"The truth always comes out. It's one of the fundamental rules of time. And, when it comes out, it can either set you free or end everything you've fought so hard for."

An immense darkness prevailed over Grayson Manor and its surrounding coastline, as Daniel stretched out on the sofa. He tore his eyes away from the Lifetime movie on the television screen and stared into the office, where his wife and Nolan poured over NolCorp's financial account. If it were any other man, Daniel would have felt threatened by their close bond but, after Tyler's brief, yet eventful vacation in the Hampton's, Daniel wasn't concerned.

Across the room, Charlotte cuddled up with her twin brother and sister, who had fallen asleep. "They always miss you so much when you're away at college," her father commented, careful not to overload his eldest. "So does Sophia," he frowned, "Who, by the way, seems to have disappeared since breakfast."

The front door slammed shut, as if to answer her father's unspoken question, and Sophia flew into the office, where she placed herself face-to-face with her mother and Nolan. A brown envelope filtered out several documents and she stuck Amanda Clarke's juvenile record - with her mother's face attached to it - on the table. Her eyes danced wildly, "Tell me it's fake." Her demands whipped her mother, one after the other and the entire family quickly became entranced by her confrontational nature. "Tell me someone's playing a sick joke. Tell me it's all a big mistake. Tell me that my mother's not a stranger and my childhood wasn't a total sham!" Sophia blinked back the tears, "Tell me you're not Amanda Clarke."

Flashback

"Congratulations, Mrs. Grayson! You have a healthy baby girl."

In the brutal aftermath of labour, Emily couldn't hear much... but she heard that. Her first born was healthy and perfect. Rosy cheeks, hazel eyes and wisps of brunette all wrapped in one pale pink bundle. "A girl," the newfound mother repeated, in a breathy whisper.

Daniel choked back the tears and his eyes were wide with awe. "Did you hear that, Em?" He planted a ferocious kiss on her forehead, "We did it! You did it!" The midwife carried the newborn toward the proud father but Daniel backed himself to the wall, "My wife should hold her first." It was only fair that Emily reap the reward, the satisfaction of her nine months fruition. "She's beautiful," Daniel and Emily cried together. "I'm so proud of you." Daniel's body met hers, as far as the bars on the hospital bed would allow, "I'm so proud of both of you."

The Grayson family of three cherished the temporary peace, in the few hours after the birth, before Nolan arrived in celebration-mode. "Hey, mom and dad!" He burst into the private hospital room, "Like the three wise men, I come bearing gifts. Since you're officially tee-total these days, I decided on non-alcoholic champers!" Nolan searched high and low, "I forgot the glasses! Daniel, would you mind?"

Too cheerful to dismiss Nolan, practically his wife's only friend and confidante, Daniel chuckled, "I'll be right back, babe."

"Ugh, I didn't think he'd ever leave!" Nolan dramatically rolled his eyes, in a playful manner. "Well, well, well... Mary, Mary, quite contrary." He peered down at the newborn child, "They're not always this adorkable at this age, but I'd say she's inherited some good genes. That said, she doesn't really look like you," his face scrunched, "I mean, she does. She has to... right?" Nolan swallowed the verbal-vomit and concluded, "She'll evolve."

Emily smiled, "Thank you, uncle Nolan."

His eyebrow shot up, "Uncle Nolan, huh? I suppose, that would be alright." The atmosphere became a little more serious and Nolan watched her face fall, before he lifted her spirits. "So, does this little one have a name yet?"

"Charlotte Rose Grayson," Emily proudly declared, the name full of meaning for both her and Daniel. Yet, a heavy burden weighed her heart down and she exhaled an exaggerated breath to combat the tension in her chest. "Nolan, I know what you're thinking; I swore, once Conrad was behind bars, this would all be over. But..." How could she have possibly explained her change of heart? Luckily, Nolan's kindness and wise compassion meant she didn't have to.

"There's no need to explain. Your secrets," his finger acted as a zip across his lips.

"These are the best I could find," Daniel returned with three plastic cups from the nearest water container. Nolan popped open the Champagne bottle and poured a generous amount in each one, before he held his cup up in the air. "To Charlotte Rose Grayson."

Flashforward

Nolan panned for the quickest escape route, and he probed Emily for direction, "Maybe I should -"

"Stay where you are, Nolan." Emily ordered, except her demand sounded more like a desperate plea. She returned her focus to the juvenile record from Allenwood and shook her head, "Sophia, where did you get this?" She certainly wouldn't have found such exposing evidence in the Infinity Box.

Daniel rose from his chair. His wife appeared panicked, which was certainly not an expression she wore often or well, and Nolan looked equally unnerved. Sophia, on the other hand, held a stance like a soldier prepped for battle. It was so reminiscent of his mother. "Everything okay, babe?"

"Did you know about this?"

Sophia thrusted the photograph into her father's face, and Daniel visibly did a double-take. It was his wife in the photograph, her complexion pale and her hair so dark that she was almost unrecognisable. "Amanda..." he muttered, beyond confused by the name that captioned her mug-shot.

"I asked you a question," Emily's aggression rose to a level her husband and child had never witnessed before. "Where did you find this?"

"I deserve an answer from you first," Sophia reflected her mother's anger.

"We know, we know," Nolan stepped forward, his hands rested on Sophia's shoulders, in his best attempt at family mediation. "You deserve one and you will get one, but you need to calm down first."

"What the hell is going on?" Daniel yelled, which disturbed his youngest children, their heads rested on Charlotte's knees. He snatched the document from Sophia and surveyed it much more closely the second time. "Clarke. Amanda Clarke." His head shook vigorously, in defiance of the truth. Emily's eyes were downturned, once she watched the realisation hit him over the head and resentment immediately set in. "You bitch!" The curse was low, for the sake of his children, but it still chilled Emily to the bone.

"Nolan, please drive the twins to yours and have them stay with you tonight." Emily snatched the documents back from her husband, her voice lacking emotion. His eyes were stricken with concern and Emily briefly softened, "It's okay, Nolan. I'm okay."

"I'm not!" Daniel protested, "I don't want him anywhere near my children. I can only assume, he was a part of your little scheme, too!"

"Our children will be safe with Nolan, and I would never take them from you, Daniel." His wife retorted, her response painful and ironic, "No one has known the loss of a father quite the way I have and I wouldn't wish that upon anyone, much less our own children."