I had not known that she was expecting a child. I brought her back with me to the island." Cedric squeezed Maddie's hand gently and smiled at Hayley.
Hayley felt faint. "This is too good to be true!" Hayley rose up and hugged her mother. "How could you keep this secret from me?"
"It has been difficult to keep this from you all these years."
Austin stood beside Hayley. "My mother no doubt has a lot to do with the fact that you felt the need to conceal the truth from your daughter. After all, she is one person that could carry through with the threat to your livelihood."
"I do not think your mother knows the truth of the original contract, but we had lived the pretense so long, it seemed unnatural and frightening to ever reveal it."
Cedric turned his head downward in shame.
"Surely you know you could have told me." Hayley beamed.
"I wanted to tell you in a year or so, but when things became strained between us, I thought you would hate me forever." Maddie squeezed Hayley's hand.
"Surely, you can see that I do not hate you. I love you with all my heart." She turned to her father. "This explains why you were so strict with me. You were afraid I would discover the truth and reveal it."
"I am still not sure what Mrs. Sommers knows, and I was thankful she kept her distance for the most part." Her father said.
"Father, would you please tell me if you have decided to dismiss Maddie from her duties. As I said before, I simply don't think we need her to work for us anymore."
Hayley winked at her mother. Instead of seeing hurt on Maddie's face, Hayley witnessed a glowing expression.
"Yes. Maddie, I believe Hayley is right, what she really needs is for her father to marry her mother."
Her parents embraced, as Austin pulled Hayley aside.
"I won't make the same mistake your father did, inheritance or not."
"In my father's case, so much time has passed that he should be safe from the contract against him, if your mother is not aware of it. I fear she will hold true to her threat to you."
Austin knelt on one knee. "Will you marry me, Hayley Lawrence?"
"Are you teasing me?"
"I love you and only want to love you for the rest of my life."