Chapter 6 - THE GRANDFATHER WHO WANTED CONTROL.
Caroline’s father, Richard Hale, had never approved of the surrogacy.
He considered Sofia “a paid stranger” who should disappear after delivery.
Ethan confronted him privately.
Richard did not deny paying Melissa.
“I wanted clean boundaries.”
“You altered a contract?”
“I paid for legal advice.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
Richard’s expression hardened.
He claimed Caroline had become emotionally attached to Sofia during the pregnancy.
They spoke regularly.
Caroline sent books.
Sofia sent ultrasound videos.
Richard believed that relationship would complicate inheritance and custody after Caroline’s death.
“So you decided for everyone?”
“I protected my grandson.”
Sofia was listening from the doorway.
Her voice shook.
“You protected him from what? Knowing I existed?”
Richard looked at her with open contempt.
“You were compensated.”
Ethan stood so quickly his chair struck the wall.
Sofia stopped him with one sentence.
“Let him talk.”
Richard admitted telling Melissa to ensure all future contact provisions disappeared.
He claimed he never authorized forged pages.
Then Ethan asked about the money.
Richard had paid Melissa $40,000 personally.
But the financial records showed $60,000.
Twenty thousand had come from somewhere else.
When investigators traced it, Ethan felt physically sick.
The account belonged to the household trust.
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And only one person besides Ethan had authority to access it.
His longtime family attorney.
