Chapter 8: The Woman Who Raised My Other Daughter
Amelia Cross lived in a quiet neighborhood on the northern edge of Westbridge.
Her house was small, with pale yellow walls, a white picket fence, and a garden full of roses.
It looked nothing like Margaret's estate.
There were children's toys scattered across the front lawn.
A pink bicycle leaned against the garage.
A small pair of shoes sat beside the front door.
I noticed the shoes immediately.
One had a missing button.
The other had a little flower stitched onto the side.
They were the same size as Ellie's.
My heart began racing.
Nathan parked across the street.
Daniel had followed us in another vehicle, and Victoria was speaking to the police.
Nobody knew whether Amelia had taken Ellie willingly or whether someone had helped her.
I didn't care.
I wanted my daughter.
I stepped out of the car.
Nathan caught my arm.
"Claire, wait.""
I turned.
"What?""
"We don't know what we're walking into.""
"She's my daughter.""
"I know.""
"Then don't ask me to wait.""
He released my arm.
We crossed the street together.
I knocked.
No answer.
I knocked again.
A light came on inside.
Then the door opened.
A woman in her early forties stood before us.
She had dark hair pulled into a loose bun, tired green eyes, and a small silver necklace around her neck.
She looked at Nathan first.
Then at me.
"Claire.""
I stepped forward.
"Where is my daughter?""
Amelia moved aside.
"Come in.""
"Bring Ellie to me.""
"She's upstairs.""
I pushed past her.
Nathan followed.
The house smelled of cinnamon and fresh laundry.
A family photograph hung above the fireplace.
Amelia stood between two little girls.
One was Sophie.
The other was Ellie.
I stopped.
The girls were wearing matching dresses.
Their arms were around each other.
They looked happy.
They looked like sisters.
Real sisters.
My knees weakened.
"How long?""
Amelia closed the door.
"Four years.""
I turned.
"You've had my daughter for four years?""
"Not Ellie.""
"Sophie?""
Amelia nodded.
"Yes.""
I stared at her.
"Why?""
She looked toward the staircase.
"Because I was told her mother had died.""
I felt sick.
"My sister?""
"No. You.""
I froze.
"What?""
Amelia continued carefully.
"Margaret told me the biological mother had died during childbirth. She said the father was missing and that the child had no living relatives.""
I shook my head.
"That's a lie.""
"I know that now.""
"Then why did you keep her?""
Amelia's eyes filled with tears.
"Because by the time I discovered the truth, Sophie had already become my daughter.""
I stared at her.
"She's my niece.""
"I know.""
"She's my daughter too, in a way.""
Amelia nodded.
"I understand.""
"No, you don't.""
My voice cracked.
"You don't understand what it's like to spend four years thinking your family is complete, then discover someone has taken half of it.""
Amelia lowered her eyes.
"I do understand.""
She walked toward the fireplace and picked up a framed photograph.
It showed a newborn baby wrapped in a white blanket.
"Margaret came to me four years ago. She said she had a child who needed a home. She told me the mother had died and the father had abandoned her.""
I looked at the photograph.
"Why you?""
"Because I was a pediatric nurse at Westbridge General. I had recently lost my husband, and I had been trying to adopt.""
"Did you know Margaret?""
"Professionally. She was a donor to the hospital.""
Nathan stepped forward.
"Did she pay you?""
Amelia looked at him.
"Yes.""
"For what?""
"Medical expenses. Legal fees. A private adoption arrangement.""
I stared at her.
"Was Sophie adopted legally?""
Amelia hesitated.
"Not completely.""
My stomach tightened.
"What does that mean?""
"Margaret told me the paperwork would be finalized after a family court review. But it never happened.""
Daniel entered the house behind us.
He had been speaking with Victoria.
"Amelia, we need the original documents.""
She nodded.
"I kept everything.""
She walked toward a small cabinet.
Inside were folders, medical records, photographs, and handwritten letters.
She removed a thick file.
"These are Sophie's records.""
I opened it.
The first document was a hospital birth report.
Two babies.
Two names.
Baby A: Eleanor Harper.
Baby B: Sophie Harper.
