was confused that he forgot about his meeting with Don. ”
“Where are they now, Bre and Olivia?”
“They’re in police custody. Bre can still try to fight the murder charge in court, but she confessed.
It was supposed to be a big headline in front of a lot of people.
Instead, the NFL and other security people shut it down.
I mean, it will probably get picked up, but not the way she wanted.
It will just be a sidenote that Reid Hubbard’s assistant admitted to causing his death. ”
Fin tipped his forehead until it touched mine. “Vee, I’m so sorry.”
“Coopers’ legal has done something to keep Bre’s paternity from going public. I mean, it hasn’t been confirmed other than Aunt Rachel recognizing Olivia.” I shook my head. “It’s so messed up. Olivia was the one thing Dad would never talk about.”
“Wait a minute…” His blue stare was on mine. “Remember when I called Bre to ask her when the last time she’d seen Reid was?”
“Yeah. She lied to you. He was there on Sunday.”
“She did. She also talked about Olivia.” He furrowed his brow. “I remember. It was something about how Daphne told Reid she wouldn’t be pushed out like Olivia.”
“She said that?”
Fin nodded. “I even questioned her. I asked if Reid did that—pushed Olivia out—and she said no. It was all Olivia’s fault. Olivia was unpredictable and Reid hired nannies because he couldn’t trust her to be alone with you.”
“Dad never told me that, but it fits with what I learned tonight. I heard more tonight from Aunt Rachel and Uncle Darin than Dad ever said.”
“I asked Bre how she knew that. She said Reid told her. It happened a long time before she met him. Then she said, ‘How else would I know?’”
“She didn’t know from Dad,” I said. “Bre knew the whole story before she ever came into Dad’s life.” I brushed my lips over Fin’s. “Thank you for coming to me. I know there’s a room full of people out there, but I really wanted you.”
“Anytime you call, Vee, I’ll be here.” He glanced at his watch. “And tonight’s curfew isn’t until midnight. We still have forty minutes.” His eyebrows danced.
Laughing for the first time in hours, I shook my head. “Living room full of people, remember?”
“Now I know your room number.”
“Virginia will be staying with me all week. Once everyone leaves, the living room sofa converts into a bed. If you try to sneak in, she might shoot you.”
“I’m glad she is staying with you. When we get home to Lexington, I’ll be your protection.”
“I like the way that sounds.”
Fin held my hand as we opened the door and entered the living room of the suite.
Daphne and Grant were seated on the sofa.
Aunt Rachel and Uncle Darin were in the kitchenette.
Leigh, Hayden, Lip, and Chris were seated around the small conference table.
Virginia sat on a chair near the door. Everyone turned our way.
“It’s late,” I said. “I think we’re all tired. We’ll all see one another early tomorrow for breakfast.”
I walked Fin to the door. We shared a chaste kiss.
“Are you going to be all right?” he whispered.
“I will. It’s been a lot, but it’s also been cathartic.”
“I love you.”
My smile curled my lips. “I love you, too, Griffin Graham. If you hear anything about any of this on the news or from the team, please let them know I’m okay and the Coopers are secure.”
“I will.”
After he left, I closed the door and turned.
Aunt Rachel was a few feet away. “Vee, I’m sorry it has taken so long for all of this to see the light of day.”
“I just can’t…” My stomach twisted. “Bre knew my dad was her dad.” I scrunched my nose. “Dad didn’t know. He couldn’t.”
“I don’t believe Olivia ever told him she had the baby.”
I thought about that. “He must have worried that she had.”
“Why do you say that?” she asked.
“Why else did he put the Coopers in a trust with my name? Even if he would have signed the new will, the trust would have superseded it.”
“We’ll worry about that another day.”
Nodding, I smiled. “We’ve got a Super Bowl to win.”