Exposed to the CEO Behind the Mafia Mask (by Silver Spoon) novel Chapter 495

Chapter 495: Chapter 91 Stolen Baby Secret

Daniel’s POV

The moment Lila drifted into sleep, I slipped back into the living room. An important discussion with her brother couldn’t wait any longer.

"I’ve witnessed plenty of brutal things in my years working between the police and our families, but what this woman does to Lila crosses every line," I stated firmly, settling into the leather couch in Beckett’s penthouse office.

"It was even more savage before," Beckett replied, his voice heavy with old pain. "Lila would receive vicious beatings for the smallest infractions against Claire’s twisted rules. When she was young, Claire thrashed her with a leather belt for accidentally knocking over some antique piece during a family gathering. Her body was covered in buckle marks for an extended period. Claire always threatened worse punishment if she told our father about the family discipline. I’d already moved out to handle our overseas operations by then, only discovered it when I noticed Lila wearing long sleeves during summer heat at the compound. I nearly went after Claire myself when I found out, but my father returned from his business trip, and we had a massive confrontation. Lila begged me not to tell him anything."

"That incident wasn’t isolated," Katarina added softly from her position near the window. "It wasn’t the first time, the last time, or even the worst. I’m constantly amazed that Lila grew into such a compassionate person despite everything she endured in that house."

"Shortly before she finally escaped that compound, Claire had beaten her with a wooden cane from grandfather’s study. When she left for college, her back was still marked from the assault," Beckett continued, lost in painful recollections of his family’s internal warfare.

Bile rose in my throat as disgust washed over me. "Your father never discovered these beatings?" I asked incredulously.

"Never. His marriage to Claire is miserable, so he buries himself in managing our legitimate businesses across the city. Lila refused to tell him and wouldn’t let me say anything either. I was terrified of what Claire might do to her if I spoke up and she remained under that roof."

"Why not report it to authorities?" I demanded, though I already suspected the answer in our world.

"Because the police captain’s wife is Claire’s closest friend from their charity circle. That captain would do anything his wife asked, including covering up any Sullivan family business or Justin’s messes with other families." Beckett’s expression revealed his helplessness within the web of corruption.

"Tell me about your biological mother," I pressed. "She died during childbirth, but was there an autopsy by the family doctor?"

"No autopsy. My father couldn’t bear it. We had left the estate that morning for a meeting, with my mother staying home with the trusted housekeeper. The baby wasn’t expected for some time. When we returned from the negotiations, the housekeeper said mother went into labor suddenly. There wasn’t time to fetch our family physician from his practice downtown."

Beckett paused, collecting himself. "She called a midwife instead, someone Claire supposedly knew from her previous work in our money management operations. The baby was stillborn, and my mother died shortly after. My father contacted his doctor friend who determined she died from hemorrhaging. The baby apparently suffocated with the umbilical cord around its neck."

"Nathaniel still blames himself for not being there during the family crisis," Katarina murmured, squeezing her husband’s hand supportively.

"How did Claire enter the picture in your family’s organization?" I asked.

"She worked in our art acquisition division. My grandfather was still running everything then, managing all our legitimate fronts and underground operations. My parents had separated briefly because my mother suspected infidelity with someone from a rival family. During that time apart, Claire grew close to my father and they were together several times during business trips."

Beckett’s gaze turned distant. "Father eventually regretted it, ended things with Claire, and reconciled with my mother. He confessed everything, and mother forgave him. Soon after, mother discovered she was pregnant. Then Claire announced she was pregnant too."

"My mother-in-law knew about Claire’s pregnancy," Katarina interjected. "Claire left the city, and periodically, Nathaniel’s father would visit her with money and check on her condition while maintaining family secrecy."

"Soon after my mother died, father went to see Claire and discovered she’d given birth recently. When he returned home, he was already married to her. That’s when our nightmare began under her reign," Beckett finished grimly.

"Did your father search for the midwife after the tragedy?" I asked, remembering they’d mentioned her absence when they arrived home.

"He tried. But she’d vanished from the city completely. Disappeared without a trace, which is suspicious in our circles."

"And the housekeeper? What else did she say about that day?"

"Nothing more. After the funeral, she told father she couldn’t continue working for our family—too traumatized by what happened—and she quit her position."

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