Mother: Claire Harper.
The father section was incomplete.
I touched the paper.
My hands were trembling.
Then I found another document.
A letter signed by Margaret.
Amelia, as discussed, you will raise the second child under the name Sophie Cross. The arrangement must remain confidential. The biological family must never be informed.
I looked up.
"You agreed to this?""
Amelia began crying.
"I thought I was saving her.""
"From what?""
"Margaret told me the child would be placed in an institution if I refused.""
I stared at her.
"Why didn't you contact me?""
"Because I was threatened.""
"By whom?""
"Margaret.""
She opened another folder.
Inside was a photograph of a little girl standing beside a Christmas tree.
Sophie.
She was holding a stuffed yellow rabbit.
Ellie's rabbit.
I felt my throat tighten.
"Does Sophie know?""
Amelia nodded.
"She knows she was adopted.""
"Does she know about me?""
"Not until last month.""
"What happened last month?""
Amelia looked at Nathan.
"Margaret contacted me. She said the family was in danger and that I needed to prepare Sophie for a change.""
Nathan stepped forward.
"What kind of change?""
"She wanted Sophie to sign some documents when she turned five.""
Daniel frowned.
"She's four.""
Amelia nodded.
"Exactly. The documents were prepared in advance.""
Victoria entered behind Daniel.
"Documents for what?""
Amelia looked at her.
"Guardianship and trust authorization.""
Nathan's expression darkened.
"She was going to use Sophie to challenge Ellie's identity.""
"Yes," Amelia whispered.
I closed my eyes.
Margaret had separated two sisters, hidden one child, and then tried to use both of them to control a fortune.
I looked at Amelia.
"Where are the girls?""
"Upstairs.""
I ran toward the staircase.
At the top, a small bedroom door stood open.
I entered.
Ellie was sitting on a pink rug, playing with wooden blocks.
Beside her sat a little girl.
They looked almost identical.
The other child turned.
Her eyes widened.
"Mommy?""
Amelia appeared behind me.
"Sophie, sweetheart, this is Claire.""
The little girl looked at me.
"Is she the lady from the pictures?""
I couldn't speak.
Ellie jumped up.
"Mommy!""
She ran into my arms.
I held her tightly.
Then Sophie stood.
She looked between us.
"Are you my other mommy?""
I felt my heart break.
I crouched in front of her.
"No, sweetheart. I'm your birth mother.""
Sophie frowned.
"What does that mean?""
"It means I carried you in my tummy before you were born.""
She looked at Amelia.
"Then why did you leave me?""
The question struck harder than anything Margaret had said.
I swallowed.
"I didn't know you were here.""
Sophie stared at me.
"Really?""
I nodded.
"Really.""
She looked at Ellie.
"Are we sisters?""
Ellie smiled.
"Yes.""
Sophie hesitated.
Then she reached for Ellie's hand.
"Can we play?""
Ellie nodded.
"Yes. I have a rabbit.""
Sophie smiled.
"I have one too.""
I looked at Amelia.
She wiped her eyes.
"They've been talking about meeting each other for weeks.""
I turned.
"How?""
"Margaret showed them photographs.""
I felt anger rise again.
"She used them.""
Amelia nodded.
"She wanted them to become attached before she made the next move.""
Victoria appeared in the doorway.
"Claire, we have a problem.""
I stood.
"What now?""
She held up her phone.
"The trust has been accessed.""
Nathan stepped closer.
"By whom?""
Victoria looked at the screen.
"An account registered under Sophie Cross.""
Amelia shook her head.
"That's impossible. Sophie doesn't have a bank account.""
Victoria turned toward her.
"Someone created one.""
I looked at the girls.
"How much money?""
Victoria swallowed.
"Forty-eight million dollars.""
Nathan stared at her.
"Where did it go?""
"Through three separate accounts.""
Daniel checked his phone.
"One belongs to a company registered in the Cayman Islands.""
Nathan swore.
"Margaret.""
Victoria shook her head.
"No. The authorization came from a different identity.""
She turned the screen toward me.
The name was listed beneath the transaction.
*AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY: AMELIA CROSS.*
I stared at the woman.
Amelia stepped backward.
"No.""
Victoria held up another document.
"Your electronic signature appears on the transfer request.""
"I didn't sign anything.""
"Someone used your credentials.""
Amelia began shaking.
"Margaret told me she needed my signature for the adoption papers.""
Nathan looked at her.
"When?""
"Three weeks ago.""
I felt sick.
Margaret had used Amelia's identity to access the trust.
And now the money was gone.
But Victoria wasn't finished.
She scrolled through the records.
"There is another transfer scheduled for midnight.""
"How much?"" I asked.
"Fourteen million.""
"To whom?""
Victoria looked at Nathan.
Then at me.
"The receiving account belongs to a person named Peter Lang.""
Daniel's expression changed.
"Margaret's former attorney.""
Nathan nodded.
"He's the one who ran Northbridge Children's Residence.""
I looked at the clock.
11:12 p.m.
"How do we stop it?""
Victoria shook her head.
"We need an emergency injunction. But we need evidence that the trust was accessed through fraud.""
Nathan looked at the original documents.
"Then we have to find Margaret's attorney.""
Daniel nodded.
"I know where he works.""
Amelia suddenly spoke.
"Wait.""
We turned.
She was staring at the photograph of Sophie and Ellie.
"Margaret told me something before she disappeared.""
"What?"" I asked.
Amelia swallowed.
"She said the girls weren't the only children involved.""
My blood ran cold.
"What does that mean?""
Amelia looked at me.
"She said there were other babies.""
Silence filled the room.
Nathan stepped forward.
"How many?""
Amelia shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"Amelia, please.""
She looked toward the girls.
Then lowered her voice.
"Margaret said the hospital had a private arrangement. Some newborns were transferred to families without proper records.""
I felt dizzy.
"Why?""
"For money.""
Daniel's face hardened.
"You're saying there was an illegal adoption network?""
Amelia nodded.
"I don't know how large it was. But I heard Margaret discussing payments with Peter Lang.""
Nathan closed his eyes.
"That's why she wanted control of the records.""
Victoria looked at her phone.
Then she whispered:
"There's something else.""
She turned the screen toward us.
A new email had arrived.
The sender was Peter Lang.
The subject line read:
*THE ORIGINAL BABY TRANSFER LIST.*
The message contained one sentence.
If you want the truth about Claire's second daughter, come to the old Northbridge building at midnight.
I stared at the screen.
"Why would he invite us there?""
Daniel shook his head.
"Because he's desperate.""
Nathan looked at the girls.
"We're not leaving them.""
Amelia nodded.
"I'll stay with them.""
I turned toward her.
"Can I trust you?""
She looked at Sophie.
Then at Ellie.
"I made a terrible mistake. But I won't let Margaret hurt either of them again.""
I believed her.
Or perhaps I simply needed to.
At 11:24 p.m., Nathan, Daniel, and I left for Northbridge.
As we drove through the dark streets, I watched the city lights pass through the window.
I thought about the two girls sleeping in the same bedroom.
I thought about the money.
The stolen identities.
The false death certificate.
And the children who might have been taken from their families.
Then Daniel's phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
And suddenly slammed his hand against the dashboard.
"What happened?"" Nathan asked.
Daniel looked at us.
"Peter Lang is dead.""
My stomach dropped.
"When?""
"Twenty minutes ago.""
Nathan gripped the steering wheel.
"Who killed him?""
Daniel looked down at his phone.
A message had just arrived.
He read it aloud.
"Nobody killed him.""
I frowned.
"Then what?""
Daniel looked at me.
"His office was burned down.""
He turned the screen toward us.
There was a photograph of the building.
Firefighters stood outside.
And in the middle of the image was a man walking away from the flames.
A man wearing a gray coat.
A man with a scar beneath his left eye.
Richard Cole.
But Richard was supposed to be at the hotel.
I grabbed Daniel's phone.
"That's impossible.""
Then another message appeared.
Don't trust the man who claims to be Ellie's father.
May you like
And beneath it:
The real Richard Cole died seven years ago.
